So he went to his father, Vespre, the god of night, who stood on the balcony of his palace, watching the sky below as it turned to the purplish-gray of gloaming. Vespre was seven feet tall with skin the color of midnight, broad shoulders, and muscles bulging across his chest. His eyes flickered like nebulas, bright and dark and multicolored at the same time, and his cheekbones and jawline were sharp and edged in white light, like the lines of a constellation. A trail of orange fire like a comet’s tail followed his feet.
“Father,” the wolf said, “I want to leave the heavens.”
“Are you unhappy?” Vespre asked. “Is Celestae not enough?”
“On the contrary, Celestae is too much.”
The god of night’s eyes swirled in confusion. “Too much? You would desire less?”
The wolf tried to explain. Perhaps it was the humanity in him—his mother had been mortal—that needed a purpose in order to be happy. But Vespre did not understand.
“You are one of my favorite children,” Vespre said. “I know I promised my human lovers that I would never deny their offspring’s requests to visit earth, but that was to be temporary, if they wanted to see their mothers. But your mother is gone. She died in childbirth. There is nothing for you among the mortals.”
“You would keep me prisoner here against my will?” the wolf said.
Vespre grew angry then, the color in his eyes suddenly gone and replaced with darkness, like black holes. “You are half god, and you belong in Celestae. I will not discuss this further.” With that, the god vanished, leaving the wolf standing alone on the cusp of twilight.
But another god had overheard their argument, and she landed on the balcony beside the wolf. It was Luna, goddess of the moon and the constellation wolf’s grandmother.
“If you wish to leave the sky, I can help you,” Luna said. “But you must be sure, for if you do, there is no return. Once your father finds out, he will banish you forever from Celestae.”
The blue wolf nodded. “I am sure.”
“Then come with me on the next full moon.”
When Luna again brightened the night sky with her glorious light, the wolf slipped away from his brothers and sisters and followed Luna’s downward climb. They touched down on the soft Kichonan dirt just outside a cave in Takish Gorge.
“You would not like being a mere mortal,” Luna said to him. “After a lifetime with magic, being an ordinary human would be torture. But I can make you a taiga. And you can, in turn, serve me in return for the favor of releasing you from the sky.”
The wolf bowed his blue-furred head to the ground.
Above, the clouds cracked open, pouring forth rain and lightning. The god of night had awoken to find his son gone.
The wolf’s mane shone like the stars one last time. Then Luna cast a spell, and he was a constellation no more. His spirit, however, curled into the form of an infant and, reincarnated, began a life anew.
“I name you Daemon,” she whispered, because the bellowing storm sounded like demons marching from the hells. “It will take you some time to find your way, but when you’re ready, you shall be a light when others attempt to bring darkness.” Luna marked her triplicate whorls on the baby’s back.
A pack of wolves emerged from the cave. The alpha and his mate bowed low to the goddess.
“Care for this child as if he were your own,” Luna said. “And one day, his people will come for him.”
Sora tried to catch Daemon as his legs gave way beneath him, but she wasn’t fast enough, and they both fell to the ground. The earth smacked against their knees, but he seemed to hardly feel it. Their gemina bond was a daze, Daemon completely bewildered by Liga’s story.
“I—I don’t remember any of that,” he said.
“Because Father was angry after you left,” Liga said as he waved away the purple haze hanging over them. “He did, in fact, banish you from ever entering Celestae again, and he buried your memories of it where you could not find them. If you didn’t want to be there, he didn’t think you deserved to remember it either.”
“That’s horrible,” Fairy said.
“Our father is passionate,” Liga said. “For better or for worse.”
“I suppose that means he’s not coming tonight,” Sora said.
Liga sighed. “Or any other night. I’m sorry.”
Daemon wasn’t listening to their conversation, though. He had huddled into himself on the ground. “I was foolish to leave Celestae,” he said.
Even with their gemina bond still frazzled from his shock, Sora knew what he meant. For eighteen years, he’d felt inadequate. Daemon had wished for a better command of magic. He’d prayed for something that would make him stand out from the other taiga apprentices. And to think he’d already had all that when he was a demigod. Now he was thinking it was his fault, that he’d gone and chosen an inferior life.
“You weren’t foolish,” Sora said, crouching and putting her arm around him. “You wanted something different, and you were brave enough to chase it, even though it cost you everything.”
“You can be brave and stupid at the same time,” Daemon muttered.
“Maybe so,” Sora said. “But regardless, you’re our brave and stupid.” She sent him a wave of pride and loyalty, hoping he’d understand how much she meant it.
It seemed to at least wash away some of his bewilderment over what Liga had told him.
Daemon let out a long exhale. Then he looked up to face his half brother. “I’m sorry for the offense I caused our father—and you and all my siblings—by leaving Celestae. But I’m a different person now than the wolf you knew before. It sounds like I was spoiled and naive and ungrateful then.”
“And now?” Liga asked.
“I’d like to think I’m a better version of myself.”
Liga nodded thoughtfully.
With the break in their conversation, Broomstick rose and approached Liga. “I have a question. How were you able to leave Celestae if Wolf needed Luna’s help years ago? Do some demigods have permission to come and go, but others don’t?”
“I could come because Wolf invited me just now in his prayers,” Liga said. “Eighteen years ago when he wanted to leave, he had no such invitation from someone on earth.”
“Oh,” Broomstick said. “That’s it?”
“Indeed,” Liga said.
Fairy joined them. “I have a question, too. You said you came because you heard our pleas and you were curious?”
He arched a brow. “Yes?”
“We need to know where Zomuri’s treasure vault is.”
“Why?”
Fairy looked to Sora.
Sora tried to sound persuasive. “Because Prince Gin gave his soul to Zomuri as part of a bargain, and we have to steal it, reunite the soul with the Dragon Prince, murder him, and save Kichona.”
The corners of Liga’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “You want to steal from a god?” He turned to Daemon. “Brother, I see you’re keeping similar company to your friends in Celestae. You always were attracted to mischief.”
Sora’s cheeks reddened. Luckily, no one else seemed to notice. They were all focused on Liga.