Chapter 26
Fay felt her whole soul freeze as the blade fell, time slowing to a crawl. Around her, all had fallen silent. After a second, she blinked. The blade was stopped, the sharp point inches from Amanda’s throat. Panicked eyes were locked on the blade, stark against her pale face. The bravado, even the strength of the Command itself, had waned in the face of death. Her eyes slowly lifted, tentatively, met what Fay felt was Andromeda’s unyielding gaze.
It was then that Fay realised that Amanda had dropped the sword.
Amanda must’ve realised because she instinctively went to grab it – anything to put something between her and the demon girl. Andromeda was too her fast. She plunged the sword straight down, right into Amanda’s sword. A strangled scream tore from Amanda’s throat, raw as Andromeda twisted the sword. Then she yanked it out and, as if dismissing Amanda entirely, grabbed the sword she was after. As she did the sword of Hades dissolved, perhaps summoned by its master.
Andromeda stepped back, tightened her grip on the sword and stared at it. She didn’t seem to pay any attention as Amanda writhed on the ground, screaming in agony, clutching at her shoulder, blood spilling through her fingers.
You didn’t have to hurt her, hissed Fay.
I saved her, like you asked, said Andromeda by way of explanation. She said nothing more.
Fay wanted to ask how Amanda had been saved but Andromeda’s focus fixed on Tash.
“Walk away. My fight isn’t with you,” said Andromeda, like she was talking to an errant child, not someone to be taken seriously.
Tash’s lip curled into a soundless snarl. “But mine is. I was fine before a Goddess came to me one day, offered to fix everything in exchange I help her defeat the greatest threat to humanity – you. The demon girl who was deluded to think she was created to kill a god.”
“And you think you will do what even Zeus failed to do? For what? To become one of them?” Andromeda suddenly threw her head back and laughed, hard – it was a cold, brittle sound. No one moved, nor spoke until she sobered and wiped her ear. “It’s funny because you want to be one of them just as their time is coming to an end.”
Confusion flashed through Tash’s eyes. The prophecy had been about Andromeda killing one god, not heralding the end of all of them.
“You think you’ll kill them all?” Tash challenged. “You’re dumber than you look.”
“I’ve lived for two thousand years in one way or another. Do you think I’ve been idle for this long? That you’re the first Oracle I’ve met? You’re nothing more than a pawn in a game. You can’t even see who the real players are,” mocked Andromeda.
Around her the wolves shifted uneasily, especially as Andromeda’s screams died to a whimpering cry. Fay realised that Amanda was now behind them, that in the moments of talk Andromeda had moved slowly forward. Scarcely twenty feet separated them. Tash didn’t seem to notice – or hadn’t let it be known she did. A game of wit was at work beneath the banter, another battle starting to unfold already.
“Let me guess,” began Tash with a cold smile, “You’re one of them?”
Andromeda said nothing; instead, she slowly let ribbons of energy dance over her skin as she moved forward. Her steps grew bolder, longer – the façade was gone. Tash threw her hands up, summoning a shield, as Andromeda flicked her wrist, hurling a bolt of energy. It slammed into her shield, sending her staggering back, her feet digging into the soft earth. She tried to throw her own bolt of energy but Andromeda was on her, recklessly hurling energy at her, bearing down on her shield. All Tash could do was hold her ground.
After a minute Fay realised that Andromeda was testing Fay. It seemed even the legend herself was unsure. She was looking for a weakness, an opening of some sort.
Blow after blow Tash seemed to sink deeper and deeper, almost to her knees then –
Tash exploded.
A thunderous bang as a wave of energy slammed into Andromeda, sending her flying back. She hit a tree, the trunk splintering on contact, splitting down the middle. Pain exploded as she sunk to the ground, wincing as she dragged herself to her feet. Wobbly, like a newborn dear, she teetered precariously as she lifted her gaze back to Tash.
Andromeda froze.
Tash was glowing with energy – and she was only getting brighter, her whole-body quivering with energy. A strange confusion swam through Andromeda, followed by a surprising stir of worry, panic it seemed for Tash.
Andromeda started to stagger back to Tash as she siphoned energy into her body, not to heal but to block the pain. It seemed all she could do, even as every limb fought her movements.
