The Daughters of the Earth by Brendan Noble

Author:Brendan Noble
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eight-One-Five Publishing
Published: 2022-10-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 32 – Otylia

Why must you ruin everything?

JARYŁO’S ROBES SWEPT OVER THE SCORPION CARCASSES as he studied me. Sleeveless, they revealed his built arms and now darkened skin that appeared burnt like copper in the light of his orange Moonblade. His hair remained gold, though, and an eternal smirk pulled at the ends of his mouth. I’d thought that expression to be nothing more than cockiness. Now, I saw the menace in it.

“Finally crawled free from Weles’s cradle?” I muttered, my broken arms and venom-filled body fighting every word. Even kneeling took more strength than I had left. But I wouldn’t show Jaryło my weakness.

The god sneered before stopping to stare down Serapis’s decayed corpse. Weles had claimed gods could alter their appearance depending on their location, but it was unsettling to see Jaryło in a different form. “Father made so many mistakes with you in such little time. Allowing you to keep your rebellious tongue was chief among them.” He shook his head. “It is a shame how much you and Dziewanna are alike in your disloyalty to your fathers, foolishly believing you could do better.”

“Because you’re so perfect? Don’t speak to me about loyalty! You betraying Marzanna caused this, and now you call the god who kidnapped you ‘Father.’ ”

His voice turned mocking. “Ah, is your loyalty the reason I have heard rumors of a Naw płanetnik in Huebia? Oh yes, dear sister, I know you pushed him away. Why else would a caring, cautious boy like that choose destruction over peace?”

I shuddered. Wacław’s anger had become so constant through our connection that it was impossible to tell what else he felt. It had been a mistake to leave him in Kiin’s cage of rock, but even now, I didn’t know a better option. I had been Wacław’s tether in his darkest moments. Rejecting him had cut the last thread of hope he had, and until I could figure out how to pull him back, it was better for him to be where he couldn’t hurt anyone—Frostmarked or not.

I’m sorry, I whispered through our bond. We both have our darkness, and I should’ve never let you face yours alone.

But I had, and now, my own darkness was laid out before me. With the force of endings, I’d cut Serapis’s Thread of Life in something far worse than death. Žityje lingered in most corpses. He had none. That alone was paralyzing, but I had to deal with Jaryło before I could figure out what End was doing to me.

“I was trying to protect Wacław,” I breathed. “But I was wrong. At least I’m willing to admit it.”

Jaryło huffed, nudging Serapis’s body with his foot. “The goddess of endings indeed. Were you trying to protect my szeptun too, or was severing his soul too alluring an opportunity?”

Severing his soul?

“You seem surprised,” he said. “I thought you were so well prepared for Ascension that you did not need Father’s help or mine? How childish of you to believe you could master a god’s power in a few moons’ time when we spend an eternity bonding with the forces we wield.

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