Casteel’s hand slipped away from me. “You lie.”

“Why would I lie about that?” She shook her head as she followed the trail of light to the steps. “Malec was a god.”

“Why would he pretend to be a deity if he was a god?” Casteel demanded.

“Because he grew tired of being held in Iliseeum while the children, generations removed, were allowed to explore beyond the Mountains of Nyktos, and he could do just that. Nyktos’s children were born in the mortal realm, just as his Consort was.”

I jolted, remembering what Nyktos had said about the Primals’ powers in the realm beyond Iliseeum. Only those born within the realm could retain their powers here.

I spared a brief glance at Casteel as she said, “Come now, you do know your own history? I lived it, Casteel. How do you think Malec managed to kill the other deities? Seize power like he did? A deity couldn’t have done that, not even one descended from Nyktos. And there were no deities of that line. There has only ever been the two sons.”

A long moment of silence passed, one where I could feel the chains of disbelief loosening and falling away as we stared at the Blood Queen, who clearly was not a vampry.

“Did my mother know what he really was?” Casteel forced out.

“That is at least one lie she didn’t tell. And as I said, I am not a vampry, and I am not a deity.” Her gaze focused back on me. “Because a god Ascended me, I became one.”

“That is not how that works,” Casteel growled, and while I didn’t know much about the gods, I had to believe he was right. One couldn’t just be made into a god.

She raised a brow. “It’s not?”

Vonetta and Lyra inched toward Casteel and me, just as Naill and the others were also doing—and had been attempting for several minutes. Their loathing and fear matched that of Delano and Kieran, and that said something. If she truly was a god, wouldn’t they be drawn to her like they were to me?

“But back then, many of the Atlantians didn’t know that, and when they started Ascending others, they just assumed that I was the same.” Her eyes were closed. “Malec told me his plans. That he would pretend to side with Eloana and the Council and help eradicate the Ascended. Said that it was the only way. Because you see, he couldn’t let the Ascended continue. He understood their threat better than most did.” She laughed then, the sound without humor. “Even exiled, he would stay behind and fight because he had honor. But I bet no one speaks of that, do they?”

Eloana had, in a way. She had said that Malec was a good man and King for the most part. Just not a good husband.

“So, he snuck me out of Atlantia when the war had just begun, but I had to leave alone. It would’ve been too risky to bring anyone with me, even our son.”