“What has Zeus done?” Andromeda gasped in disgust.
Athena was the one who made her, corrected Fay.
But Andromeda was vehement on her convictions. No, this is his work. It’s the only way he could beat me. I’ll give him this, though, it’s bloody clever – I didn’t see this coming.
See what? Fay asked, exasperated by Andromeda’s continued vagueness.
No reply came.
Fay’s mind still reeled at her words. It’s the only way he could beat me. She looked at Tash again with her wild eyes and her body alive with magic, thrumming with such an intensity it was dizzying to watch. She tried to see it through Andromeda’s eyes, to understand.
I’m sorry but I can’t save this one. Her soul is already gone, obliterated to make room for this, said Andromeda softly. She even sounded remorseful.
Make room for what? Fay replied quietly.
The one now in control.
Andromeda surged forward with a final burst of strength, surging her word out – aiming it right at Tash. Just as it looked to hit Tash raised her hand and slapped it away, sending Andromeda reeling. The last shreds of energy were bleeding from her and fast. She swayed on her feet, trying to stand. Darkness swam over her vision and no matter how hard she tried to fight it away, sheer force of will wasn’t enough. Not even from the famous Andromeda. Her mythical will was faltering, the connection between her and Fay was fading.
I didn’t want to do it this way. You deserve more. I’ll save you, I swear, Andromeda vowed, though Fay knew the words weren’t meant for her.
Then, Andromeda snapped her fingers. A wordless Command burst out from inside her. The sword vanished from her hand. She sunk to her knees, her hands sinking into the earth. Weakly, she raised her head and saw the inky black shadow of a portal emerge from behind Tash, just for a split second. A figure emerged, those familiar feathery wings spread wide – along with the sword in question.
Aello.
She drove the sword in. Tash screamed, seizing up in shock, her hands to her chest, to the sword. Blood spilt through her fingers as she sunk to her knees, the glowing flickering – like a dying light.
A pang of grief and shame burst from Andromeda, like she’d somehow failed Tash.
Before Fay could dig around Andromeda was crawling – no, dragging herself. The wolves around them, suddenly without a master, began to snarl at each other – one by one, they bolted. They didn’t make it far before they collapsed, none making it past the tree line. Not one wolf moved after that.
“Fay!” Abe’s voice rang out across the clearing.
Fay scarcely heard it. There was a roar of blood around her, her mind struggling to focus as Andromeda’s grief filled her. She tried to focus but all she could make out was Andromeda’s reaching out, dragging herself until she was at Tash’s body. Her hand cautiously touched the cheek, flinching back immediately.
I’ll find you, I swear, vowed Andromeda as she swayed again on her knees, the world lurching from beneath her. I’m coming for you…
Andromeda’s voice bled away until her presence faded completely. Fay slid back into control, the pain hitting her like a truck. She crumpled to the side in blinding agony, aware of every bruise and broken bone, even of the absence of Andromeda’s energy. It was like she’d been scraped hollow, left raw and exposed.
A face suddenly loomed over her. She frowned, trying to decipher the features, figure out who it was. Their eyes sharpened first, then the rest of their face. Just as their name touched her lips she began to feel a soft warmth spread through her limbs, the pain ebbing as skin seemed to be stitched back together and bones remade anew. With a groan she blinked several times.
“Abe?” She asked, forcing herself to sit.
His hands were on her, reassuring her. “I’m here.”
“Ben, Mel, the others,” she blurted out, her head swimming as she tried to stand – only to fall down, her body refusing to obey.
He continued to stroke her hair, drawing her close, as if he was afraid she’d disappear. Andromeda is gone. He must know that. So, for all her mixed feelings, she finds herself dimly content, savouring the moment, fleeting as it was. His arms wrapped around her completely and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. She felt the warmth of his breath and wished her body would respond. The contentment is gone, replaced by panic.
“Abe, the others-“
He pulled away, helped her sit and see Mel as she bent over Ben, trying to heal him. Beads of sweat clung to her brow. Even in that, she seemed impossibly striking, effortlessly beautiful. Fay was suddenly envious that, even worn down and beaten, that glamour – a trait of her predatory nature – still held strong. There was no way Fay looked the same.
