Melione leaned against Grym's chest, her head resting against his shoulder as they traveled through the Emerald Realm. Her body was deliciously sore after their long escapade last night. Grym had used her body to distract whatever was happening in his mind. She didn't mind letting him use her to calm himself. She would never deny him.

Grym wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer against him. "I hope I wasn't too rough with you last night," he murmured in her ear.

Melione felt a shiver snake down her spine at his words. She shook her head. "You could never be too rough with me, Grym."

Grym nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck. "When all this is over, we'll find our place to live that is ours. I will make love to you all day, every day."

"Grym," she breathed as she felt her body heat up again. She was done denying that he was her mate and she was his. Melione knew the realms would try to separate them once this was over, but Grym promised they would fail. She was entirely his, body and soul.

Suddenly, her body went rigid, and her stomach churned. "Grym," she called out to him as she touched her belly.

"What's wrong?" The arm around her waist tightened.

Melione picked up her head just enough to see without the sun burning her eyes. The sun had just started to set, allowing her to see more than before. "I think we're close." Her eyes searched the scenery around them. Instantly, visions of her dream came to life around her. She saw the ghost of the deity running for her life. She gasped as she saw the patches of dead grass in the shape of footprints to their right. "There," she pointed. "Follow the footprints."

Grym instantly obeyed and reined his horse in the direction of the footprints. Melione's stomach churned as they approached the tree behind which the deity hid. "Here," Melione gritted out. "We're here." The sun was down enough that Melione could lift her head completely to see around her. Grym helped her off the horse and held onto her as they walked to the tree. Melione felt her knees would buckle underneath her if she didn't hold onto Grym's arm.

Melione reached out and touched the blood-stained bark with shaky fingers. "She was found here," Melione explained. "I woke up shortly after this."

Grym stood firmly behind her. "Then her body should be around here somewhere."

Melione nodded in agreement. "It'll be close, yes." Melione turned to look around.

"Come," Grym ordered silently. He pointed to the ground. "There's a trail of blood."

"Dried." Melione's stomach never felt like this before. She had been the head investigator for years and had witnessed the gruesomest sights before, but this felt different. She had felt the pain and terror personally. Melione kept a firm grip on Grym's arm as he followed the trail of blood.

Grym stopped short, instinctively pushing Melione behind him. "Fuck," he gritted out.

Melione moved around him and gasped. It was the same scene as the other three deities, but it would always be challenging to witness. A spike sticking out of the ground skewered the deity's head. Her torso was separated from her body and stabbed in the center of the spike, her intestines wrapping around it. Her limbs were in a perfect circle around her body. The puddle of blood had dried over the grass. Her clothes had been torn off, the blood gluing the torn patches of clothes to the grass.

Melione stepped closer to the body, letting go of Grym's arm. The deity's face was frozen in forever fear. Her grey eyes were wide in terror, her mouth permanently open. Her hair, which looked to be the color of chestnuts, was clotted with blood.

"Do you recognize this goddess?" Grym asked her as he walked around the scene. He had his notebook in his hand. She knew that he was taking notes and sketching the scene. His face was blank, showing no emotion as he surveyed the scene. Melione had figured him out shortly after he had arrived at the Eclipse Sanctum. He would turn off all feelings once he was at a crime scene, something she wished she could do.

Melione nodded as she returned her attention to the deity's face. "Cinal," she answered him.

Grym looked over at her. "The goddess of law?"

Melione nodded.

"Why would the cult want to murder the goddess of law?"

"Why would they want to kill any of the deities?" Melione countered as she made her way around the scene.

Grym nodded as he shrugged one shoulder. "Noted." He moved back to write in his notebook.

"Her guidebook is gone," Melione noted. "She always carried her guidebook close to her, but it's gone."

"The cult must have taken it," Grym answered her as he moved to stand beside her.

Melione returned to the front of the deity. She reached out and touched the talisman around the deity's neck. "But they didn't take this." She studied the bloodied amulet. It felt heavy in her hand. The ironwood talisman had an engraved fist on the front; when she turned the talisman over, she saw an eclipsed sun and a key on the back.

"What's that?" Grym moved around her to stare into the deity's mouth. Melione grimaced as she watched him stick his hand into the deity's mouth and lifted her tongue. He brought out from underneath the deity's tongue a small leather piece.

Melione moved closer to him to inspect what he had taken out. "That looks like an identification card."

Grym nodded as he turned it around. "Fucking hell," he growled.

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly. She looked over his arm and saw the initials RS. "Grym?"

"I think I know who did this," he gritted between his teeth.

Melione looked up at him cautiously. "Who?"

Grym handed her the identification card. "My father." He moved to his horse, his strides wide and determined. "We need to take this to the High Priestess."

Melione moved quickly after him. His whole body was tensed as he continued to his horse. She allowed him to help her onto the horse before getting behind her. Melione knew better than to push him to talk; he wouldn't budge. She remembered hearing about how his father had resigned from the head detective position and had Grym take his place before disappearing into thin air, but couldn't remember anything else about him.

Grym moved his horse quickly back toward the capital. "I know you want to ask, Melione," he sighed. "I can feel your mind reeling."

Melione nodded. "I don't want to push you."

Grym placed a soft kiss on her temple. "I don't like to talk about him, but I will for you." He slowed the horse slightly, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her against him. "He had been a great man before he lost his mind."

"Lost his mind?" Melione couldn't help but let the question loose.

"Yes," Grym nodded. "When I was growing up, I wanted to be like him. He was a dutiful husband and father, very loving and attentive. When I began training for the head detective position so my father could retire and relax, my mother got sick."

Melione tensed against him, feeling his sorrow run through her own body.

"My father had prayed and begged every night for four long years," Grym continued. "He begged the gods to heal and help her, but they never answered. The High Priestess would only answer that he should be patient, but my father hated seeing my mother in pain. He hated those answers. In the middle of the night," Grym took a deep breath, "I remember hearing my father's wails as my mother took her last breath in his arms."

"Grym," Melione breathed as she grabbed his arm, squeezing it slightly.

Grym continued as if he didn't hear her. "My father blamed the gods for my mother's death. He hated them. Shortly after, my father resigned and forced me to take his place." He sighed. "In reality, I wasn't ready. But I worked hard and earned the position I have now." He paused for a moment or two before continuing. "My father had changed drastically after my mother's death. He never left an explanation, but he disappeared in the middle of the night three months later. I haven't seen or heard from him since."

Melione squeezed his arm again. "Grym," she breathed out. His pain and agitation were spiraling through her own body.

Grym stopped the horse quickly and turned her around to face him. Her legs draped over his thighs as he pulled her closer to him. His mouth was on hers in an instant. Their tongues fought for dominance as he explored her mouth. Melione couldn't help the small moan from her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Melione," he groaned as he pulled back.

Melione ran her fingers through his hair. "Would it surprise you if he was one of the cult members?"

Grym shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised by how he was blaming the gods." His arms wrapped tightly against him. "Let's head back."