We all made it back to Re's palace in one piece. For some reason, the chains, chair, and gag didn't survive the trip through the Aether. I assumed it had something to do with them being enchanted. Whatever the case, Sin was able to walk out of Re's tracing room on his own. But before he did that, he hugged me.
“Thanks, V. You have the best timing ever!” Sin declared as he let me go.
“I'm shocked that Marduk came after you,” I said as we headed out of the tracing room with Az and Trevor. “He has what he's always wanted. Why would he waste time on petty grievances?”
“Marduk asked me to lure you out of the God Realm, but I refused.” Sin grimaced. “He was using a more aggressive method of convincing me when you showed up. As I said; perfect timing.”
“That's what you were trying to tell me through the gag,” I concluded. “That Marduk was after me, not you.”
“Yeah, I didn't think we'd make it out of there,” he admitted. “I kept thinking; damn, she just gave him exactly what he wants.”
“But why was he trying to get me out of the God Realm?” I asked.
“Something about you not making good on your promise.” Sin shrugged. “He said the territory you gave him is empty.”
“I took my magic from it and cleared it completely,” I explained. “Then I lied and told him that I didn't know how to create anything in the God Realm, that I had inherited it all as it was.”
“Oh, shit,” Sin whispered with wide eyes. “No wonder he's so pissed. You granted his wish but only in the most basic sense of the words.”
“Like a genie.” Azrael chuckled. “Be careful what you wish for.”
“This isn't funny!” Sin snapped at Az. Then he turned back to me to add, “V, you're not safe anymore, no matter what he vowed. You heard Marduk; he's looking for an excuse to attack you, and once Marduk decides to kill someone, he doesn't let anything stop him.”
“If Vervain attacks Marduk, it doesn't break her vow,” Trevor noted. “But if he attacks her, he'll definitely be breaking a blood oath.”
“Marduk doesn't think like that.” Sin shook his head disdainfully. “He's not the most rational guy, to begin with but when you get him riled up, he's a maniac. He probably thinks that the Tablet will protect him. He truly believes that whoever possesses the Tablet rules the Universe.”
“Like all myths, there's some truth to that,” I grudgingly admitted. “Alaric told me that the Tablet of Destinies gives Marduk a certain amount of immunity and protection.”
“So, Marduk may be right about it protecting him from the consequences of breaking a blood oath?” Sin asked in horror.
“I don't know.”
“What happened?” Odin came down the hall with the other men and interrupted our conversation.
“Marduk was there, torturing Sin. He wanted Sin to lure me out of the God Realm, but Sin refused.” I gave the Moon God a grateful look.
“He was torturing Sin when we got there,” Trevor said then blinked as if something just occurred to him. “You're a fast healer,” he said to Sin as he looked over Sin's uninjured face. “That's even faster than Vervain heals.”
Sin shrugged. “Maybe it's a Moon thing. I've always been this way.”
“So, Marduk is trying to betray his vows already.” Odin gave me a heavy look.
“He's mad about how I left him with a blank territory,” I muttered.
“We must strike back!” Arach demanded. “Surely you see that now, Vervain?”
“I suppose,” I agreed, feeling a bit backed into a corner.
Then Ty walked in with a genie. Oh, excuse me; I mean a jinni.
“Hey, look who showed up at Moonshine,” Ty announced brightly.
“Dragon Queen, it's time for the final battle,” Zimri-dagan intoned dramatically.
“Really?” I huffed and grimaced at him. “Now, you show up?”
“My people have been waiting for this moment. Of course, I show up now.”
“No, I mean; where were you when I was broken and human, eh? Did the Tablet of Destinies affect you too? Is that why you abandoned me like everyone else?”
“No, the Tablet belongs to the Jinn; it cannot hurt us.”
“Then why didn't you help me?” I got in his face. “Sin carried me off that battlefield, but the Jinn just left. Despite all your big talk about wanting to take down the Mesopotamians, you walked out when things got tough. I don't need nor want your help now.”
Zimri-dagan chuckled softly.
“What's so damn funny?” I growled.
“I've foreseen this moment, but you're so much angrier in person. Like one of those tiny dogs.” He chuckled again.
“Wow, you're just racking up the points.” I rolled my eyes. “Get out, Jinn.”
“Vervain, you had to lose everything before you could be the woman your star needs you to be,” Zimri-dagan said patiently. “This has never been merely about the Jinn destroying the Mesopotamians. Yes, we want our vengeance, mainly against Marduk, but that vengeance isn't as important as your journey. I couldn't help you then because you needed to feel the weight of loss. You needed to break so that you could heal stronger. Saving you would have made all of this pointless.”
Listen to the Jinn, Alaric said in my mind. He's right. You were weakened after your episode with evil but now, you're stronger and more confident. You have faith in yourself, not just in your magic. I hate to admit that I didn't foresee this, but you had one thing holding you back from fulfilling your destiny; your lack of self-worth.
I didn't— I started to protest.
Vervain, you did. You undervalued yourself. You always have. Your insecurity was hidden beneath bravado, but it was there. It took the loss of everything you loved and all that you thought made you who you are to show you that you are more than magic.
That and Sin, I glanced at the Moon God. He's the one who pointed it out to me. He helped me to feel good enough; worthy of all of this love and
