fate, but it is yours. And what you do with it will determine Visidia’s future forevermore. This goes beyond you. Remember that.
Remember that. Remember that?
I don’t need a reminder when all I do is remember. I remember the way magic used to fill me; how it was a mighty flame in my soul, inextinguishable. I remember a time when most of Visidia wasn’t living in fear. When I wouldn’t need to distract them in order to pass a new law. When I wouldn’t have had to travel to each of the islands with my guard up, fearing someone might try to kill me.
I remember a time when I could kiss whomever I wanted without doubting my feelings.
When Father’s laugh would boom across the bay as we stood at the helm of The Duchess. The way so many trusted him, before Kaven ever became a threat.
I remember the ghost of his kiss on my forehead. The memory of blood draining from his body as life dimmed from his eyes. The sword speared through his flesh, buried deep in his belly. The nightmares of his hand reaching for me, and a face shrouded by smoke.
I remember everything.
I squeeze my fists tight and lift my chin to the serpent. “I won’t leave here without a scale.”
It dips its head, tongue forking out. I am not the guardian who will try to stop you from getting it. I am only tasked with protecting the earth.
My balance sways as the ground trembles beneath me, but I will not go down so easily. Clutching Rukan, I bring my blade down upon the serpent, slicing through its skin and ripping off a piece of it, scale attached. The beast hisses but doesn’t jerk away, almost as though it wants me to take it. The scale comes off easily in my hand.
I curse and nearly drop it when it sears my skin. But the longer I touch it, the more power sinks through my skin and deep into my bones. For the first time since losing my magic, I find myself trembling beneath the weight of power, having to steady myself before I’m brought to the ground. Just one scale and some skin from this beast contains more magic than I’ve ever felt in my life.
I’m quick to tuck the scale close, backing away from the serpent that coils back, lifting its head to watch me.
As I said, I am not the one tasked to protect it, Little One. They are. The serpent’s eyes flicker to the volcano behind me as lightning strikes the sky above it. Clouds black as tar billow from its mouth as the volcano erupts, white-hot magma pouring from it and bursting into the sky.
In the middle of that magma, a strange form takes shape as it stretches into the night, growing bigger and bigger until breath flees my lungs, and I understand.
There is not one guardian deity here; there are two.
This is the fire serpent.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Unlike the earth deity that slinks back and coils tightly into itself to watch what unfolds, the fire deity does not speak before it bares its fangs, hissing steam against my cheeks. Its entire body is made of fire; lava burns hot around it, melting everything in its path. Magma drips from its fangs, and its eyes are the heart of a fire, white hot. The heat radiating from its body is stifling, nearly suffocating me.
You are a fool to allow this girl to hold so much power. Have you not learned from the past? This guardian’s voice is booming as it condemns the other, whose blink is slow and calm.
The little ones will do what they want, says the earth deity. Her being here was fated.
The fire deity’s tongue lashes out in distaste before it slinks closer. I choke on its presence, smoke gripping my throat as I stumble back in search of the fiery wolf that brought me here. Miraculously, it still waits for me, curling its claws into the ground and flaring a bright white. As I reach for it, it heeds my call and helps me onto its back, taking off down the mountainside as I clutch the snake scale to my chest.
Stop helping her! hisses the fire serpent as it slams its body into the ground, chasing after me. The earth deity doesn’t pay the other any mind as it coils into a corner, body fading into the shadows.
With every inch closer that the godwoken slithers, fire and lava flare. They devour the