Deity

“Sorry. There’s a good chance you’ll try to throw yourself out of a moving car.”

I glared at him, our faces inches apart. “I hate you.”

Seth lowered his head until his cheek pressed against mine. “You keep saying that, but we both know it’s not true. You can’t hate me.”

“Is that so?” I elbowed him in the stomach. It did very little. The Hummer started moving. “What I’m feeling right now is definitely not warm and fuzzy.”

He laughed, stirring the hair around my temple. “You can’t hate me. You weren’t built that way. And soon, we will be the same person. You were created to be mine by the very gods we’re going to take down, starting today.”

CHAPTER 28

SETH’S WORDS STUNNED ME INTO SILENCE. OLD FEARS, never too far away, resurfaced. I had no control in this… fate. No sense of myself. My heart was racing painfully. I couldn’t be built for him. He wasn’t my existence.

I was my own existence.

I kept telling myself that as Seth led me from the Hummer and into the back entrance of the Courthouse on the main part of Deity Island. I had a sick feeling about this, knowing that Telly was in a cell in this building and that something horrific was about to happen. I could feel it and there was nothing I could do.

Holding my hand in a tight grip, he led me through the narrow halls to the waiting room just outside the glass-domed session area. Through the open door, I could see the place was packed. Every pure who remained on the island during break seemed to be there, as were many of the half-blood Guards and Sentinels. But even more strange was the presence of the halfs who had remained behind at school. Luke sat toward the back with Lea; both of them appeared just as curious as everyone else—even a bit awkward, like they felt out of place. What were they doing here? Half-bloods were never allowed to attend Council unless they’d been summoned to do so.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Seth kept his hand on mine, as if he knew I would bolt if given the chance. “Lucian has called an emergency Council meeting. See?” He gestured toward the front of the square room. “Everyone is here.”

The Council filled the titanium-trimmed dais. Easily recognizing Dawn Samos’ coppery head in the sea of white robes, I felt my stomach twist.

My eyes sca

The doors opened suddenly in the back, and more entered the room. Aiden was among them. My heart thundered in my chest as he stopped beside my uncle. He leaned over, his mouth moving quickly. Marcus stared straight ahead, but the stranger nodded. Then Aiden straightened and turned, looking straight at where I was standing.

Seth pulled back before Aiden could see us. I scowled at Seth, and he smiled back at me. “We’re special guests,” he said.

“That you are, my boy.” Lucian strode through the waiting room. His gaze settled on me and cooled. “Has Alexandria been amicable?”

“What do you think?” I snapped before Seth could respond.

Lucian graced me with one of his plastic smiles. “You’re not as wise nor strong as you think you are, Alexandria, but soon you will be.”

I shot toward him, but Seth pulled me back and slipped an arm around my waist. That left my arms completely free and, boy, did I try to get hold of Lucian’s hair… face… whatever I could grab.

“You are lucky that no one can see what you just tried to do,” Lucian hissed. He stopped by the open door, his Guards blocking the entrance. “Or I’d be forced to do something about it. Make sure she behaves, Seth. And that she understands the consequences of acting rashly.”

Seth held me, my back against his chest, waiting until Lucian and his Guards reached the dais. “Alex, don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

I struggled against him, getting nowhere. “I’m not the one who’s about to do something they’ll regret.”

His chest rose sharply. “Alex, please. If you try to run while we’re out there or if you do anything crazy, I’ll be forced to stop you.”

My movements ceased. Wariness crept over me and I felt like I could never be warm again. “You would do that… to me?”

It seemed like forever before he answered. “I wouldn’t want to, but I would.” He paused and another breath shuddered through him. “Please don’t make me.”

A lump formed in my throat. “I’m not making you do anything.”

“But you have,” he whispered in my ear. Mixed shivers ran down my spine. “Since the first time I met you. You just didn’t know, so how can I really blame you?”

Lucian was taking center stage, starting the Council session. All eyes were on him. No one knew of the drama playing out just behind the walls.

“I don’t understand.” I closed my eyes against the rush of tears. “Seth, please…”

“It’s this.” Seth shifted slightly, pressing his hand on my stomach, above where I felt the cord, close to the jagged scar. “You don’t know what’s it’s been like. To feel your power and mine together, to know that it will only grow stronger. It’s the aether, yes, but it’s also the akasha. It sings to me like a siren.”

My breath hitched and I swallowed hard as the cord responded to him.

Seth rested his chin atop of my head. “I can even feel it now—I know how to use it. Together, we’ll do this together.”

I opened my eyes. “Gods, you sound… insane, Seth.”

His fingers curled into my sweater. “One man’s insanity is another man’s sanity.”

“What? That doesn’t even make sense.”

He laughed softly. “Come on. It’s starting.”

Just like that, Seth changed. He tugged me to the door, where we remained hidden but could hear what was happening. His grip on my hand loosened, but I knew better than to try to make a run for it. I really believed that he’d stop me—painfully, if necessary.

The members of the Council were talking among themselves, and then they quieted.

Lucian glided to the front of the dais, clasping his hands together in front of him. An elderly, stately Minister spoke first, her voice raspy but strong. “Has there been additional evidence indicating more daimon attacks?”

“Or is it the elixir?” another asked, his hands clasping the arms of a titanium-trimmed throne. “Are we having problems here?”

There was an immediate hum of questions from the crowd and the Ministers. Some of the faces were panicked. Daimon attacks had come too close to home, and the idea of the elixir not working probably horrified those who relied on halfs to do everything for them.

I stiffened and the worst—absolutely worst—idea took hold.

“What are you thinking?” Seth’s voice was low, soothing, and at complete odds with what he was capable of.

Marcus had suspected that the daimons who attacked the Council had help, and Seth had suggested that Telly had messed with the elixir to cause a distraction, but as I stared at Lucian, I wondered how much Seth really knew.

Lucian, the perfect pure-blood in his pristine white robes, gazed over the near chaotic crowd with a tight, well-practiced smile on his face. Had Lucian been behind all of this? To create chaos? Because I remembered one of my lessons in Myth and Legends—of how all the societies that had been on the brink of upheaval were the easiest to control, shape, and manipulate… and overthrow.