For a moment, I couldn’t speak. “Have you ever plotted to kill someone who offered nothing but kindness and safety?”

Aios’s stare met mine. “I have probably done worse. All of us have,” she stated flatly. “Now, will you come with me?”

I blinked. “Yeah—Yes.”

“Thank you.” Aios wheeled around, the skirt of her gray gown fluttering at her feet.

Tugging down the sleeves of my sweater, I followed her out into the hall, my thoughts consumed by what Aios could’ve done that was worse. What Bele could’ve done. Because she hadn’t disagreed with that statement. It wasn’t until we reached the second floor that I asked, “Where is Nyktos? And how much trouble will you two get in for letting me out of my bedchambers?”

“He’s in Lethe,” Bele answered as we walked the wide, quiet hall. “There was some kind of incident. Not sure what exactly. I don’t think it’s serious—” she said when I opened my mouth. “But I’m hoping he doesn’t find out about this little excursion.”

“I won’t say anything,” I told them.

“I’d hope not,” Bele remarked, stopping in front of a white door. She opened it without knocking, stalking in.

Aios shook her head at the startled gasp that came from within the small chamber. I followed Aios in, getting my first real look at Gemma.

Good gods…

She was sitting up in bed, hands in her lap, and her injuries…they were gone completely. No deep cuts along her forehead or cheeks. The skin of her neck was unmarred, and I would bet her chest appeared the same.

I never really got a chance to see what my touch did. Most animal wounds weren’t as noticeable, and I hadn’t seen the one that had ended Marisol’s life. This ember…gods, it was as miraculous as what my blood had done for Nyktos.

Walking forward as Bele closed the door behind me, I saw that Gemma’s hair, free of blood, was a light shade of blonde, only a few tones darker than mine. And I’d been right. She couldn’t be much older than me, if that. Which meant she had lasted in the Dalos Court longer than most because she hadn’t been in the Shadowlands that long.

Gemma looked at Aios first and then her gaze settled on me. Her entire body stiffened.

“I brought someone I think you need to meet,” Aios said as she sat on the bed beside Gemma. “This is Sera.”

The woman hadn’t taken her eyes off me. A tremor went through her. Her brown eyes were impossibly wide. I came to stand near the bed.

“I don’t know if you recognize me,” I started. “But I—”

“I recognize you,” she whispered. “I know what you did.”

Aios sighed. “Well, that was far easier than I expected it to go.” She twisted toward Gemma. “You could’ve just told me the truth.”

“I know. I know I should’ve, but I…I shouldn’t have said anything to Hamid. He’s dead because of me. That’s my fault. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say anything.” Tears tracked down Gemma’s cheeks as she shook. “I was just so caught off guard and wasn’t thinking—I know better. Gods, I know better than to say anything.”

“It’s okay.” Aios went to place a hand on the woman’s arm, halting when Gemma flinched. “We’re not going to hurt you.” Behind me, Bele made a low sound of disagreement, and Aios shot the other goddess a look of warning. “None of us is going to hurt you.”

“It’s not you all I’m afraid of.”

“I know. It’s Kolis,” Aios said quietly, and my gaze shot to her. The empathy in her voice came from a place of knowledge, as did the haunted look I’d seen in her eyes.

Gemma’s trembling ceased, but she paled even more. “I can’t go back there.”

“You don’t have to,” Aios promised.

“But it’s my fault that Hamid attacked her. There’s no way His Highness will let me stay here now.” Her grip on the blanket bleached her knuckles white.

“Did you tell Hamid to attack me?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Good gods, no.”

“Then I doubt Nyktos will hold you accountable,” I told her, and her eyes shot to mine. The hope and the fear of believing in that hope was clear in her stare. “He won’t force you to go anywhere you don’t want to,” I said, and I knew without a doubt that was true. “You don’t have to be afraid of that either.”

Aios nodded. “She speaks the truth.”

An ache pierced my chest at how evident it was that she wanted so desperately to believe that. “Only time will prove my words right, and I hope you give it that time and don’t do anything…reckless again,” I said, fully acknowledging the irony of me suggesting against something irresponsible. “What did you tell Hamid?”

Her chest rose with a deep breath as her stare dropped to her hands. “I…I knew I was dying,” she said softly. “When the other god found me? I knew I was dying, because I could barely feel his arms when he picked me up. And I…I know I died. I felt it—felt myself leaving my body. There was nothing for a couple of moments and then I saw two pillars—pillars as tall as the sky—with this bright, warm light between them.”

Tension crept into me. She was speaking about the Pillars of Asphodel and the Vale. Had Marisol experienced the same? I knew her soul would not linger for long. And if so, did she realize that she had been brought back? I swallowed, hoping that Ezra had been able to steer her away from that belief or, at the very least, ensure that she never spoke of it. If she did, it could place both of them in danger, especially if it got back to a god who served Kolis.

“I felt myself drifting toward it and then I was pulled back,” Gemma said. “I knew someone had brought me back.” Her head turned to me. “I knew it was you. I felt your touch. And when I looked at you, I just knew. I can’t explain it, but I did. It’s you he’s been looking for.”

“Kolis?” Bele demanded, and Gemma flinched again at the sound of his name. The woman nodded. “How did you know?”

“I was…” Gemma pulled the blanket closer to her waist. “I was his favorite for a bit. He kept me…” She swallowed, stretching her neck, and Aios closed her eyes. “He kept me close to him for a while. He said he liked my hair.” She reached up, absently touching one of the light strands. “He talked about this…power he felt. He spoke about it all the time. Obsessed over it and how he would do anything to find it. This presence. His graeca.”

“Graeca?” I repeated.

“It’s from the old language of the Primals,” Bele answered. “It means life, I believe.”

“It also means love.” Aios’s eyes had opened. She frowned as she glanced at me. “The word is interchangeable.”

“Like liessa?” I said, and she nodded. “Well, obviously, he is referencing life.” I imagined Kolis still believed that he was in love with Sotoria. “He felt the—the ripples of power I caused over the years. We know that.”

“Well, we suspected that,” Bele corrected. “But we weren’t sure until the other night when the dakkais showed.”

I shifted my weight. “And that is what you told Hamid?”

Gemma blew out a ragged breath. “I never understood what he meant when he spoke of his graeca. Not until I saw you and realized that you had brought me back. I told Hamid that it must be you that Kolis was looking for. That you were the presence he felt, and that you were here, in the Shadowlands.” She shook her head as she swallowed again. “I knew what happened to Hamid’s mother. He shared that with me. I should’ve been thinking. Hamid…he hated Kolis, but he was also afraid of him. Terrified that he would come to the Shadowlands and hurt more people.”

“So that’s why,” Bele mused, tossing her braid over her shoulder. “He thought he was protecting the Shadowlands by making sure Kolis didn’t have a reason to come here. He sought to remove the lure. Kind of can’t fault him for that line of thinking.”

I stared at her. “Considering that I was the lure he sought to remove, I kind of do fault him.”

“Understandable,” the goddess quipped.

But I also understood Hamid’s line of thinking. I could easily see myself doing the same. And I could also see how being the object of one’s murderous intentions, no matter how noble, wasn’t something that could be forgotten.