After dinner.

And the only reason it broke off was when everyone headed to their bedchambers.

Cassius entered ours, jerking at the buttons of his shirt.

“Sweetheart—” I began.

“This is not right,” he hissed, turning to me. “There is something wrong. It’s been weeks, and I do not diminish the loss of those families, but four demons created by fucking gods walk my land and…that’s it?”

“I think we should be glad of it,” I said carefully.

“Of course, Ellie, but what are they bloody waiting for?” he asked. “Or more to the point, all this time they’ve had, what are they doing?”

I did not know the answer to either of those questions, and I did not have the opportunity to tell him I didn’t.

A knock came at the door.

I turned to look at it as Cassius called out, “Enter!”

I expected a servant.

Not Mars.

Our friend did not lead into it.

He announced, “They’ve separated.”

I stood solid.

Cassius came to stand beside me.

“The demons?” Cass asked.

“Yes,” Mars said. “I’ve had a bird from Faunus. They’ve found one and they’re following him.”

“Dear goddess,” I whispered. “How do they know it’s a demon?”

“They saw it transform.”

“Bloody hell.”

Mars looked to Cassius, and when they locked eyes, they did not break the contact.

“Whatever we’re going to do, my brother, the time is now,” Mars said.

“Bloody right,” my husband replied.

Thus, in but an hour, dressed warm, packed light, astride our horses, the lot of us galloped behind Star and Sky.

To meet our destinies.

151

The Feint

King Mars

Lesser Thicket Forest

WODELL

Mars rode Hephaestus, Silence on Epona at his left flank.

They were bending, leaning, ducking, as their mounts weaved through the dead trees, their hooves pounding into the snow.

He did this by reflex and instinct.

His wife, an exceptional horsewoman, did it the same.

Mostly he kept his gaze on the golden hair that shone in the moonlight of the woman on the horse who was attempting to escape pursuit.

He cut his reins to round a tree, Silence followed, and they drew closer to her.

“Now?” Silence yelled.

“No!” he shouted.

Opposite them, Elena was moving abreast of the human-like creature.

And it was then Cassius rode straight in front of her.

Her horse reared.

“Now!” Mars roared.

Silence’s balls of flame soared through the air.

And hit nothing.

The woman with the golden hair had leaped into the trees. Then, abandoning her steed, she swung from limb to limb with a speed that made her blur from focus.

True and Aramus started to give chase but realized quickly there was no hope.

They wheeled their horses around and galloped back, reining in where the rest of them sat atop their steeds, breaths coming heavy, forming vapor as they hit the cold air.