“They’re fine, okay? How do you feel?”
“Drained.” Her mind started to sharpen, refocus on what was now before her – the great unknown future, and that of Amanda’s.
They found Amanda by one of the cabins. In the chaos she’d dragged herself to the porch and was sitting up, still clutching her bloodied shoulder. As Abe helped Fay over, followed by a bruised Ben and Mel, both of whom were uncomfortably quiet, Amanda looked up with wild, mistrustful eyes. She was without a master, a virtual death sentence for her. Fay wondered if she thought they were coming over to finish the job.
“Come to finish the job?” Amanda snarled. “Do it. I won’t be his pet. I’d rather die.”
“What if I told you there was someone you could bind yourself to? Someone who would treat you right, even give you the protection of the council. You could have a life, a real life.”
Amanda stared back, sceptical, her lips a thin line. She’d probably heard the same thing from Tash, whom probably spun all the pretty lies to keep her – then used force in the end when Amanda wizened up.
“Who?”
Beside her Abe glanced down. “Who?”
Fay lifted her gaze to his, hoping she wouldn’t to say the words. It hurt enough to even think about it, to sever the last tie between them. The finality of it left a chill down her spine.
He stiffened. “No.”
“You have to. She needs you. Besides, whatever happened today isn’t over. Lilian and Jackson need to be found, questioned. This world needs you right now.”
“I need you,” he whispered harshly. “Besides, I can only have one partner.”
“And we don’t have time to find someone compatible. She won’t last the day before she’s too far gone and then she’s ripe for Hades. He’ll destroy her and I killed her master. I cut her bond. I owe her.”
Amanda frowned. “You didn’t.”
Fay tore her gaze from Abe. “What?”
“Andromeda severed the bond when she stabbed me with the sword. Trust me, I felt the bond snap.”
Which means that Andromeda killed Tash for another reason. The entity that Andromeda had claimed to have seen, the one whom had apparently destroyed Tash’s soul? Fay recalled the grief, the shame at having to order that killing blow by Aello. It’d shredded her. Pushed her over the edge, sending her reeling back to Tartarus.
Fay drew a deep breath and looked back to Abe. As she went to open her mouth she felt a rush of warm, smoke-filled air. A presence appeared behind them. Ben and Mel were the first to turn, stiff and pale-faced. Abe helped Fay to turn, just as Amanda looked utterly terrified.
“Just my luck, two hellhounds,” drawled Thanatos.
Fay straightened up. “You can’t have her.”
“Oh? She’s not bound to anyone and she can’t bind to anyone here. The Siren would unwittingly consume her in the bond; the wolf’s soul is incomplete; as for your partner, well, he already has one wolf.”
She glanced at Ben, seeing him differently. An incomplete soul? Shaking her head, she touched Abe’s hand and gingerly pried his fingers away. Once the last one lifted she stepped closer to Thanatos, wobbly on her feet but determined to stand.
“Then sever my bond with him and take me. We both know that if I come willingly and swear to Hades-“
Abe’s hand clamped around her arm. “You can’t!”
Still, no Command in his voice.
She met his gaze, then lowered it to where his hand was before she yanked her arm free and turned back to Thanatos. “If I come willingly the bond will happen properly. It’s why you’ve waited. Well, here I am, offering my soul willingly in exchange for hers.”
“Fay, you can’t go with him,” said Ben, pulling away from Mel. “You’ll never be free if you do.”
As Thanatos seemed to revel in the chaos unfolding before him Fay looked to Ben, met those heart breaking but kind eyes. She was reminded of how easily she’d fallen in love with him years ago, how he adored her, loved her – and still did. Staring at him she felt her resolve falter, just for a moment. She tore her gaze away.
“Do we have a deal?”
Thanatos grinned and fished out a drachma from his pocket, the coin gleaming in the moonlight.
“Take this coin and the bond will shatter,” he said tauntingly.
Without hesitating she grabbed the coin. Someone shouted at her, maybe everyone there did – or perhaps it was just one lone voice screaming – as she spiralled into darkness, no longer anchored by her bond.
She felt the call of the Underworld beckon her.
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