Between the Moon and Her Night (Between Life and Death #3)

Chapter 39

Sage

A fter that day, life drifted into a peaceful rhythm in the land of spirits.

In truth, I was content with my life. Happy even.

I stepped down the stairs into the spacious private bath, the water sloshing as I lowered into the embrace of the steaming waters. I walked to the far side and seated myself on the bench. Tipping my head back, I rested it on the ledge behind me, and sighed—

The heat felt good on my muscles, like a gentle massage working out the kinks.

I had spent most of the day with my arms above my head, working on growing my vines not only up the walls of the throne room, but onto the towering ceiling as well. Typically, Von joined me in the throne room, leaning against the wall with a satisfied grin on his lips as he watched me work, but today, he wasn’t there .

Unlike Aurelius, whose whereabouts had always been a mystery, I knew where Von was—not because of the bond, but because he told me that he was going to be in council meetings for the day. He had even asked if I wished to join, but I had decided the throne room needed me more.

I closed my eyes. A visual of an arched ceiling and growing vines appeared on the forefront of my mind, as if I had looked up at it for so long it had engrained its way into my vision.

“I see you’ve made yourself right at home,” said a captivating voice, the honey-dipped words almost hiding how poisonous they were.

My eyelids sprung open and I jerked my head up, landing on a pair of cruel green eyes. Firelight reflected off of them, causing them to shine like a predators in the night—

Saphira.

I was tempted to say to her I see you’ve finally slithered out of your hole, but I figured that probably wouldn’t make for the best of first impressions. However, considering that I hadn’t seen her since that day in the throne room, and she hadn’t bothered to come and introduce herself to me over the past so many months, I guessed she had probably made her mind up about me.

I knew how it looked to someone like her. I was the New God who stole her brother and because of that lost them the Realms.

Without a doubt, I was certain she hated me. Disliked me at best.

Well, she could get in line. It was a long one. The number of females who hated me back in the Immortal Realm because they all wanted Aurelius was abysmal. Especially after that dreadful tea party where I nearly drowned a room full of them.

“I suppose I have,” I said with a soft smile—fighting her fake sweetness with a bit of my own. “Saphira, I take it.”

“The one and only,” she said, her heels clicking softly, her hips swaying confidently as she sauntered towards the bath. She raised her thin skirts, slipped her foot out of her heel, and dipped a painted black toe into the water. “Do you mind if I join you, sister dearest?”

I didn’t know what to make of her request or how I should use my cards at whatever game she was playing, but I wasn’t about to fold right now.

I gestured to the waters in invitation. “Be my guest.”

“Thank you,” she said as she began to descend into the waters.

It was not uncommon for people to share bathing chambers, but two things set this whole scene apart from what would be considered normal. The first was that these bathing chambers were private. The second was the fact that Saphira didn’t take her clothes off—which proved a whole other point. This wasn’t about her bathing; it was about her flexing her muscle.

She slid onto the underwater bench adjacent to the one I was sitting on. Casually, she draped her wet arm over the ledge, propping herself up on it. “So . . . when’s the wedding?” she asked in a fake, dreamy voice.

“We haven’t discussed it.”

“Ah, I see,” she said in such a way it made it sound like she had just uncovered a juicy bit of gossip. I heeded it little mind, certain she was just trying to mess with my head. Her gaze lowered from my eyes, looking into the waters. “And are you pregnant yet?”

I didn’t care for her question. “I do not believe that is any of your business.”

“I’ll take that as a no then,” she said with a saccharine smile.

“Take it however you want,” I told her flatly.

Her expression softened, her voice matching as she said, “You know, I’ve always wanted a child of my own. One that I could raise in my image. Who would be loyal to me.”

“So then why don’t you have one?” I asked, not really sure where she was going with this. Not really sure where I was going with it either.

She took a breath, her lips twisting into a sad smile. “How much has Von told you about me?”

