Caelan's POV
Tomorrow at dawn, or everyone dies.
Lyris's words hang in the air like a death sentence. The entire camp is frozen, processing what she just said.
Sera has to attack the capital. Tomorrow. Or Isolde will find us and slaughter everyone.
That's insane, I say immediately. Sera just discovered her power an hour ago. She can't control it. Sending her to face Isolde and the gods is suicide.
It's the only future where she survives, Lyris insists. Her Oracle eyes are still white from the vision. I've seen it a hundred times. If she waits, if she trains, if she hides Isolde finds her. Kills her. But if she strikes first, while Isolde thinks she's weak and running there's a chance.
A chance isn't good enough! Kael snarls. We don't send someone into battle on a maybe!
Then you doom everyone in this camp, Lyris says flatly. Isolde knows you're here. She's gathering an army right now. By tomorrow night, this place will be ash.
Sera has been quiet through all of this. Now she stands up, her face pale but determined.
I'll do it.
No I start.
It's my choice, Caelan. She looks at me, and there's steel in her eyes I've never seen before. Lyris is right. Running hasn't worked. Hiding hasn't worked. Maybe it's time to fight.
You don't know how to fight! I'm practically shouting now. You've never held a sword! You can barely control your power!
Then teach me. Sera turns to address the whole camp. Everyone here has abilities I don't. Kael can fight with lightning. Corvus knows magic. You're a trained warrior. I have one night to learn everything I can.
One night isn't enough to prepare for war, Mara says gently.
It's all we have. Sera's voice doesn't waver. So let's not waste it arguing.
The camp erupts into activity. People preparing weapons, gathering supplies, making plans.
Corvus pulls Sera aside. If you're really doing this, I need to teach you the basics of channelling your Fate weaver power without killing yourself.
How long will that take?
Normally? Weeks. Tonight? Corvus grimaces. We'll do what we can.
Kael appears on her other side. And you need combat training. Basic self-defence at minimum.
I can teach her that, I say immediately.
Kael glares at me. You're god-marked. For all we know, you'll betray her the moment Kyros gives the order.
The mark is bonding to Sera now
We don't know that for sure!
Stop! Sera yells. Both of you teach me! Corvus handles magic, you both handle combat. I need to learn everything, and I don't care who teaches me as long as I survive tomorrow!
For the next six hours, I watch Sera transform.
Corvus teaches her to pull the silver light from inside herself without letting it explode uncontrollably. She practices on rocks, on trees, learning to focus the energy into beams instead of waves.
She fails. A lot.
One blast nearly takes out a tent. Another accidentally sets a tree on fire. But she doesn't quit. She just grits her teeth and tries again.
Good, Corvus says after she successfully destroys a target rock. Now do it faster. In real combat, you won't have time to concentrate.
Between magic lessons, Kael and I teach her to fight.
I show her basic sword work how to hold a blade, how to block, how to strike. She's clumsy at first, but she learns fast.
Kael teaches her to dodge, to move, to use her smaller size as an advantage.
You're never going to overpower someone in a straight fight, he tells her. So don't fight straight. Be unpredictable.
Hours blur together. Sera trains until her hands bleed from gripping the sword. Until her arms shake from exhaustion. Until she can barely stand.
That's enough, I finally say when I see her stumble. You need to rest.
I need to be ready, Sera gasps.
You won't be ready if you collapse from exhaustion before the battle even starts. I take the sword from her gently. Rest. Please.
She looks like she wants to argue, but her legs give out. I catch her before she falls.
I've got you, I murmur.
For a moment, she leans against me, her forehead resting on my chest. I can feel her heartbeat racing.
I'm scared, she whispers.
I know.
What if Lyris is wrong? What if I attack tomorrow and just... die?
Then I'll die with you. The words come out before I can stop them. I'm not letting you face this alone.
Sera pulls back to look at me. Caelan
I mean it. The god-mark is changing because of you. My loyalty is to you now, not the gods. Wherever you go, I go.
Even if it gets you killed?
Especially then. I touch her face gently. I've spent my whole life being a weapon for gods who don't care if I live or die. For once, I want to fight for something that matters. Someone who matters.
Sera's eyes fill with tears. Why do you care so much about me?
Because you're the first person who ever made me want to be free.
Before either of us can say more, Lyris runs up, breathing hard.
We have a problem, she gasps. A big one.
What now? Kael demands, joining us.
I had another vision. About tomorrow's attack. Lyris looks sick. Sera, when you go to the capital, Isolde won't be alone.
We knew that. She'll have guards, soldiers
Not just guards. Lyris grabs Sera's arm. She's made a deal with Kyros. In exchange for your death, he's going to grant her divine power. She's becoming god-touched.
My blood runs cold. That's impossible. The gods don't share power with mortals unless
Unless they're desperate, Corvus finishes, appearing from the shadows. Which means Kyros is more afraid of Sera than we thought.
How do I fight someone with god-power? Sera asks, and I can hear the fear in her voice.
You don't, Corvus says grimly. Even a fully trained Fate weaver would struggle against a god-blessed opponent. You, with one night of training? He shakes his head. You'll need help.
What kind of help?
