Page 73 of Gods of Prey
I wanted to step in the night he got between me and Sebastian. At first, my intention was to ream him out. What sort of suicidal, delusional interim god would get between a fight like that? I was ready to strike my brother down if he moved a single muscle wrong.
Then, I thought about it longer and realized exactly what his actions meant. And like the coward I am, I got too scared to acknowledge them. Even in a dream state.
Now, I’m not sure how he would react if I did. I'm no Lyra, afterall.
“Then we make him see that she’s more ready than he thinks,” he insists plainly.
Before I can ask what he means, Jovie steps through the sliding glass door.
“Did you two kiss and make up?” she asks teasingly, though she’s looking at the space where I hover rather than at Revel.
I make myself visible to her, a skill that’s become easier with practice. “Absolutely not,” I tell her, scowling at Revel’s remorseful frown.
Jovie smirks, and I understand again why Sebastian fell for her. There’s something luminous about her when she’s happy, something that makes even my shadowy nature feel lighter.
“Bash doesn’t think I’m progressing fast enough,” she confides, glancing toward where he’s typing furiously at his computer. “He keeps saying we have time, but I can feel how anxious you both are. The Divine Council isn’t going to wait, are they?”
Revel and I exchange a look. Jovie has always been perceptive, but her growing divine awareness is making her even sharper.
“No,” I admit. “They’re not.”
“Then show me something more advanced,” she says, determination setting her jaw. “I know you’ve been holding back.”
Revel steps forward. “Jovie, Sebastian wants to control your training pace for a reason?—”
“Because he’s terrified,” she interrupts. “I get it. But I’m not fragile, and I’m not stupid. I know what’s at stake.”
I study her face, seeing not just the mortal woman my brother fell in love with, but the potential immortal she could become. There’s steel in her, beneath all that warmth.
“Show her,” I tell Revel.
He looks surprised. “Sienna?—”
“Show her divine sight,” I insist. “Full spectrum. If she can handle it, Sebastian will have to admit she’s readier than he thinks.”
Divine sight is advanced. The ability to see through all realms simultaneously, to perceive the true nature of beings around you. It’s overwhelming for new immortals, but if Jovie can master it, she’s ready for Aurelys.
Revel hesitates for another moment, then nods. “All right. But if this goes wrong?—”
“It won’t,” Jovie says firmly.
Revel places his hands on either side of Jovie’s face, his power radiating outward. “This might be disorienting,” he warns. “Don’t fight it. Let the sight come naturally.”
I watch as Jovie’s eyes begin to glow with the same golden light I’ve seen in Sebastian’s. Her breath catches, and for a moment I worry it’s too much. Then her gaze shifts to me, and I know she’s seeing me as I truly am—not the ghostly apparition I’ve been showing her, but the Goddess of Death in all my shadowy glory.
“Oh,” she breathes, wonder in her voice. “You’re beautiful.”
The comment catches me off guard. Beautiful isn’t typically how people describe Death.
Her gaze moves to Revel next, and her eyes widen. “And you’re...wow. You’re like looking at sunlight through leaves. And you both have wings!”
Revel chuckles, his hands still framing her face. “How do you feel?”
“Like I can see everything,” she whispers. “The energy flowing between you two, the connection to your realms, the way this apartment sits between worlds...” She pauses, focusing on something I can’t see. “And I can see Sebastian’s true form even from here. He’s . . . ”
She pauses, her expression dropping as she allows herself a moment to fully take him in. “He’s stunning.”
Revel drops his hands, the divine sight fading from Jovie’s eyes. She blinks several times, adjusting back to normal vision.
