A Pirate for the Dead Goddess (Legends of Rahasia Book 2)

Chapter Seventeen

-MEMORIES OF LUNE-

"Kura..." Soleil trails off as they walk in the university courtyards, having stolen out towards a coppice of silvery trees. The professors wouldn't bother them. If someone got too close, Kura could just change her face to mimic a stern-faced teacher anyways, pretending to discuss mathematics or engineering lesson plans with Sol. Since all the buildings are transparent, the trees and the frosted-glass elite houses are the only place to hide properly in Lune, strategically placed as they are. Sol runs a finger along Kura's bare neck, her brown eyes staring at the shorter girl's bristly head. "Your lovely hair, it's all gone."

"My ibu taught me that some cultures have young girls cut their hair right before they're married." Kura shrugs, the crooked grin and the severe side-eye that Sol's come to know so well. "I figured, since we're together now, might as well get a close shave."

Sol chews on her lower lip, turning away in shame. "Kura, don't be ridiculous. What we have, it's just a fling. Don't waste your romantics on me." She laughs, putting on a front. "It was fun, but this isn't a love story. You aren't going to change my heart."

Kura stands on tiptoe, making Sol blush with how close she is. Gods, the girl's driving her crazy. "You're lying to yourself, Sol. I know it. Kane knows it too."

"Kane knows shit. I'm not good for you." Soleil's voice drops down to a hurried whisper. She thinks of the Witch Goddess she's talked to in her dreams, the Matriarch of Truth who promised Soleil revenge for the childhood she lost. Thinks of the father, Cato, that she never had, the one that Kane defeated and humiliated. She thinks of vengeance, bittersweet on her tongue. Where is love in a vengeance quest? Where's the room for a dream of a wife and a cottage and a library filled with scrolls with tea and honey cake overlooking a garden in any of that? "Mark my words, if you get involved with me, I'm only going to hurt you."

Smaller golden arms wrap around a browned neck, a bristle-haired girl leaning against the dark braids of a warrior-dandy, a dandy who could have any girl she wanted.

Then why did Sol only have eyes for Kura lately?

"Then I'll get hurt." Kura tells her, a soft kiss planted on Sol's chin. "But the only way you'll get rid of me is through death."

Sol pauses, returning the kiss despite herself. Knowing she'll have to leave. Knowing that vengeance is too close now. Knowing that, if she does everything the Mother Goddess asks, she'll be rewarded with Cato. She'll have a father again.

Kura said it herself.

If Kura must let her go, then the old Sol will have to die.

"We should get back to class." Sol begins.

Kura's eyes, twinkling.

Class could wait.

***

-OUTSIDE THE LIONESS GATE-

Soleil runs her fingers along her lower back, feel the knobs of metal. Presses her hand to her heart, feels the fire of a forge, of enchanted fire hidden beneath twisted flesh.

The old Sol was thrown into a fire.

And this monster of iron and bone fused together, that is what rose in her place.

No, Kura's safer without me.

"Our mortal reinforcements are almost here. The desert, admittedly, is giving them more trouble than I'd care to admit. But no matter, my witching coven will follow soon, in due time. If only they got here faster. I've waited so long already. I want the Empire to fall." A curled hand falls on her shoulder. Silver braid swinging, the goddess that molded her into a metallic beast. "Are you dreaming of it? Of us ruling over a new age together. Of piles of gold coin and endless feasts thrown in worship. Of your father, Cato, god of war, restored. Of an age where warriors are honored instead of peace and weakness and scholars."

"Yes," Soleil lies, knowing she only dreams of a wife and a cottage and a library filled with scrolls with tea and honey cake overlooking a garden. A dream she threw away to find a father she never had. She remembers how her mortal grandparents feared her, tried to leave her in a desert. She remembers fear, how long ago she felt it. Now, only numbness. Only pain and loss and stupid, stupid hope at seeing her father again. Of being accepted, even as a monster. Of being loved. Kane, having the audacity to give her a second chance.

Kane choosing her as Champion.

Kane, that fool.

"Yes," Sol heaves a breath, remembering the desert, the rope burning into her skin. The tears frozen against her face as night approached and the cold set in. The sand, her grave. The grandparents, hating all she represented as a young child. Calling her monster when they saw how easily she butchered the animals on their farm, how she had a flair for killing. Her Diviner powers, of war. They were terrified.

Let them be terrified.

Sol smirks, feeling her battle-axe set directly in her arm, the power pulsing through her veins. The metal, gleaming on her skin, a weapon through and through. "Let's bathe in blood."

Then pain, pain. Her throat's constricted. Choking, she falls, clutching at her throat. Can't think a single thought. Just begging for air.

Breath. She stole my breath from my body.

The Matriarch puts her bare foot on the Godkiller's metal spine, crushing her iron belly against the sand. She coughs, sputtering weakly at the dust and grit. "Darling Soleil," the Matriarch coos, "do you forget I'm the goddess of truth?"

She spits, lying down flat, pressing Sol's body further to the sand. Leans down, tears Sol up by her ear. Sol's vision goes white, exploding from lack of air. "I need you too much to kill you." She stands up again.

Soleil lets in gasps of air, clawing at her throat still, tears and sand on her face.

"Never lie to me again, Sol." She goes back to cleaning some sand from her nails, nonchalant as the Godkiller's sputtering and scrabbling at her throat, coughing up sand and blood and melted chunks of iron. "Or I'll have to put you back through surgery again for some bronze upgrades. Maybe remove your other human eye, make your whole pretty face metal instead."

"Please no..." Sol begs. "I'll listen. Please."

"But you're weak. You don't dream of ruling. You dream of that little Jiwanese scholar girl. Kora was it?" The Matriarch laughs. "Just like Kane. A lovesick puppy."

"Please, no. I'll listen. I want my father freed. I want to save Cato. To get the humans who tried to kill me, that feared me."

The Matriarch pinches Sol's human cheek, the soft flesh burning with anger, with fury. "Good girl. Start with the next batch of scouts cresting that hill." She points to the Godkiller's axe, then to the squad of four dappled stallions and the Rahasian scouts atop them. "Fetch."

Sol staggers to her feet, wielding the axe fused in her right arm, a literal extension of her body after the Matriarch embedded it with her veins and tendons.

Ready to separate flesh from bone and focus on vengeance.

Not love.

Not even Kura, if Sol was going to keep Kura safe.

***

Hey Pirates,

So, we learn more about Sol's intentions. And her feelings for Kura.

Interesting.

-Sophia