I continued reading. “Blade that Soars feared he would be overcome when he was unaware and sought to entrust his being to the one he cherished above all. At his behest, Dancing Wind carried a part of his heart within hers, and a greater part of her heart dwelled within his. She would never betray him, he believed, if he commanded a portion of her soul as well.”

“Romantic guy,” Likh grunted.

“According to this, Blade that Soar’s brother, Hollow Knife, ferreted out the whereabouts of that heartsglass in an effort to save the people. ‘Help me, Dancing Wind,’ Hollow Knife implored the goddess. ‘Help me take Blade that Soars’ heart, and we can make the world whole again.’”

Althy frowned. “From what we’ve been taught, Dancing Wind speaks those lines, not Hollow Knife.”

That was true. In the legend as I knew it, a power-hungry Hollow Knife convinced Dancing Wind’s envious sister, Little Tears, to steal Blade that Soars’ heartsglass to merge with his own and create godsheart. He then tried to bend the world into his own making, creating the daeva to carry out his plans. But Hollow Knife was defeated when Dancing Wind merged her heartsglass with Blade that Soars’, bringing the god back to life to vanquish his cruel brother and exile Little Tears, who became the first bone witch.

“There is no other mention of Dancing Wind after this point,” I said, scanning the rest of the pages. “In the tale we know, Blade that Soars broke his heart into three parts and sacrificed two of them to heal the land. There’s none of that in this text. Listen to this: But before he could use his brother’s heartsglass, Hollow Knife found himself betrayed. For Little Tears still harbored feelings for Blade that Soars and sought to save his life by fusing half her heartsglass with his. And in doing so, she revived him and acquired part of his Darkened magic.

“Blade that Soars struck Hollow Knife and tried to take the shadowglass. Caught unawares and knowing his brother would succeed, Hollow Knife halted the spell before it reached completion. He was overpowered by his sibling.

“But the unmanning of Blade that Soars’ heart made him weak. He could only banish Hollow Knife to the underworld, where he was to wander among the ruins of the dead for all eternity. At the moment of his exile, Hollow Knife turned his anger and the last of his strength toward Little Tears, who had deserted his cause for her love of his brother.

“‘No longer will you be able to use life’s magic for your own’ was his curse. ‘Your influence shall be limited to the ways of the Dark and of the dead. You will never be able to give away your heart again, for you shall be alone until the day you unmake your treachery and see my will done.