Page 86 of Court of Heathens

I don’t know how I know I can do it, but I send my next thought to him.

Protect him, please.

He inclines his head, letting me know he will, and I let my shoulders droop in relief as I glance at Phrixius. Swallowing, I climb to my feet, and every eye swings to me.

“I cannot apologise for what I am,” I tell them, “but know I never wanted this. I just wanted a quiet life. I just wanted to make my spells and maybe be happy, but I know that was never my fate. I wish I could say I was strong enough to resist what I am, and maybe I could have with their help, but it does not matter now.” I sweep my gaze over the gods. “There has been enough death. You destroyed my kind, and we try to destroy you. It’s just an endless cycle of rebirth and death, and it’s time it stopped. It’s time to move on. I hope, in the future, there will be a person, one born into this magic like me, who will change this world for the better and give people hope, not hate, because I will take it with me now. I will take it all so that when that person is born, they stand a chance, hopeful for the future. I hope, one day, you’re able to accept we are not born evil—we are made evil.”

I look at Phrixius as he climbs to his feet and faces me, my smile soft as I memorise his handsome face. I would have been happy making spells at his side, watching those rubbish movies he likes, and playing for an eternity, but it was never our destiny.

This love was never meant to be. We had some stolen moments together, and it’s all we’ll get. I just hope he finds happiness again in the future because no one deserves it more.

“Thank you, Phrixius, for trying to save me and being with medespite the paths we both knew we would have to take. Thank you for giving me something good to hold onto and something to love. I’m beginning to understand that the meaning of love isn’t just a feeling, it’s hope, and it’s those you would willingly sacrifice yourself for. Even if it means unhappiness for you, you do it anyway because you love them and you want them to be happy.”

Stepping forward, I release the chains the god placed around me. It’s effortless, just another sign of how strong my powers truly are. When I meet Phrixius’s tear-stained face, I see hopelessness in his eyes.

“It’s going to be okay,” I promise him with a soft smile. I feel the darkness swirl around my feet, and the gods panic, stepping back. Seeing the gods’ terror only hammers home that what I am doing is right. “I do not want to be this world’s destruction, but the bitter truth is, I would if it would save you. I should care more about it, but I don’t. All I care about is you three. I would swallow it whole and fill it with death if it meant keeping you safe, but I cannot save you if I am alive.”

“Freya—” He stumbles to me, but I hold him back with a flick of my finger. Watching our magic meet for the last time gives me a sad sort of nostalgia for simpler times, when I didn’t know the true depth of my love for this man.

“This world needs you, Phrixius.” It’s one of the only times I’ve ever used his full name, and I see the moment it registers. “It needs you, but it does not need me. I was supposed to die all those years ago. I was never supposed to live past my birth. I will rectify that wrong now. I’ll go out on my own terms for you,” I say with a tearful grin. “I love you so much that I will not let you live with this on your soul for the rest of your life, even though you know it’s the right thing to do.” I see his soul being torn apart. Duty and honour fight with his love for me. It’s not his fault he fell in love with someone so evil, but it’s also not my fault I became this way.

We are just two storms destined to meet, but I will not let him die out.

Moving across the floor, I ignore everyone else, placing my handon his cheek for one more stolen moment. His eyes close in bliss as I lean in. “I love you, remember that, and live for me. Find your happiness once more and live every day like it’s your last life.” I step back, and before he can stop me, I wave my hand across my body, directing all the evil and death towards myself.

I implode into a million tiny pieces and take the legacy and vengeance of our people with me.

I seal our past with my death, and I free his future.

CHAPTER 45

Istare at the place she was.

Glittering ashes of her body and soul swirl around me, whispering across my skin in one last, stolen touch.

Her smile, laughter, kindness, and love are gone.

Everything that made her Freya is just . . . gone, blowing away with the wind.

“Well, she was not as foolish as she looked,” someone jokes behind me.

They joke.

About her death.

As if I was not just forced to watch the only person I have ever loved kill herself to protect me.

She ended her own life simply for being born the way she was.

She was right.

We made her evil.

She was not born like that. Freya was kind and filled with laughter, but we stole that from her. She never would have been here if not for that necromancer and the gods. She would be in her coven, never knowing, happy withher demon.

Now she is gone like she never existed, a bad memory for them, but for me, my whole world was destroyed with her.

What is the point of going on?

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