Chapter 126

“Oh, you did grow up handsome, didn’t you?” The Goddess of Life says, laughing lightly and slipping her hands over Anton’s face, turning it up to hers as she smiles. “I was so hoping you would.”

He laughs a little in turn, shrugging, modest. I can’t help but grin, thinking that Life is understating it a bit.

“My little wolf pup,” she says, sighing happily, shaking her head as she marvels at him. “You did not have as easy a start as your cousin. But I’m pleased to see that you came through it well.”

“You…gave me to the right people,” Anton says quietly, gulping a little, unable to take his eyes away from his mother’s face. “Thank you for that. The nuns…loved me. Did everything they could to raise me well.”

“Yes, I was assured they would,” the Goddess of Life says, raising her eyebrows and nodding steadily, taking her hands from his face. “Though I am very displeased to see that your soul has slipped free of your body. I created you for life, Anton. You should be living it.”

“I’m…sorry?” he says, a little awkward, raising a hand to curl around the back of his neck.

“And you gave your life for another?” The Goddess tsks her tongue, shaking her head, displeased. “That was not your mission, boy.”

“Well, no one…told me,” he says, his brow furrowing, frustrated in turn.

She smirks a bit, I think pleased that he’s not too scared to counter her.

“Hello?” a voice sounds, hesitant and a little wary.

The Goddess steps aside, showing Orion and Laila standing side-by-side behind her, Blythe clutched tight in Laila’s hands. Laila gasps when the Goddess of Life turns, her eyes flashing wide, her whole body ensing. Blythe squeaks, just…the slightest bit smushed.

“Hello, Lady Aunt,” Orion says, bending into a low, formal bow, even as his face breaks into a smile. Laila likewise bends into a graceful curtsey and I have a very tiny panic attack about the fact that I just stood around and didn’t do anything to recognize the fact that I was standing in front of a goddess.

But then I just straighten my shoulders, reminding myself that I’m Goddess-born too, and that in my family we don’t do that sort of thing. I mean, my father is a King and my mother and aunt are demigoddesses, and I’ve never curtsied to any of them except as a joke.

“Orion,” the Goddess of Life says, stepping towards him and smoothing a hand fondly over his hair and cheek. “It’s good to see you, boy. Your father’s been keeping you away.”

“I know,” he says on a sigh, shrugging. “I’m sorry. He’s…stressed about the prophecy.”

“As he should be,” Life says, raising her eyebrows and nodding. “He’s missing…several very important details.” She steps back, waving a graceful hand towards Anton and I, who just stand there awkwardly, still holding hands.

“Wh-“ Orion huffs, confused, glancing between us and his aunt. “What details? I don’t get it.”

“So, surprise,” Anton says, his mouth flickering in and out of a smile as he runs an awkward hand through his hair, leaving it all messy. “We’re…cousins.”

My eyes widen as I realize that that’s right.

Orion just stares at Anton, open-mouthed, as Laila gasps from her spot on the floor, where her curtsey has fallen to a full kneel in her surprise. Anton drops my hand to step forward to Orion and Laila, beginning to hurriedly explain to them as Faiza saunters over.

“Who let you go?” I snap, glaring.

Faiza ignores my question. “So, cats have escaped from bags then, yes?” she asks, likewise giving Life a deep bow but straightening hastily up to grin over at Anton.

“Thank you for your services,” Life says, tapping a finger on Faiza’s cuffs and vanishing them away. “You won’t be needing these anymore.”

“Whether I needed them was always up for debate in the first place,” Faiza murmurs, shooting me a glare as she dramatically rubs her wrists. I roll my eyes, pretty damn sure that they didn’t hurt her.

All of our eyes turn to Orion as he bursts into a happy laugh and wraps Anton in a hug, calling him cousin and welcoming him to the family. I smile as I watch them, quite pleased with the ease with which Orion accepts Anton’s new place in the world.

