Another paper revealed more, darker even. It was not about strangers or animals, but mates—fated mates. It explained how their death made the one who sought divinity more powerful, linking the mate's soul substance to the ritual. With each death, each offering, they were one step closer to being gods.
Her hands shook so violently that she nearly dropped the parchment.
Had this been what Lucien had intended? Had this been what her father had dreaded?
Serena fought to glance again, to ensure that she was not interpreting incorrectly. The words stared back, implacable. To become a god, one needed to lose one's mates.
Her chest was constricted with anguish. She stepped back from the table, the papers slipping from her fingers and scattering on the floor. The thud echoed in the silence of t
