I never caught a glimpse of Gideon after he brought me to his dwelling to rest. Not once.
Even in the morning, it was Theo and Nori who stayed with me.
I didn't understand what was happening between us anymore. If he wanted to avoid me like this, then why did he even bring me back? Why pull me into Juno only to shut me out?
I was confused. Lost. And the more distance he put between us, the more something inside my chest cracked open.
I liked him. No— I wanted him.
But was that really me… or was it Eriu?
I didn't know anymore. All I knew was that I needed to talk to him. I needed to fix whatever this was before it hollowed me out completely.
"Sienna, is there anything else you wanted to do?" Theo asked as we sat beneath a canopy of trees near the waterfall.
"You've been quiet for a while," Nori added. "Are you okay? Are you tired?"
I forced a smile. "I'm fine. Maybe I just ate too much fruit."
Then, quieter, more careful: "Theo… where's Gideon? I haven't seen him since last night."
Theo scratched his head. "I haven't either. He's probably patrolling or helping the people."
Then his face lit up. "Oh! I know. I'll fetch my older brother. He wanted to meet you, and maybe the king's with him."
He ran off before I could stop him.
"I'm thirsty," Nori said, standing. "Want to come with me?"
I shook my head and stayed where I was, watching her leave.
I wasn't bored. I just felt… misplaced. Like I didn't belong here the way I did in Mariner's Bay. Or Avion.
Stop comparing, Sienna.
I was pulling at the grass when a familiar voice cut through the quiet.
"Didn't I tell you? You're not welcome here."
I froze.
Vesper stood a few steps away, coiled lazily, eyes sharp.
"Juno's king doesn't even like you," he continued. "Why do you keep forcing yourself into places you're not wanted? You should've come with me."
My heart jumped. "How did you even get in here?"
He tilted his head. "I followed you."
I stood. "Of course you did."
"Was it wrong to be concerned?"
"Yes," I snapped. "And I'm fine here."
He studied me for a long moment. "Enjoy getting hurt, then. I'll be ready when you finally need someone who doesn't judge you."
He slipped away just as Nori returned— and Theo came back dragging another man behind him.
"Sienna! This is Roman," Theo announced. "The king's right hand."
Roman looked like Theo, only older— broader shoulders, steadier eyes.
"I've wanted to meet you," he said calmly. "Gideon was right. You're… fascinating."
My face heated.
Before I could respond, Gideon appeared.
He didn't look at me.
"Roman," he said, voice low. "I need you at the southern gates."
He turned to leave.
I didn't let him.
"Gideon. I've been looking for you all morning."
He turned slowly. "I was busy. Is that a problem, Goddess?"
That word.
Sharp. Deliberate.
"No," I said evenly. "Just curious."
"If there's anything important," he added, "tell me later."
I swallowed. "Actually… can we talk later? In your dwelling. It's important."
He hesitated. "Fine."
That one word sent my heart racing.
I spent the afternoon in a fever of restlessness. I bathed in roses and coconut milk, dressing in the same silk slip dress from the night before. I wanted him to see me. I wanted to break the ice with the heat of my own skin.
The wait was grueling. When his footsteps finally echoed on the wood of the dwelling, I straightened up, my breath catching. He stopped a several feet away, refusing to close the distance.
"Why are you avoiding me?" I asked.
"I'm not," he said, looking at the floor.
"Bullshit! You can't even look me in the eye!" I stepped toward him, and he actually backed away. That was the final straw. "Did I do something to spite you? I'm sorry. I don't want this distance."
I reached out to cup his face. For a heartbeat, I saw inexplicable pain in his eyes—and then he moved his face away from my hand. The rejection felt like a physical blow.
"Am I not worth it to be your mate anymore, Gideon?" I whispered, tears blurring my vision.
The silence was deafening. I saw him struggle, his hands twitching as if he wanted to reach out, but his restraint was a cage. I couldn't take it. I lunged forward and embraced him, burying my face in his chest.
"Sienna, I cannot do this!" he rasped, his voice tormented. He gently tried to pry my arms off. "I am an Alpha. It is in my blood. I wanted one fated mate. I want you—I want all of you—but I will not share you. I would rather sacrifice my feelings and return you to your world than share a place in that heart."
"So I'm not good enough because of them? You're rejecting me?"
"I wasn't good enough for you from the start, remember?" he snapped, his voice cracking. "You rejected me first. Only to give yourself to another. No... three of them."
"It wasn't all me!" I begged. I can't control how my heart was made once the Goddess woke up! Please, don't give up on me."
"Stop with the excuses, Sienna. Stop blaming the Goddess." He pulled away with a forceful wrench of his body. "I'm sorry."
He left.
I collapsed. The pain was so overwhelming I thought my chest would literally crack open. Being broken-hearted when you carry the Goddess of Abundance is a cosmic tragedy—the grief is magnified a thousand times. Gideon's words weighed more than all the others combined. Did I love him most? Or was he the one piece I couldn't have?
As I lay curled in a ball on the floor, a shadow fell over me. Vesper.
"Now do you believe me?" he whispered. "Will you come with me now? Let me comfort you."
I was too numb to fight. I was too broken to care. I nodded. Vesper bit my finger—a sharp, stinging heat—and the world began to fade. The last thing I felt was the cold, smooth weight of the serpent wrapping himself around me, pulling me into the dark.