“I’ll be honest. Not a whole lot.” Saphira didn’t exactly come up in conversation with Von. Ever. Come to think of it, only the one time when Von had suspected that she was the cause of his painting’s decapitation.

“I see,” she said. “Well, let me tell you a little bit about myself. Six centuries ago, the Creator finally gifted me my bonded. His name was Aryx and he was the God of Love. He was undoubtedly the most handsome god I had ever seen. People would fall at his feet and weep. But he was so much more than just good looks. He was a thinker. He taught me a great deal of things about the world, about myself. On one cold, winter night in the Dupine Forest in the Living Realm, we formed the bond between us, and for a brief moment in my life, I was happy. I thought that we would spend eternity together, but I was wrong.” She paused for a moment. “I remember that day so very well. We had been in bed together, trying to start a family. You see, that was our dream. Aryx’s brother, the God of Lust, showed up at our door that morning. He told us that a giant had appeared in the Living Realm and that she was literally swallowing souls. Draevon, who was the king of all Three Realms at that time, and some of the other immortals were getting ready to go fight her. Aryx agreed to go as well. I begged and pleaded with him not to. We argued. He went anyway. By the time I got there, there wasn’t a trace of him left.” She looked down, her face slack. Numb.

Although there were no tears in her eyes, it was not hard for me to see that after all this time, Saphira was still mourning for her mate.

She drew a breath and lifted her fallen gaze. “On the day that he died, I pledged to myself that I would never give the life we had dreamed of to another. That included having children, and so, you see, I cannot have a child because of my loyalty to him. I should have gone to protect him on the battlefield that day, but I was too stubborn. And so this is the price I pay.”

“Saphira, I am so sorry,” I said softly. Although I didn’t trust her as far as I could punt a mountain, that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel for her.

Green eyes flicked to mine, covered by a lowered brow. “I do not want your pity.” Her voice was sharp like a wounded animal. “That is not why I am here.”

I sensed she was about to tell me her purpose in coming, which was why I didn’t blatantly ask .

Sure enough, she said, “I have come to tell you the truth. As my brother clearly has not.”

That got my heart going. “The truth about what?”

“Do you not wonder how Aurelius’s brothers found you so quickly?”

“I can’t say that I have . . .”

“Well, you should.” She moved across the waters, slowly coming towards me. Suddenly, I felt like the pool was much too small. “They knew where to find you because someone betrayed you and told them exactly where you were.”

I shook my head. I could already see the image she was trying to paint, and I refused to believe it.

“Do you know who it was?” she asked, her lips twisting ever so wickedly as she draped her arms over my shoulders.

I bristled at her proximity.

“It was a raven. And you know who commands ravens, don’t you?” She blew out a breath of air from her nose, pleased with herself and the lie she had just told.

“I do not believe you.” I shoved her arms off me.

“I have no reason to lie to you.” She laughed cruelly, the sound like sandpaper against my frayed nerves. “Draevon was the one who sent his raven to tell Aurelius, your abuser , where you were hiding. He knew that when Aurelius’s men came looking for you, it would force your hand. Although it didn’t go as planned, he was still able to forge the bond that day, taking away your choice in the process. He manipulated the entire situation, just as he has been manipulating you ever since. This whole charade has never been about him and you, it’s been about his hate for Aurelius, about taking away what matters most to him. You truly believe the heartless God of Death is so doting and loving? Well, I’ve known him for thousands of years—the notion is laughable. Just as your bond is. Forged on a lie, forged by him betraying you. And to the man who broke you, no less.”

“No!” I shouted, bathwater exploding around us as my power surged. It slammed into Saphira and tossed her backwards, out of the pool. Water soaked the entire room, nearly emptying the bath in the process.

Saphira coughed and sputtered as she laid on her side on the floor.

I strode out of the bath and crouched beside the gasping female. “You can spin your lies all you want, but I do not believe you,” I snarled before I stood up. I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around myself, and then left the room.

But by then, it was too late. The seed that Saphira had planted had begun to take root.