Ever stood in front of the arched doors, Taylor floating by her side. Tourists sidestepped around them and walked into the cathedral, completely unaffected by the supernatural veil stretched across the door.

  Taylor extended a transparent hand, letting it pass through. “This is like that time we were trapped in Pagoto’s, except…” she swivelled her hand around and the membrane seemed to cling to her, not push her back out. Without a second thought, she slipped through, letting it absorb her.

  Ever stood, rooted to the spot.

  Taylor’s head popped back out. “You have to come in, I’m tripping so hard.” Back in she went.

  Ever sighed and sidled into the veil.

  He hadn’t been in Chaos’ realm since the summer. That time, Chaos had bent the dimensions such that Mentor Death could physically be in the same space as them.

  This time was no different. Death sat off to the side, his hood pulled right over his skull, long sleeves nestled in together. None of his bones were visible.

  “Mentor.” Ever felt a rush of emotions: joy for seeing his teacher again, but twin sledgehammers of sorrow and shame as the reality of his actions slammed into his gut.

  Death extended a bony hand, pulling his hood further down. He even ignored Taylor trying to peek under the hood right into his face.

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  Ever kept walking forward as the realm throbbed red, purple and black, like the inside of a beating heart. Directly opposite Death was the Moirai. She sat with her distaff in hand, life thread glowing gently. She spared a casual glance from behind her veil in Ever’s direction before looking straight ahead once more.

  Right in front, elevated on a dais were the four Primordials: Gaia, Nyx, Chaos and Chronos. The two female goddesses sat upon stools, while Chaos sat stiffly upon a throne seemingly fashioned from the same material as the realm. Chronos was the only one who was standing, though from the way he leaned against Chaos’ throne, he didn’t seem too bothered by it.

  “Ever.” Chaos’ voice boomed all around him, as if the realm itself spoke his name. “Do you know why you have been summoned here?”

  Ever held his fists against his sides, staring at the ground.

  “Speak,” Chaos commanded.

  He felt a force beneath his chin lift his face for all to see. “I raised the scythe in anger,” Ever said quietly. “I… I slayed one of the Keres.”

  He met Nyx’s gaze, but only for a moment before she turned away, eyes closed. A moondrop tear trickled down the curve of her cheek.

  “Who cares about the slain Ker,” Gaia said. “He squandered the Blessing that Chronos had bestowed upon him on that.” She spat the last word with such ferocity that Taylor flinched under her glare.

  A jolt of fear crawled up his spine. “Chronos,” he said, making eye contact with the god of time, “you told me that you would grant Zoe another Blessing.”

  Chronos pushed off Chaos’ throne. “All I said was maybe. And that was before you decided to take the life of one of our own.” He stepped off the dais and stopped in front of Ever. “I am granting no more Blessings. Zoe will die before she’ll be able to Ascend.”