Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 105164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“Yes, well, telling you everything from the beginning would never have worked,” Tula said dismissively. “You wouldn’t have gone along with our plan.”
“Yes, I would have!” he shouted at the Goddess of Life. “When have I not given everything I am for the protection of my kingdom? If this was the only chance of protecting Erya, of protecting Thia, I would have done it.”
“But you had to die, Caelan,” Caris argued. “You must burn away the last of your humanity in order to rise into your power. You can’t be a god and hold on to any of that.” She motioned toward Drayce. “Would you have willingly given it up with him at your side?”
Something tightened around Caelan’s heart as he stared at Drayce, meeting his worried gaze. He wasn’t human anymore? Could he be with Drayce?
His sweet lover rolled his eyes. “I’m a dragon and you still proposed to me. You think being a god is going to make me want you less?”
Rayne sighed loudly. “Dating complications aside, does Caelan have what he needs now to take on Safa and Zyros?”
Gods love Rayne for getting them back to the point.
Caelan jolted at that random thought. At least one god did love Rayne. Him. Fuck, this was too weird.
“Unknown,” Tula admitted with a frown. She waved a hand before her face, and a cloud of red butterflies flew about her to disappear into the thick darkness of the cave. “We could only guess as to which way Lore would go in this fight.”
“Is it a shock that he’s sided with her, though?” Caris grumbled.
Tula threw the Goddess of Fire a dirty look, then directed her attention to Caelan. “There’s also the matter of Green Spring. We don’t know what’s been going on there. It’s inside the Ordas, and Zyros blocks me from seeing what’s happening there.”
“Green Spring is where the prime minister said the missing refugees and children were sent,” Adrian reminded them.
“What has she been doing to all those people? Using them as food for the animals of the Ordas?” Eno demanded.
“Or building an army,” Caelan whispered.
“We don’t know what’s been happening in the Ordas,” Kaes grumbled. “Green Spring is, or rather was, the location of Zyros’s village when she was human. We’ve not seen it since our last scuffle.”
Caelan shook his head. “From here on out, we take the fight to Zyros, right?” He paused and glared at each of the gods standing in front of him. “You’ve made your new god. You’ve picked up a fifth fighter against the goddess. From here, we march into the Ordas and take her out.”
“Why does it sound like you’re planning to leave us behind?” Drayce inquired, his eyes narrowing on Caelan.
God or not, it was hard not to shrink away from that glare. “Because I’m sending all of you to Erya while I handle this.”
Adrian snorted. “Man, I really hate to disobey a god, but I don’t see that happening. We’ve come this far with you. We need to see this through to the end.”
“Besides, it sounds like it’s not just a fight with Zyros. There’s Safa, Lore, and whatever forces have been pulled together within the Ordas,” Eno added.
“And let’s not forget New Rosanthe,” Rayne interjected. “We saw evidence of the Empire amassing near the Ordas border in Caspagir. New Rosanthe also shares a sizable border with the Ordas. We must assume the Empire has already sent a large number of its troops into the Ordas with the intention of either capturing or at least using the powers of the Goddess of the Hunt.”
Nyx sighed heavily. “I hate agreeing with them, but we need to approach this with stealth.” He extended a hand and wiggled his fingers at them. “You and your little companions need to sneak into the Ordas and get a feel for the situation. Possibly eliminate the human element before we approach.”
Caelan smirked at the Dead God. “Afraid of a few humans? What kind of god are you?”
A sneer curled the God of Time’s upper lip. “The kind of god that has no problem eliminating all the humans to reach Zyros and Lore.”
“It’s true, Caelan. We’re giving you the opportunity to save human lives, which we know you’re so fond of,” Tula murmured. “If anyone is standing between us and Zyros, you must know that we will simply wipe them out. She created them solely as cannon fodder to slow us down.”
A hand landed on Caelan’s shoulder and squeezed. “Assuming they’re still alive, they are all innocent people, Cael,” Eno reminded him.
Stolen children and refugees.
Caelan wanted to scream and stab something. Wasn’t it enough that the gods sacrificed his life in their plan to take out Zyros? Was it necessary to put the lives of his companions in further danger?
But they were right. He wasn’t willing to kill a bunch of innocent people just to get at Zyros. They needed to get inside the Ordas and uncover the Goddess of the Hunt’s plans, to see what kind of resources she had.