Page 51 of Gods of Prey
“Sienna,stop,” Revel growls more forcefully. It takes a concentrated effort not to whirl around on him.
What sort of male would ever dare interfere with Death and her victim?
A dead one, if I had to guess.
“No, let her speak,” comes a new voice from the doorway.
We all turn. Bash stands there, his expression unreadable in the dim emergency lighting. Jovie’s feet scuffle over toward him and she tucks herself beneath his protective arm.
His gaze moves to Voss, then to Revel, and finally settles on me. I don’t bother hiding my form from him now. He sees me—reallysees me—for the first time since we entered this realm as divine beings.
“Siennara,” he says my full name, and there’s recognition in his voice that sends a shiver through my spectral form.
I study him for a beat, my mind struggling to confirm what my ears are hearing. “Sebastian,” I finally reply in challenge, my tone lifting in question.
For a long moment, we simply look at each other—twins separated by the veil between Life and Death. I search his face for signs of my brother, the God of Life, hidden beneath the mortal identity he’s created.
And for the first time in years, I see it. That divineknowledge.
“You remember,” I say softly.
“Not everything,” he admits. “But enough to know that you shouldn’t be here.” He looks at Revel. “Neither of you should.”
Revel steps forward. “We came to bring you home, brother. Aurelys needs you. The balance?—”
“I know about the balance,” Bash interrupts. “I’ve felt it shifting.” He tugs Jovie closer to his side, tightening his arm around her shoulders. I have a feeling he’s doing it to ease the tension radiating from her more than anything else. She looks like she’s seen a ghost.
Well, what I’dexpecther to look like if she’d seen a ghost. She’s much more resilient than any average mortal.
“But I’ve made my choice,” my brother goes on.
“You can’t just abandon your realm,” I argue. “Your responsibilities?—”
“Like you’ve abandoned yours?” he barks. “Twice, now.”
I flinch, my gaze flicking toward Revel before quickly fluttering away at the fury growing more prominent in his features. I forgot what a fucking twat Sebastian could be. “This is different.”
“Is it?” His green eyes hold mine. “You’ve always been drawn to mortal concerns. Their passions. Their vendettas. Their loves.” His gaze softens as he gazes at Jovie. “You understand why I can’t leave her.”
“I do,” I admit. “Better than anyone. You know that. But the realms are suffering, Sebastian. Life and Death need their true guardians.”
The air between us seems to thicken with unspoken words. Centuries of shared existence, of punishment endured together, of twin souls bound by divine duty.
“How has she abandoned her realm twice?” Revel’s voice is slow and steady, like he’s controlling it with every ounce of his being.
Sebastian turns toward his friend, one brow lifted in question. The realization settles over him at once, his expression falling into one of understanding. “Of course, she didn’t tell you everything,” my brother scoffs, pinning me with a chastising stare.
No, I didn’t tell Revel everything because if I had, we’d all be food at the bottom of Shadowmere lake.
“There hasn’t been an opportunity,” I grind out, my eyes drifting between the two men who have always done this—ganged up on me and made me feel small. Nodding toward the mortal chained to the wall, I add, “This is hardly the place.”
“What is going on with him?” Bash asks, accepting my excuse. I can tell by the tight look on Revel’s face that he’s not as easily placated.
Jovie bravely steps forward, though she walks on unsteady feet. We’ve shocked her. Probably more than she’s letting show. “He was mine to give to you. A peace offering.”
Bash’s expression softens as he looks at her. “You didn’t need to do that.”
“I wanted to,” she says simply. “For Sienna.”
