“You're not the only one he wronged, Godhunter,” Ninkasi growled.
Ninkasi pulled her sword from its sheath, the one she'd worn into battle earlier that day; a fire sword made by the Fey. It burst into flames as she chanted the words to release its magic. Then she swung it straight toward Sin's throat.
I acted without thinking, leaping onto Ninkasi and tackling her to the ground before her blow could land. She shrieked and pushed me away before she clambered to her feet and lifted her burning sword once more. I jumped up and stood in front of Sin.
“Get out of my way!” Ninkasi snapped. “You've had your chance for revenge and passed. That doesn't mean that you can deny me mine.”
“You were friends, Ninkasi,” I reminded her gently. “Try to remember that because believe me, you will later, and you will regret killing him. His memory will haunt you forever. Is that really what you want?”
Ninkasi's jaw hardened as she stared over my shoulder at Sin, her chest heaving with anger.
“Living as an outcast will hurt Sin far more than death,” I went on. “And it has the added benefit of doing nothing to you. Don't pay for his sins, Ninkasi.”
Ninkasi closed her eyes, let out a long breath, and finally nodded. I glanced back at Sin and motioned my head toward the palace.
“Thank you,” Sin whispered to me. Then, louder, he added, “I'm so sorry, Ninka. I was a fool, thinking with my heart instead of my head. I never meant to betray you. I swear it.”
“Shut up,” Ninkasi ground out through clenched teeth as her eyes popped open furiously. “Just shut the fuck up!”
“Get out of here!” I hissed at Sin.
“Come on,” Trevor snarled as he grabbed Sin's arm and dragged him away. “Before I kill you myself.”
The crowd drew back, but there was a roiling fury riding them, and I knew Sin wouldn't make it to the palace.
“Stand down!” I shouted at the gods. “We have had our vengeance; the killing is done. Sin is a traitor, and he must live with that. If he dares to strike at us again, we will destroy him, but for now, let him be. Let him wallow in the repercussions of his actions.”
Sin's shoulders hunched more and more as I spoke, but he continued to walk the gauntlet with Trevor. Lions, wolves, and gods growled and snapped at Sin as he passed by. A few reached out to take a swipe, and the mob tensed to strike.
“You heard my daughter; stand down!” Fenrir shouted. “Let the scum live in his filth. We can always hunt him later.”
The Froekn pulled back at the command of their Valdyr, but the other gods and Intare still rumbled angrily.
“If I can suffer him to live then so can you!” I roared. “There will be no more bloodshed today!”
“Well, maybe just a little,” Trevor snarled then punched Sin in the face.
A crack resounded in the sudden silence. Blood sprayed in an arc as Sin's head turned with the blow then his body started to fall. Trevor caught Sin before he fell and slung the comatose god over his shoulder.
“Sorry, Minn Elska; it had to be done,” Trevor said flippantly.
A tremor of laughter fluttered over the gods and then became a full-blown chortle. It was the perfect comic relief; a bit of pain and embarrassment for the man who had wronged us. Trevor winked at me before he turned and carried Sin into the palace. That wily wolf. With the tension dispersed, the mob calmed and became a mere gathering again. They watched Trevor carry Sin away then went back to their revelry, murmuring with approval.
I knew I might come to regret my mercy but that's the risk you take when you decide to be a good person. You do the right thing knowing that someone else may not. It's the risk that makes your actions meaningful. Sparing Sin might bring pain for me in the future, but at this moment, it was a light warding off the darkness. Our actions define us, and I needed to prove to myself that the Dark Star was gone and was never coming back. That even in the face of betrayal, I could withstand the allure of evil. If Sin threw my kindness back in my face, well, as Fenrir said; I could always hunt him later.
As soon as Sin was gone from sight, Ninkasi dropped her burning sword and started to weep. I went to her and wrapped my arms around her. She pulled me in tightly and laid her head on my shoulder to bawl like a child.
“I'm so sorry,” I whispered to her.
Ninkasi sniffed and pulled away from me suddenly. “Fuck you, Vervain. This is all your fault. I wish you'd never met Sin. You destroyed our lives.” She turned and stormed off into Re's palace.
“What the fuck?!” Viper growled at her as she passed him.
He started to go after her, but I grabbed his bicep.
“Let her go. She's angry and hurt and has every right to both of those feelings.”
“I'm just going to make sure that she traces out of Aaru,” Re murmured as he headed after Ninkasi. “Sorry, but I'll be damned before I trust another Mesopotamian.”
The other men muttered their agreement but part of me wondered if I would have acted differently in the Mesopotamians' place. I had killed one of their main gods, nearly enslaved the rest of them, and then just walked away as if nothing happened. Marduk presented