Corvus reaches into his robes and pulls out a small vial filled with glowing silver liquid. This is distilled Fate weaver essence. Created from the blood of Fate weavers who died centuries ago. If you drink it, your power will temporarily amplify a hundredfold.
Why didn't you mention this before? Kael demands.
Because it's incredibly dangerous. The power boost lasts maybe ten minutes. After that, it burns out completely, leaving you powerless for days. Maybe permanently. Corvus looks at Sera seriously. You'd get one shot. One chance to hit Isolde with everything you have. If you miss, or if it's not enough, you die.
Sera stares at the vial. And if I don't take it?
You die anyway, Lyris says quietly. I saw that future too. Without the boost, Isolde kills you in the first minute.
So my choices are: drink this and maybe die, or don't drink it and definitely die.
Welcome to being a rebel, Kael says with dark humor.
Sera takes the vial from Corvus. The liquid inside glows like captured starlight.
I'll take it, she says. Right before I face Isolde.
There's one more thing, Lyris says hesitantly. The vision showed me something else. Something about Caelan.
Everyone looks at me.
What about him? Sera asks.
Lyris takes a deep breath. His god-mark is bonding to you, yes. But it's not complete yet. To finish the bond, to make him fully free from Kyros's control, you have to She pauses. You have to willingly accept him as yours. Claim him.
How? Sera asks.
A blood bond. You mix your blood with his while the mark is transitioning. It seals the connection permanently.
My heart pounds. A blood bond is sacred more permanent than marriage, more binding than any oath.
And if we don't do it? I ask.
Kyros can still take control of you in moments of weakness, Corvus explains. The bond is unstable right now. It could snap back to divine control at any moment.
Sera looks at me. Would you want that? To be bound to me?
Yes. I don't hesitate. I want to be free from the gods. And if being bound to you is the price, I'll pay it gladly.
But it's not just about freedom, Lyris interrupts. A blood bond means Caelan's life is tied to yours, Sera. If you die, he dies. Always.
The weight of that settles over us.
I won't ask you to do that, Sera says quietly. I won't ask you to die for me.
You're not asking. I'm offering. I take her hand. Let me stand with you tomorrow. Let me be yours, not the gods'.
Sera searches my face. Whatever she sees there makes her nod.
Okay. We do the blood bond.
Corvus prepares the ritual quickly. A small knife, a bowl, words in an ancient language.
I cut my palm. Sera cuts hers. We press our bleeding hands together over the bowl.
The moment our blood mixes, the god-mark on my chest explodes with light not painful, but intense. I feel the divine connection to Kyros snap like a broken chain.
And something new flows into its place. A connection to Sera. Warm and strong and right.
When the light fades, the mark is completely silver. No more blue at all.
It's done, Corvus says. You're bound.
I can feel Sera nowher heartbeat, her emotions, her presence like a second soul inside my chest.
Can you feel it? I ask her.
Yes, she whispers, touching her own chest. I can feel you. It's like you're part of me now.
I am. I pull her close. Wherever you go, I go. Whatever happens tomorrow, we face it together.
Sera nods against my chest.
The camp settles down for a few hours of rest before dawn. But I don't sleep. I stay awake, holding Sera, feeling her breathe, memorizing every moment.
Because tomorrow, we might die.
Just before dawn, Lyris shakes us awake.
It's time, she says. Sera, you need to see this.
We follow her to the edge of camp where we can see the distant capital city.
The sky above it is filled with golden light. Divine power gathering like a storm.
Kyros is there, Corvus says grimly. In physical form. He's not taking any chances.
So I have to fight Isolde and a god? Sera's voice is steady, but I feel her fear through our bond.
Looks like it.
Sera stands there for a long moment, staring at the gathering divine light. Then she turns to face the camp.
Everyone is awake now, watching her.
I know most of you don't know me, Sera says, her voice carrying across the clearing. I know I'm just a girl who's been running and hiding. But I'm done running. Today, I fight back. Not just for myself, but for everyone the gods have hurt. Everyone the prophecy system has destroyed.
She pulls out the vial Corvus gave her.
I don't know if I'll survive this. But even if I don't, I want you all to know defying destiny was worth it. Being free, even for a few days, was worth it.
People are crying. Some are kneeling.
Sera looks at me. Ready?
Always.
We start walking toward the capital. Kael, Corvus, and a group of the strongest rebels come with us.
The sun rises as we approach the city gates. They're standing open, like Isolde is inviting us in.
A trap. Obviously.
But we walk in anyway.
The city is empty. Every citizen has been evacuated or is hiding. The streets are silent except for our footsteps.
We reach the central plaza.
Queen Isolde is waiting for us on a raised platform. She's wearing armor now, black and gold, radiating divine power. Her eyes glow with borrowed god-magic.
Beside her stands Kyros himself a being of golden light in the shape of a man, towering and terrible.
Welcome, little Maiden, Isolde says with a cruel smile. I'm so glad you decided to come die.
Sera steps forward. Her hand is shaking, but her voice is strong.
I'm not dying today. You are.
Isolde laughs. Brave words for a powerless girl.
I'm not powerless anymore.
Sera opens the vial and drinks the Fate weaver essence in one gulp.
For a moment, nothing happens.
Then silver light erupts from her body like an exploding star.