Page 93 of Court of Heathens

I glance up and see the fallen god step back into the shadows, his eyes glistening with tears.

She will be reborn, and we will have her back, while he is doomed to watch.

The glowing orb continues to rise until it glistens in the light between us, and I stare at it in awe. “Freya.” I do not know if I speak or think it, but I put my love into that one word. “Come back to us.”

The spears pull from our chests, and the last thing I see as I plunge face-first into the water is her glowing soul beginning to expand, joining ours.

CHAPTER 50

Ido not remember where I am or what happened.

One moment, everything is dark, and the next, my eyes are snapping open, my chest expanding with a deep gasp as if I haven’t breathed in a very long time.

I blink as I stare at a glowing ceiling, trying to remember where I am. Did I fall asleep? This isn’t my home. What happened?

My brain is slow, but my body buzzes with strength and power I didn’t know I possessed. Turning my head, I frown, not understanding what I’m seeing for a moment. My arm is stretched out, dipping into some glowing water, and there are shapes in it.

I sit upright, gaping in horror as I take in the scene.

My men are floating in the pool.

Adder is the closest to me. His face is turned away from me and his tail is limp. Sha is next to him, his eyes open but unseeing, and beyond them is Phrixius.

My god is face down, his blond hair spread around him like a halo.

“No!” My scream echoes through the cavern, and I throw myself into the water.

I scramble into the pool. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I thrust my hands into the water and reach for them. I grasp Adder’sarm first, tugging him up. I lay him down on the rock. He is motionless and his eyes are closed, but I do not have time to worry. I turn and grip Sha, pulling him out and laying him next to Adder, and then I wade into the pool and grab Phrixius, flipping him over. His eyes are closed as I pull him out with a grunt and lay him beside Adder and Sha. Their feet dangle into the water as I scramble up, first heading to Adder. I press my head to his chest and listen, but there’s no heartbeat.

“No, you don’t get to leave me.” Guided by something beyond my knowledge, I cup his cheeks and press my lips to his. Something passes between us, and I swear I feel something click, tethering us together like a rope.

He gasps, his eyes snapping open and clashing with mine. I pull back as he breathes. “Little witch,” he whispers.

Grinning, I kiss him before turning and kissing Sha. Once more, I feel that click, and another rope pulls taut. His eyes open with shocking brightness, his lips moving against mine until I pull away. He shudders, breathing rapidly.

“Mistress,” he murmurs as he tries to pull me closer, but I climb over him with another swift kiss before leaning over Phrixius and pressing my lips to his.

Once more, something passes from me to him, and another thread snaps into place until it feels like I am whole once more. A sense of rightness fills me as memories bombard my brain, including things I did not experience, but I push them away to sort through later.

I collapse on top of Phrixius, feeling him take a deep inhale before his eyes open.

“Freya,” he whispers.

“I’m here,” I murmur.

“You’re alive.” He tugs me over him and kisses me again.

Pulling back to breathe, I grin at him as I feel the others move closer. Adder’s hands slide down me possessively, while Sha’s lips find my shoulders. All of them touch me, and when they do, something pulses happily inside me.

As I lean over Phrixius, movement draws my gaze up, and I find aman watching us with an expression of pure longing on his face before he blinks it away and smiles at me.

“I am glad you’re whole.”

I know instantly who he is and why he is in pain. It’s not knowledge I possessed before, but Phrixius did, and it came into my mind as if I were born with it.

He starts to back into the darkness, and somehow, I know if he leaves now, he will be lost to this world. He is tired and hurting, but the world needs him, so I plunge myself back into the pool, my eyes on him.

“I have only used my powers for evil so far, but let me help you.” I reach deep within the pool. I know no living being should be able to do this, but somehow, I know I can.

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