“It would have happened much sooner if you’d just told me the truth.”
“It wasn’t my secret to share. Plus, I wasn’t sure if Vesta—Marcella—was pack at first, but I knew Domenico was hiding something. During that first meeting, when I’d persuaded him to accompany me to secure an alliance with Greed, he’d stiffened the moment they were in the room together. There were only the four of us that night, and it hadn’t been me or Greed he’d responded to. I suspected Domenico had hatched a plan and carried it out, based on the timing of Vesta’s ‘murder’ and the arrival of Marcella to the pack, but I didn’t want to draw attention to him.”
“You didn’t recognize her?”
“Initially, she cast a convincing glamour. That, mixed with her ability to change the emotions of those around her, kept me from questioning her for a little while. Once I figured out the truth and she stopped hiding her identity, it wasn’t my place to force her to return. Besides, I wouldn’t betray Domenico. Even if that meant keeping the truth from you.”
For a goddess who was supposed to only be out for vengeance, my sister took the blame when she easily could have given Domenico to Greed. “Do you like him, the shifter?”
“It doesn’t really matter if I do.” She lifted a shoulder. “He’ll live longer than most, but he’s not immortal. One day, many moons from now, he’ll realize that he’s changing and I am not. Domenico needs to be with someone who will grow old with him. And I need to be with someone I can aggravate for eternity. That is, if I choose a partner rather than simply enjoy myself on my own terms.”
“Does that special someone rule over the sin of envy or pride?”
Vittoria snorted. “Envy wishes he could hold my attention for eternity. I might be curious about rumors I’ve heard regarding his sexual talents, but that would be a passing fancy.” Her eyes sparkled as I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to think of Envy’stalents. “I’ve heard his—”
“Please, I do not want to hear any rumors about Envy. I’ve already heard about the portrait painted above his bed, the one where it shows how well-endowed he is.”
“Devil be damned.” Vittoria tossed her head back and laughed. It was the first time she’d sounded like her old, mortal self, and it gave me hope for the future. “I thought he was kidding about that painting. I should have taken him up on his offer to use his bedchamber.”
I noticed she hadn’t said anything about Pride, but I didn’t point that out. It was a wound that clearly hadn’t scabbed over. Even if he didn’t desire her in any romantic way, I suspected Vittoria did feel differently. Something else I’d been curious about resurfaced. “When you got your goddess magic back, did you recognize Lucia?”
Almost imperceptivity, my sister tensed. “Did you tell her?”
“No. I did give her the memory stone back, though. She ought to be the one to decide her future.”
Silence spread between us, broken only by the faint echoes of the training going on below. Instead of metal swords clashing, the sound of claws scratching stone and flesh drifted up. When my sister still didn’t say anything, I continued on.
“If you did form an attachment with Pride, and if Lucia truly doesn’t want to be with him, you ought to sit down and tell him the truth. Without games or lies.”
“I do not wish to be his wife.”
“No one said you did,” I said. “Whatdoyou want? Now that you’ve got our House back.”
My sister thought it over for a quiet moment, her attention never leaving the alpha training below. “I want to focus on rebuilding our House. I wish to settle our court and earn back our subjects’ trust. And I do not want to answer any more questions about that wretched prince. Thinking of Pride makes me want to tear out hearts and stomp on them.” We both cracked a grin at her outburst, but I didn’t press the issue. “What about you, dear sister? What in the name of everything good and sinister possessed you to give up your magic?”
“It was either that or the curse would remain intact forever.”
“No,” Vittoria said, a rare bout of anger lacing her voice, “killing Sursea was a viable option. One your prince should have mentioned.”
“She’s immortal.”
“AndIam the goddess of death. Even your powerful husband succumbed to Death’s poison. Until Mother interfered with her tonic.” Vittoria’s lips twisted in a cruel smirk. “Anyway, our mother is the Crone. Do you truly believe she couldn’t have assisted us in murdering a single witch, even one blessed with immortality?”
“Her niece,” I reminded my sister. “Celestia would not have killed family.”
“You forget our mother has an issue with pride, herself. She would never allow someone to destroy her favorite creations. Us, this realm, we all live in the world she made. It’s larger than just you and me.” Vittoria’s lavender eyes flashed. “And you gave up your power for him.”
I was surprised she’d felt that way, but it was far from the truth. I gave myself a few beats to gather my thoughts, to make her understand why my choice empoweredme.
I dropped my attention back to the wolves. They were now fully shifted and running through their drills. “I chose to end a curse that would have kept me caged for eternity. I gave up my power for freedom, to right a wrong I’d helped to create, intentional or not. I did not give up my magic for one demon. Though following my heart was the right path, at least for me. When I considered the paths open to me, I could live without magic, but I couldn’t imagine giving up everything else I loved to hold on to it. I chose the path that offered me the life I want to live.”
My sister shook her head but didn’t continue arguing. It was all right for her to feel differently, to choose a different path. I didn’t have to agree with all her choices, and she didn’t have to agree with each of mine, either. That didn’t mean we didn’t still love and respect each other fiercely. We were twins, but we were our own goddesses.
“I chose happiness over fear,” I finally said. “And I’d choose it again without any regrets.”
Vittoria expelled a long breath, the cold air creating little clouds in front of her. “Then I am truly happy for you, Emilia.” She turned mischievous eyes on me. “And if you need anything, anything at all, you’ll always have me.”
THIRTY-ONE