A frown tugged at Penellaphe’s brow. “Yes. That is how I understand it.”

“But he had to know that Kolis cannot be killed unless another can be Ascended to take his place. Kolis made sure that wasn’t possible. Which is something Eythos knew,” I said as Reaver reached over and snatched the remainder of the pastry. I hoped he wasn’t listening too closely to us. “I assume he believed that I, as Sotoria, would succeed in killing Kolis, and then his son would Ascend as the true Primal of Life—which is a huge risk to take on just an assumption. He would have had to believe that I would not only want to kill Kolis but would also be capable of doing so. And perhaps that is also why he went to Holland in the first place. Hoping the Fates would get involved somehow and prepare me.”

Penellaphe’s frown deepened.

“But that doesn’t address the fact that with Kolis’s death, his essence would return to the realms. It would cause untold destruction and upset the balance. And I know what happens when the balance is so greatly uneven.”

“That is true,” Penellaphe began, returning her cup to the saucer, “but only if the last of the true embers of Death aren’t removed from Kolis and transferred to another strong enough to withstand the power of them and Ascend. That is not the same as a natural Ascension, but it should work since the Arae are the ones who obtained the Star diamond for a situation such as this.”

I rocked back. “I hadn’t even considered that,” I admitted. Had Ash? “If no gods can rise to take the embers, transferring them is sort of a loophole,” I murmured. That made sense, but… “But it’s still a huge risk. One that leaves no room for error. Eythos would’ve been working off the assumption that not only could I manage to kill Kolis without getting taken out in the process, but also that it would be done after we learned about something like the Star diamond, located it, and then used it to transfer the embers. All at the same time his son took the ones from me. Eythos couldn’t have been that reckless.”

“But you did learn of The Star. Things happen for a reason,” she stressed, her stare meeting mine. “Some things work out, whether it is the Arae or the essence itself.”

“And that is what Eythos was banking on?”

“I think Eythos may have believed that Nyktos would take the embers from you before they were impossible to remove,” she reminded me, sending a glance at Reaver, who was happily chowing down on his second biscuit. “Removing the embers wouldn’t have removed Sotoria’s soul. You would have still been able to weaken Kolis enough for the embers to be transferred.”

“In other words, Eythos never expected his son to fall in love with the weapon he created. Or my recklessness,” I said, thinking about how the tiny bit of blood I’d taken from Ash the first night we were together had changed everything.

“But your recklessness also saved you, did it not?” Penellaphe asked. “You may not have survived the Culling either way, and you wouldn’t have Ascended to become the true Primal of Life.”

Holland had once suggested something similar.

“But his plan didn’t work in more ways than one. I’m not Sotoria. Her soul only resided in me. Even if everything else had gone as planned, I may have been able to weaken him but not kill him.” I fell quiet upon realizing that Penellaphe was gaping at me. “Did Holland not tell you? He had to know that I wasn’t her. Attes knew. So did Callum.”

“There is only so much Holland can tell me unless I happen upon the information myself,” she said. “And even then, he must walk a fine line regarding what he confirms.”

I blew out a heavy breath. “That would drive me insane.”

Penellaphe laughed softly. “It has been…trying, but I love him.”

My breath caught. The way she said that—so simply. As if it were the only reason needed.

And it was.

It really was.

“Attes said the Fates could’ve intervened and made it so Sotoria and I were not one and the same as a way to restore the balance,” I said. “But I got the impression that Holland believed I was Sotoria.”

“As did I,” Penellaphe admitted, creases forming in her brow again. “But if he knew or even suspected that what Eythos did hadn’t worked, and depending on what that kind of knowledge may have impacted, he would not have been able to say anything.”

My jaw tightened. “I don’t like it, but I get it. Especially in this situation where both Eythos and Kolis did a number on fate and balance.” I was rather proud of my response. What came out of my mouth next ruined it, though. “It’s still fucking annoying.”

Penellaphe’s lips twitched.

“Her soul?” Ward cut in, drawing my attention. Tension bracketed his mouth. “Does it still remain in you?”

“I didn’t want her soul in me when it came time for Nyktos to take the embers,” I shared. “I thought I was going to die, and her soul…”

“It would’ve been lost,” Penellaphe finished, her voice troubled. “She would’ve been lost.” Her eyes widened. “You found The Star. Is that…?” The goddess blanched as if she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“Yes. Her soul is in there. For now.” Rubbing the heels of my palms over my knees, I thought everything over. I had more questions than I’d had before. Frustration rose, but I knew it wasn’t Penellaphe’s fault. “Which means using The Star to transfer the embers anytime soon is out of the question.”

“Back to the part about Eythos’s plan,” Ward began after a moment, stretching out a long leg. “I know I don’t know much.”

“That’s not true.” Penellaphe’s smile turned fond. “You often figure things out before I do.”

“We’ll have to disagree on that,” he replied, and I had to think, for someone who lived as long as he had and would, there was likely a lot he knew. “But what if we’re wrong about what Eythos actually planned? Sometimes, we start off thinking one thing and stick with it despite new information or evidence that points to the contrary of what we believe.”

Reaver eyed him and then lifted his head, listening intently.

“And in this case?” Ward dragged the back of his hand over his chin, the creases at the corners of his eyes deepening. “We believe that Eythos planned for you to become this weapon, armed with the embers and Sotoria’s soul. But what if we were wrong about what he intended?”

Penellaphe twisted toward him. “What do you mean?”

“I have to admit, I, too, have a hard time wrapping my head around all the risks Eythos took. Though I never met the man.” His gaze flicked to the goddess before returning to me. “I heard he could be impulsive,” he continued, and I thought about the lyrue he’d created. “But he was also very smart. This plan we believe to be his? It’s full of so many holes I could fall through it.” Ward dropped his hand to his thigh. “What if this—or a part of this— is what he intended all along? That either you or Sotoria Ascended as the true Primal of Life, therefore truly making you the weapon he intended? One that could go toe to toe with Kolis and make sure another could take on the embers.”

Like Ash? Could Eythos have intended that for his son instead of him becoming the true Primal of Life?

“This,” Ward repeated, his sea-blue eyes meeting mine, “could’ve been his plan all along.”

And if it was, then…

Kolis knew how The Star worked, and he knew we had it. He’d even said that Ash would be clever enough to figure out its importance. Kolis would expect us to use The Star against him, and for Ash to take the true Primal of Death embers.

My heart felt like it stopped as my gaze fell on the marriage imprint. Although Ash and I hadn’t discussed the fact that he was a Primal of no Court, I hadn’t forgotten that realization.

I wasn’t a threat to Kolis.

Ash was.

And that put a target on him.

Shooting to my feet, I startled the goddess and the viktor. “I need to go.”