Redeemed (House of Night #12)(81)

“Thank you, my Goddess,” Thanatos said.

“You are doing well here, Daughter,” Nyx told her. “The spell is difficult, but your intent is pure.”

“I will do my best to hold it firm,” Thanatos said.

Nyx smiled. “I would expect no less from my Priestess of Death.” Then she turned to Rephaim, who stood, sobbing, beside Kalona’s body. He was staring at his dad—well, the spirit version of his dad, who was still kneeling. He didn’t even seem to see Nyx, who reached across Kalona’s body to touch his shoulder, gently saying, “Your grief be soothed, my son.”

Rephaim jerked under her touch, and his focus shifted to the Goddess. Wide-eyed he said, “Thank you.” And his sobs slowed, and then stopped as he stared at Nyx.

And then she was turning to me. Today her hair was so light it was almost white, like a full moon, and her eyes were lavender. It was hard to look at her straight on for very long. There was something incomprehensible in her beauty.

“Zoey Redbird, of all the mortals here, Kalona has caused you the most pain. He has lied to you, seduced you, and tried to kill you. Through spite and anger and jealousy, he has murdered those dear to you. Within you, there rests the spark of the maiden created by the ancient Wise Women and breathed to life by the Great Earth Mother to keep him captive for the crimes he committed against your peoples. Do you acknowledge all of this, Zoey?”

I swallowed hard. “Yes, I do.”

“Then speak from your soul and tell me truly, Zoey Redbird, should I forgive Kalona?”

I was stunned silent by her question. Me? I’m supposed to judge him?

While I struggled with an answer, I felt Grandma’s hand slip into mine. “Consider wisely and speak only the truth, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya.”

I looked at Kalona. Nyx was right. He’d done terrible things—not just to me, but to people I loved, and to the Cherokee people. He’d created a whole breed of monsters, the Raven Mockers, who had terrorized the old and sick for centuries. My gaze went from him to Rephaim. He used to be one of those monsters, but love had saved him. Nyx had forgiven him, even when Rephaim could barely find a way to forgive himself.

And I knew the right answer to my Goddess’s question.

“Goddess, I believe you have already forgiven Kalona. You just wanted him to be worthy of your forgiveness.”

“And is he, young Priestess? Is he worthy? Can you forgive him?”

I squeezed Grandma’s hand. “Yes, and yes.” I said with certainty. “He’s earned his second chance.”

Kalona

From his knees, Kalona watched Nyx smile at Zoey, but instead of replying to her, the Goddess turned to Erebus. “It seems your duty has come to an end, my old friend.”

Erebus’s smile was a bright as summer sunshine. “It took him a long time, but I never doubted that he could do it.”

The Goddess raised one slender brow. “Never doubted?”

“Well, almost never. I will miss tormenting him.”

“You were not supposed to be tormenting him. You were supposed to be helping him to find his way back to us,” the Goddess said.

“Well, we both know how stubborn Kalona can be.” Erebus went to Kalona, who was staring at his brother, in shock. “Tell me, what would have happened if I had told you that during those uncountable years I was your greatest ally?”

“I would not have believed it,” Kalona blurted.

Erebus laughed heartily. “Exactly! And yet, from the day we both were created, I have wanted only one thing—and that is for our Goddess to be happy. You, my errant brother, used to make her very happy.”

Confused, Kalona shook his head. “But with me out of the way, you are her Consort!”

“No, Kalona. You have been wrong about that for eons. No matter what happened between Nyx and you, I have always been her friend and playmate. I have never been her Consort.”

“Do not play games with me now,” Kalona said. He wasn’t angry, but he felt as if his heart would break if Erebus played one more trick on him.

His brother sighed and glanced at Nyx. “Shall I continue?”

“Yes, my friend,” Nyx said. “Perhaps he is ready to listen with a brother’s heart.”

Erebus turned back to Kalona, saying, “Who is my father?”

Kalona’s brow furrowed. “The sun, of course.”

“And yours?”

“The moon.”

“And what is our Goddess’s most revered symbol? What illuminates her sky? What follows her, ever-changing, waning and waxing to her eternal delight?”

“The moon.” Kalona’s voice has gone hoarse.

“I am the friendly warmth of her spring and summer. You were created to spend eternity beside her, protecting and loving her. All you had to do was to choose to be worthy of her love. And that, you have finally done. Blessed be, Brother.” Erebus held out his hand to Kalona.

But Kalona didn’t take it. Instead he stared up at Erebus, finally understanding. “From the beginning I have been wrong about you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Brother, I have been watching you suffer for eons. I willingly grant you forgiveness.”

“Thank you, Erebus.” Kalona stood then, and instead of grasping Erebus’s hand, he pulled his brother roughly into his embrace. When they finally parted, Kalona made no attempt to wipe the tears from his face. He smiled at his brother, whose cheeks were also wet. Then a movement at the side of Erebus pulled his gaze away from his brother, and Nyx stood before him. Erebus took several steps back, leaving him to face his Goddess alone.