Page 13 of Gods' Battleground

“The Night Prince’s treasury holds many priceless treasures from the Immortals,” replied Vertigo. “Treasures he’s salvaged or stolen from countless worlds in the Forgotten Territories.”

“The Forgotten Territories?”

“A region of worlds in the Veil,” Vertigo explained. “Worlds ruled by pirates and warlords. Very dangerous.” She bit her lip. “The Forgotten Territories contain a very dense concentration of Immortal treasures, which is what drew the bad players there in the first place. They claimed whole worlds for themselves and made slaves of the local populations.”

“They sound charming,” I said, scowling. “Tell me more about the treasure Bella is after.”

“She seeks a special book rumored to be in the Night Prince’s treasury. According to legend, this book holds the cure to many ailments, both mundane and magical.”

“Ailments? Like curses?”

“Yes.”

So Bella’s heist of the Night Prince’s treasury was a plan born out of desperation. She was looking for a cure to her curse.

“Hmm.” I glanced at Vertigo.

“Yes?” she asked me.

“How do I save my sister’s life?”

“Save her?”

“Yes, save her,” I confirmed. “You said it was still possible.”

“Did I?” Vertigo’s smile was distant, distracted. She seemed to be fading in and out of sanity. “Oh, yes. Save Bella.” She snapped back to the moment. “To do that, Leda Pandora, you need to workwithher. Don’t let her go into the Night Prince’s fortress alone. Don’t let her fight this battle alone. If you go with her, she will survive.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because I have seen it,” Vertigo said, tapping her head.

“More visions of the future?”

“Yes, many different futures with many different results. If the future you desire is the one in which your sister survives, you and your foster family must go with her into the Night Prince’s fortress.”

“Allof us?” I asked.

“Yes. Callista, Ginnifer, Tessa…” She counted off each name on her fingers. “…and…oh, right! Zane. And Leda Pandora, of course. You all have a role to play.”

I chewed on that. I really didn’t like putting my family in danger. Not that I would be able to prevent them from joining me in my quest to Midnight, not even if an oracular telepathhadn’t called them out as essential participants in Operation: Save Bella. They would insist on coming along either way.

All I could do was hope we all made it through this rescue operation unscathed.

I turned to Vertigo. “Thank you.”

“It is not your thanks that I require,” she responded. “I fulfilled my part of the bargain. Now I expect you to fulfillyours.”

Even before I could reply, Jace cut in. “I hope you’re notactuallythinking about letting her go, Leda.”

“Of course not,” I said. “She isn’t safe out here. Faris is hunting her. And so are the other gods, I suspect. They will never stop hunting her.”

“Then what are you planning to do? And don’t tell me ‘nothing’.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I know that look in your eyes.”

“Look?” I said innocently. “What look?”

“The look you always get right before you dive headfirst into trouble,” he sighed, “and drag me right along with you.”

“You won’t get into trouble, Jace,” I assured him. “You’re only following orders—myorders—exactly as you’re expected to do. Don’t forget that I’m a goddess now, and you have to do what I say.”

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