And as my eyes move over both and Laila stands and quietly steps to my side, I wonder if this was the affinity I sensed between them. “They don’t look alike,” I say to my friend, pitching my voice low so that it’s just between us. “Not really, despite being dark-haired and tall Alphas. But their affinity – it really does reflect that they are family on some level, doesn’t it?”

“Yes,” Laila says, grinning and nodding eagerly to me. “And me too! He really is our Selkie Prince!”

I beam at her in turn, quite pleased to be reminded of that and have my boy welcomed into so many family circles.

“Yes,” Life says, stepping closer to me, watching as Orion and Anton laugh and pat each other on the back, pretending that they knew about their family connection all along. “My children do take after their paternal lines. But that was on purpose, I’m afraid, to keep them secret. Lucky that I picked such handsome specimens to father them.”

She preens a bit, quite proud of herself, her eyes on her son.

But I turn my head to study her face, curious about her choice of language there.

Children? Them?

My eyes snap back to the wall, suddenly desperate to see more.

“Wait, what?” Orion says, turning back to Life and – infuriatingly – blocking my view of more panels. “Why did you keep this a secret, aunt?” He frowns at her, displeased perhaps to have been denied a cousin his whole life. Orion, I’m learning, had something a bit of a lonely childhood. I consider mine, which was so rich with siblings and cousins, and my wolf gives a yipping little howl of pity.

“Because of you, nephew,” Life says, folding her hands calmly before her even as Orion’s face goes blank with surprise. “Because your father, of course, would have had Anton killed.”

“Well, I mean,” Anton says, huffing an awkward little laugh and moving back towards me. Laila makes some space so he can slip in by my side. “Mission accomplished.”

Life flicks a little glare at her son, not liking that. He grimaces and I take his hand again.

“I don’t – I don’t understand,” Orion says, stepping forward and frowning at his aunt, clearly the most comfortable amongst us. Except for Faiza, who heaves a bored sigh and inspects her nails. “Why would he even care?”

“Because of the prophecy, Orion,” Life says, stepping towards him and smoothing a comforting hand over his hair. “Remember?”

He frowns at her, shaking his head, clearly racking his brain. As we watch, though, his face falls slack with realization. “Oh my god,” he whispers.

She nods.

“Please,” Anton says, shaking his head, his hand tightening around mine. “Come on – you’ve got to let me in on this.”

Orion slowly turns his head to his cousin. “The prophecies – my prophecies,” he whispers, still shaking his head in awe, his eyes a bit glazed. “They’re not for the child of Death. They’re for…the heir of Darkness. Any grandchild of Darkness who can supplant my father’s throne. I mean, until now I always just thought I was the only one they could apply to, but…”

His eyes shift immediately to me and my stomach sinks as I realize that…

That perhaps I’m not prophesied to be his Queen after all.

My eyes fly round as I whip my head up to stare at Anton. He’s already looking down at me, grim.

“Don’t get ahead of yourselves,” Life says, her voice throaty, low and in control. We all turn towards her, silent and wary of more news that’s going to shatter all of our worlds. “An heir must be alive to take the throne. A ghost cannot do it.” Her eyes move over Anton as if he’s just the tiniest bit disappointing.

My wolf immediately bares her fangs and growls. My eyes narrow, just slightly.

Life shifts her eyes to me, sensing my defense of her son, and she smirks.

The smirk is what sets me off. “Well why didn’t you tell him,” I say, nodding sharply to Anton and squeezing his hand. “Just, you know, like a little note when he was a kid. Hi! I’m your mom! Try not to die!”

She laughs at this, shaking her head at me. “He was under the Goddess’s care, not mine. Any little ‘notes,’ from me, as you say, would have alerted Death to his existence. The only place I can speak to him privately is in this temple.” She moves her attention back to her son. “As we are now.”

“Well then why did you try to prevent us form coming here!?” I bite out, starting to get pissed for Anton’s sake.

I snarl a little, determined to get my boyfriend the answers he deserves.