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I joined her on the bed. “You didn’t know about the wars either?”
“No, I knew. Knowledge can’t be hidden from the pack. The history of our ancestors is a gift from the goddess that’s meant to grant us wisdom. Seeing the lessons they learned and the mistakes they made makes each generation stronger.”
“What does that mean? Seeing the lessons?”
Daciana gazed off into the distance. “It means I’ve lived a thousand lives, Aella, and nearly all of them were ended brutally and painfully by a vampire... including my mother.”
It was the second time within hours that I was struck speechless.She can’t be saying... Please, Hera, mother of all, don’t let her be saying what I think she is.
“Do you mean you saw it all in a vision? Like Ionna?”
“I wish they were visions. Those would be easier to bear.” She tossed her head. “We see it all as if we’re walking in their shoes. Looking through their eyes. On the longest night of the year, we pray for the goddess to unite us—binding us together, and to her, forever. In return we are blessed”—she let out a small laugh—“or maybe we’re humbled to see, hear, smell, andfeelthose who came before.
“I felt his teeth sink into her throat as she screamed for my father to run with me. I heard my own fading cries as she died alone on the cold floor.” Daciana flashed me another smile, but there was no mirth. And it wasn’t that pleasant. “So, you could say I’m not particular to vampires. There wasn’t mention of them in the chapter we were assigned. Madame Remis blindsided me with the true, unedited version.”
“Oh, Daciana.” I threw my arms around her. “Everything I think to say sounds silly and basic. I’m so sorry for your mother, and that you’ve had to relive the pain of her death in the worst way. Whatever you need, I’m here for you. Even if it’s just someone who’ll run through the mud and lakes by your side.”
“You couldn’t keep up, Olympian.” She nudged my shoulder, smiling a real, true smile. “But thank you. You offering to be here for me... there’s nothing silly or basic in that.”
We sat in silence for a little bit, but we weren’t alone. The space was filled with our demons paying call.
Shaking herself, Daciana cleared her throat. “What about you? Are you okay?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. It must’ve been a shock to find out vampires exist. All of this must be a shock,” she said, waving her hand. “From New York to Deucalion Academy. Nothing can prepare you for that culture shock.”
I gaped at her. “Wh— Wh— How? Who told you?”
She gave me a knowing look. “You did, of course. If your New York accent wasn’t enough of a clue, you say things like basic and lip gloss, your pulse races and swallow reflex increases with every new monster you learn about—including the vampires. You look blank-faced at everything Ionna, Theron, Nitsa, and Tycho say, even though it’s common knowledge to them. And again, but it bears repeating, your accent is incredibly obvious.” She winked. “Literally everyone would know you weren’t from here, if they’d ever been anywhere else to compare.”
“I...” My brain went offline. Was there a single part of that I could argue with? Deny? If I could, what would be the point? Daciana had me cold. “Why didn’t you say anything before now?” I asked softly.
“There were always other people around. I assumed you had a good reason for keeping quiet about your past. I’m not going to out you.”
Looking around, I leaned in close. “Yes, it has to be a secret. I shouldn’t even exist,” I whispered. “My father broke all kinds of laws sneaking out of Olympia to be with my mother. He broke even more when he let me be raised on the wrong side of the barrier so that our family wouldn’t break up.”
“Oh no. Does that mean he’d be arrested if anyone found out? Or worse?”
I shook my head. “Worse has already happened. My father died when I was two.”
“I’m so sorry, Aella.” She squeezed my hand, comforting me.
“The reason I have to hide now is...”
A wolf will cross domains, floated through my mind.
“...is because Olympia isn’t very kind to outsiders,” I finished. “It’s hard enough being a Sisyphean. I don’t need to be the half-mortal Sisyphean too.”
“I understand. No one understands better than me. I hear the things they whisper about me for being a werewolf. Not kind to outsiders is putting it nicely.”
I squeezed back, wishing I could hunt down all of those whisperers and kick them in the junk. I also wished I could tell Daciana the truth.
You can’t,sense said.This is my fight and my mother. Daciana is going through enough here. Like Theron said, she didn’t leave her home to fight my war.
“Well, now that you know, I can finally ask without giving myself away. How do these dominions work? Why do you know about New York accents, but no one else here does? Do werewolves not have barriers and wards around their dominion?”
“We do,” she said. “Nothing like the Olympian ones. We werewolves have our own kind of magic, and use that to mark and protect our territory, but it is different from Olympia. Olympians all live together, while for us, different packs live apart. Plus, the Olympian barrier has to be sealed off from the other dominions so monsters don’t escape.” She shrugged. “Werewolves are peaceful. We have no animosity toward any being other than vampires, and that’s because those fuckers keep attacking us.
