Page 27 of The Endless One

“You are a god who has a coven to tend to. Especially with the God King returning. Mortals are going to welcome the gods back with open arms, because we have mourned their loss for two hundred years. Soon enough, you will be too busy for the one person who cannot worship you.”

He didn’t know how to fix this. He didn’t know how to soothe her. So instead, he just sat with her through the hardship. When enough time had passed that her breathing had evened out from ragged pants, he whispered against her skin, “I have dreamt of you for hundreds of years. I know you don’t believe it now, but it is the truth. I have always wanted to find a partner who wore her rage like armor, and yet somehow found ways to be gentle. You are a blessing and a curse, Jessamine Harmsworth, because I would give up everything I am just to spend our last days together in the light.”

“I would never ask you to give up your godhood.”

“I know you wouldn’t. But you would never have to ask if I knew doing so would make you happy.”

They fell silent again, watching the electrical storm growing around the castle. It wasn’t spreading around this kingdom, though. It was stretching out to sea.

Soon enough, they would have to talk about the very real risk that the storm posed. Clearly, Ajax had more plans for Inverholm. Or worse, these were Leon’s plans, and neither of them knew how that man’s mind worked.

He waited for her to bring it up, though. Because right now, he had her in his arms, and that was all that mattered.

“We have to go back to the coven,” she said. “With that spell heading toward our home, we need to return to our kingdom and regroup with Sybil and the others.”

“That would likely be wise.”

“Will they be able to sense that something is wrong with me?”

“Nothing is wrong with you,” he insisted. “I would feel it, Jessamine. There is nothing inside of you, no change in who you are or what your magic can do. This is just the lingering feeling of Ajax being in your mind. I promise you, my darling, my love, that you are going to be just fine.”

But those haunted eyes turned to look back at him, and he knew she didn’t believe him. He didn’t know how to help other than reassurance.

“You’re all right,” he said again.

She nodded, but that darkness remained in her eyes.

The door to the house beyond opened, and the old woman walked out with a lantern held above her head. She didn’t look back toward the barn, where she had let two young, wounded people rest. Instead, she, too, stared at the churning waves illuminated by electricity. Her pale nightgown whipped around her body, clinging to her skin as a wind blew up and banged the door behind her.

The world was bathed in the bluish light of the lightning that never stopped crackling. And they all remained frozen, terrified at what that storm might mean and what it was going to do to the kingdom it barreled toward.

“We have to keep everyone safe,” Jessamine murmured.

He agreed. He just didn’t know if they could.

It took a long time for them to get back to the coven. Jessamine knew she was mostly the reason for that. Her body couldn’t keep up with him, and when it could, she was still wincing with pain. Although her god companion was more than happy to go at her pace, she was holding them up far more than she wanted to admit.

Still, she kept moving.

The old woman would likely have let them stay as long as they wanted. Although it was strange she hadn’t said a word since the moment they’d arrived. Jessamine didn’t want to think about that. Their hostess seemed comfortable allowing strangers to take what they needed. But when they left, Jessamine stopped in to thank her and found a home abandoned and marred by time. No one actually lived here, and in the light of day, she wondered how long it had been since the spirit who had guided them had passed.

So they made their way across Orenda, back toward where they had left the coven. The small seaside shack was her favorite sight. Her entire body sagged when she finally saw it, and the exhaustion set in even worse.

A two-room building was enough to make tears fill her eyes and set her vision into a blur.

“We’re almost there,” Elric murmured, looping an arm around her waist to help her speed up. “We’ve made it, Jessamine.”

Her heart in her throat, she staggered toward her family. The door to the shack burst open when they were about twenty paces away, as though the coven knew she was here. As though they could feel that she desperately needed them.

The first person to leave the doorway was Sybil. Her dark form darted across the sands, and then she had her skirts in her fisted hands, lifting them so she could run faster. Her worried expression made her forehead crease and the deep grooves around her mouth appear far more visible.

“There you are,” Sybil gasped as she finally lunged for Jessamine and yanked her into her arms. They both fell onto their knees in the sands, clinging to each other.

Jessamine’s chest tightened painfully. “I’m so sorry,” she gasped against Sybil’s neck. “I didn’t think it would happen like that. I didn’t believe he would have so many abilities. I didn’t mean for it to end this way.”

“Don’t you worry about any of it. None of us could have known what would happen, sweet thing. This was a mistake that rests on all our shoulders.” Sybil drew back, her hands framing Jessamine’s face as she took in the state of her. “What did he do to you?”

Another pair of feet came rushing toward them. Elissa dropped to her knees beside them, reaching out for Jessamine’s hand and inspecting the damaged fingers. “We need to get you inside. It’s too cold out here, and you’re barely wearing anything. Look at the state of you.”