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I stand motionless in the center of the chamber, the weight of his offer pressing down on me like the ocean’s depths.

Guardian. Champion. A war among gods with mortals as pawns. Or worse. And me, supposedly the means to end it all.

The implications are staggering. And beneath all that lies the unwelcome thrill of possibility. The power Rivlan described would change everything. Would change me.

The bed hasn’t moved, but I know the rhythm of Lark’s breathing too well. The current pattern is too measured, too careful.

The little faker. I have no idea how she managed to stay awake when Nyc, Hallr, and Orin sent me into some kind of charmed sleep when they visited her, but she did. Maybe each god independently decides whether or not they care about an audience.

I stalk toward her. “You can stop pretending to be asleep now, love.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Council Tower radiates tension as Sterling reveals the encounter with Rivlan to Agnar, Bastian, Leesa, and the council members. I fidget with the sleeve of my tunic, trying to focus on Sterling’s words rather than the way my stomach twists into knots.

A god has chosen my fiancé.

A god has offered him power beyond our wildest imaginations.

I should feel proud, relieved even. And a huge part of me is. At the same time, I’m drowning in a conglomeration of disparate emotions.

Sterling stands by our circular table, fingers splayed across a detailed map of Tirene. Flickering candlelight catches the angles of his face and grants him a more regal appearance than usual. More distant.

“Champion and guardian.” His eyes meet mine before scanning the room. “That’s what he said.”

The division is already visible in their postures and expressions.

Dalya’s eyes alight with eagerness. “With a king holding such powers, no one would dare even threaten us.”

Fenton strokes his chin, his fingers rasping over morning stubble. “This could be a sign to the rest of the world that we are favored by the gods.”

Agnar scoffs from his position at Sterling’s right side, arms crossed over his broad chest. “Not gods. God. What of the others? Don’t forget what we heard at the portal. Those bone-shaking booms. No offense to your would-be patron, Knox, but I’ve seen enough celestial intervention to last several lifetimes.”

My mind drifts to my own experiences with Nyc, Orin, and Hallr.

That alliance helped us defeat Narc.

But at what cost? The gods have always sought their own agendas, played their own games that spanned millennia while we mortals lived and died in the blink of their immortal eyes.

Then again, we didn’t get much of a choice. Narc tried to strip us of our free will and turn us into puppets dancing on divine strings. And none of the other gods stepped in to stop him.

They left that little task to us. To me. To defend ourselves against a rogue god.

“I see your reasoning.” Rafe’s eyebrows knit together. “But just think about it. A guardian’s power could give us the edge we need. With godlike abilities, we could strengthen our defenses beyond anything Aclaris or any other kingdom could breach.”

My fingers find the ledge of the table, and I trace the worn wood. “The gods help themselves first. I hate to say it, but I’m afraid any benefit to us is…incidental.”

Leesa toys with a loose strand of dark golden blond hair, her features etched with concern as she regards me with a cocked head.

My adopted sister knows me too well. No doubt she can see the turmoil beneath my careful words.

Bastian clears his throat, drawing our attention. He sits surrounded by ancient tomes, his fingers stained with ink from hours of research. The resemblance between us—the same hazel eyes and dark brown hair—seems more pronounced when he’s focused like this.

“There’s something you should know.” He flips open a particularly weathered book with reverent hands. “In all of history, there have been fewer than fifty documented guardians. And right now, only one’s known to be active. The Guardian himself.”

“That’s one more reason for me not to accept Rivlan’s offer.” Sterling’s features harden. “I don’t want to risk becoming something like him.”

I nod in agreement. That’s when I realize I understand very little about a guardian’s purpose. “Bastian, what exactly does being a guardian entail?”