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What had he done to her?

Without warning, the man released her, retreating a few steps as the air holding her down lifted.

Iryana gasped for air, fumbling to open her coat and see what had been done to her body.

Pyetar dropped at her side, no longer restrained. He held onto her as she pulled at her clothing until her shoulder was exposed to the frigid air. They both stared.

Just below where her water-forging tattoo crawled up her neck was a golden mark like she’d seen in paintings of champions. It seemed to glow the longer she looked at it, and she could feel the hum of magic when her fingers danced over it.

No one would confuse the mark for a forging tattoo.

“Does it hurt?” Pyetar’s voice was strained, hands shaking where they held her. “Are you okay?”

“No, it doesn’t hurt. I’m okay.” Yet she couldn’t stop staring at the symbol that was now a part of her.

She knew what this mark meant. She’d been wrong.

Her eyes flew up to meet the golden ones watching her from across the clearing.

“You’re actually Thelbiz,” she croaked.

He did not look amused.

“What—what did you do to me?”

“This doesn’t make you my champion,” Thelbiz said sternly, almost as if he were scolding her. “It will hold almost no magic, but it will be proof. And satisfy Voordiza, I hope.”

She nodded weakly, but she could hardly breathe. Hardly think.

“You’ll warn your people now, right? Tell them to stop killing my soldiers while you’re at it.” He mumbled something about Voordiza.

Iryana just stared, trying to work through it all.

“Of course,” she forced out. But she wasn’t sure she actually would.

Was he on their side? Thelbiz was a god, but he could still be their enemy. Perhaps it was Noshtiz who they needed to help. He was the protector of the gods, and they surely needed protecting.

Thelbiz narrowed his eyes at them. “You don’t trust me.”

“Of course we do, your… holiness?” She tried to sound reverent and knew she failed.

“It’s just a lot to take in,” Pyetar added. He adjusted his position to put her mostly behind him. To protect her.

A small crack sounded behind them and Iryana flinched as Thelbiz’s eyes cut to the trees. His whole body was tense, almost predatory. Ready. Iryana braced for whatever was coming, hoping they’d at least have a chance to flee.

But then Thelbiz laughed. “You sneaky goddess.” The tension was gone.

The fox-serpent leaped down from the branch it had been hiding on, its long sinewy body curving through the air.

Thelbiz approached it, walking around the small creature with his eyes narrowed in concentration.

“This must have taken so much magic,” he drawled. “But you can see me, can’t you, Mhakiza?”

The fox-serpent inclined its head.

Iryana stared at the creature. Mhakiza had been spying on them? Pyetar drew her closer, his thumb rubbing circles against her gloved hand. Reminding her he was there. That he was with her. She was in shock—she knew she was—but this was too much. She couldn’t process it, couldn’t take it all in.

“After everything, you must agree with Voordiza here, right?” Thelbiz asked the fox-serpent, head tilted with contemplation. “Show them, then. Show them the truth of Noshtiz.”