Page 116 of Cloak of Night
“No, they won’t,” Daemon said. “There is more than one demigod like me, and they’re out there now, capturing your army.”
Sora wasn’t sure if he was bluffing. She thought she’d seen only him and Liga. Were there really more of his brothers and sisters out there?
“Demigod... That’s what you are?” Prince Gin’s entire body slumped, his arms and legs dangling uselessly in the air.
“Yes, and my father will see to it that all the souls you damned will be redeemed.”
“Vespre conducted the purification ritual?” Sora cried. Joy and relief rose tentatively in her chest. “You convinced him?”
“I struck a deal,” Daemon said, suddenly refusing to look at her.
Hana let out a small gasp of understanding. “That was the secret you hid from us before you left.”
The relief Sora had momentarily felt now vanished. “Daemon... what did you do?”
“What I had to. He tried to cast me away as soon as I showed up, but I made him listen by offering the only thing he truly wanted of me. I promised to live in Celestae—”
“No...” Sora stumbled. It seemed that all the air had been sucked from the tower. She and Daemon had just begun their new journey together as more than geminas, and now it was being dashed to pieces.
She whirled on Prince Gin. “This is all your fault! You claim to love your kingdom and its people, but all you’ve caused is misery.”
“Sora.” Daemon sent her a cascade of tenderness, like a bolt of rich velvet unfurling in their gemina bond. “You didn’t let me finish. I compromised with Vespre. I’ll spend fall and winter in Celestae, and spring and summer here with you.”
“But that’s only half your time...”
His voice went soft and quiet. “Believe me, I wish I hadn’t had to promise that to him. But it was the only way. During life, souls are marked as pure, tainted, or uncertain. Your soul—and all the taigas’ and other ryuu’s—were tainted, destined for an eternity of torture. Vespre was able to change the mark on your souls to ‘uncertain,’ giving them a chance to go either way when you die.
“The bargain with my father was worth it, Sora,” Daemon said. “And it won’t be that bad. I’m a demigod now; I’ll find a way for us to communicate even if I can’t be with you. Maybe I could use our gemina bond to visit your dreams.”
“Without genka?”
He laughed. “Without genka.” But then his smile faded. “The deal with Vespre only stands, though, if we survive this war. My father did his part of the purification ritual, but we still have to do ours.”
“Tell us what to do,” Hana said, stepping up so her sister could recover.
Sora was overwhelmed. But everyone had made sacrifices, and she wouldn’t let them do it alone. That was the taiga way.
She nodded at Daemon. “How do we finish the purification ritual?”
Strength like steel surged through their bond, and Sora no longer had any doubt that she and Daemon would betogether through everything, even if they had to be apart. They would figure out the little details, but the big things were easy because they already knew how to be partners, and now they were more committed to each other than they’d ever been before.
“Vespre removed the shackle that was on all ryuu and taiga souls,” he said. “Even so, as long as the original thief is alive, no one who used Sight will be allowed in the afterlife.” Daemon turned to look at the Dragon Prince. “The originator of the curse has to die in order for the curse itself to die, too.”
Sora also looked at Prince Gin. All it would take is a knife....
“I truly only wanted what was best for Kichona, Aki,” the Dragon Prince said, the fight in his voice gone.
“He’s trying to make you pity him, Your Majesty,” Sora said. “Don’t fall for it.”
Empress Aki looked at her brother on the ceiling, her eyes rimmed red with tears. “Despite everything, I love you, Gin. I would spare your life if you’d repent for all that you did.”
“Your Majesty—” Daemon began.
But Sora sent him the feeling she’d experienced upon being reunited with Hana, a dizzying sense of glee and relief that transcended any past misdeeds. She worried about Empress Aki forgiving Prince Gin, but Sora understood it, too. There was something about family that allowed you to forgive them even the most atrocious wrongs. It was the most incomprehensible yet noble gift. Daemon stopped his protest.
Prince Gin, however, shook his head. “I could no morerepent what I’ve done in the name of Kichona than you could repent what you’ve done for the kingdom.”
Empress Aki furrowed her brow. “But I’ve built schools, encouraged Kichona’s rich traditions by paying for festivals and celebrations, and opened up our borders to bring more prosperity than our kingdom has ever seen.”
