Аполлион

“But when we met, it was like it was destined. For many months, we got… we got to know each other. I do not think even the gods knew what could happen.” A distant look crept into her eyes, not quite overshadowing a pain that still hadn’t healed. “He seemed to grow more powerful the longer we were around each other, able to harness akasha with little effort, and he would not grow tired. But he was more unstable. Never toward me, but I knew… I knew that it was because of me. There was a situation…”

My stomach sank as my gaze flickered to Aiden.

“A large group of daimons had attacked one of the Covenants and during the battle, he… pulled from me. The power he displayed was unimaginable. The Council grew concerned and then… then I met the oracle.”

Ah, the oracle strikes again.

“She told me what would happen. That he would pull all of my power from me and he would attack the Council. I didn’t believe her, because that would be insane.” Solaris laughed softly. “But she was insistent that I stop him. That if I could not find it in my heart to kill what I loved most, then I must take the power.”

My breath caught, and the walls seemed to do a Tilt-a-Whirl.

“I never thought he would act, but the Council moved against us. They wanted us separated, and neither of us, in our naïve selfishness, could bear such a thought. We left the safety of the Council and we went out on our own.” Solaris shook her head. “They followed, sending their most skilled Sentinels. When they didn’t succeed, the Order of Thanatos came.”

She swallowed thickly. “He threatened the Council then, and I knew what the oracle had said was all coming true. She had given me the means to stop him, but it was too late.”

I bit my lip. “What did he do?”

Her eyes met mine. “He would’ve never done it if the allure of the power—the draw of supreme power—hadn’t overtaken him. But it did. Before I could stop him, he drew from me. There was a moment, immediately after he took my power, when he was not yet able to channel it. Like an Achilles’ heel, so to speak, and the Order attacked. The rest… the rest is history.”

I didn’t know what to say. Sorrow rode the back of my throat. It was obvious that Solaris had loved her First, so much so that not once did she speak his actual name. I couldn’t bring myself to askjust to quench my own curiosity, because I knew speaking it would only bring her more pain.

“I’m sorry.” It was all I could say.

Solaris nodded. “What is your First doing?”

I told her everything—the destruction, the impending war, and the hope that somehow we could stop history from repeating itself. If she was surprised, she didn’t show it. Solaris simply walked up to me.

“I blocked it from him and from the other Apollyons,” Solaris said again. “I’m not sure how you even saw it. Perhaps it was Fate?”

Gods, for once Fate wasn’t trying to force me to take one for the team. Nice change. “Perhaps.”

“It’s simpler than you think.” Solaris reached out, placing her cold hand over my right one. “You must follow the order of the marks as they appeared on you. The original.” Solaris squeezed my right hand, “Θάρρος.” Courage.

Then she cupped her hand around my left. “ Ισχύς.” Strength.

Letting go of my hand, she placed hers below my ribcage, over my navel, “απόλυτη εξουσία.” Absolute Power. Then finally, she reached up and cupped the nape of my neck. “αήττητο.” Invincibility.

The air went out of my lungs and Solaris nodded. “You will need to press your flesh to his and call upon each mark by its true name.”

“Wait,” Aiden said. “Isn’t that how he would transfer her power to him?”

I already knew, so when Solaris stepped away and turned to Aiden, I could barely look at him. “Yes,” she said. “She will have to do it before he does.”

Aiden opened his mouth, but there were no words. We had learned how to transfer power and that was something, but it would also be damn near impossible.

“Is that all?” she asked. “I wish to leave.”

Persephone cleared her throat. “I believe so.”

For an instant, Solaris’ eyes met mine and I thought I’d be seeing her again. And sooner than I probably expect. I didn’t know where that thought came from—if it was rooted in any real possibility or just paranoia.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” she asked, voice low enough for only me to hear. “For the power of the God Killer will transfer to you. And though you may feel strong and you may think you can control it, it can warp you, too.”

Looking terribly sad, as if she knew this great secret, she sighed. “And for whatever purpose the gods seek to use you for, once they do, will you be left standing in the end? As the oracle warned me, there cannot be two of our kind in any generation.”