Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
“Is something wrong?” Vasilisa asked in an angelic voice. It was the first time she had spoken aloud to anyone in the room, and Andros stopped his interrogation to give her the floor.
She gestured toward Grisha, then Vovo, Belka, and then around the room. “I’m so sorry, I’ve been so rude not to introduce my husband, Afanasiv Belan Dragonseeker.”
There was an audible gasp from the Lycans in the room. She smiled serenely. “He is one of the ancients from the monastery in the Carpathian Mountains. There is little he cannot see or do, so together we make a formidable team to add to the protection of our people. I guarded his soul carefully. It was a shock to my family, but they understand what an honor it is to have him as one of us.”
Andros nodded his head, looking more regal than ever. “We hear lies. The land talks to us. The Dragonseeker not only hears lies, the land speaks to him. He is a child of Mother Earth, but he can simply look into your mind to see whether or not you have committed treason. Or stolen a child.”
Vasilisa took up the commentary, looking directly at Grisha. “He can read the vile thoughts of a perverted man who would lust after his wife and wish to do rather disgusting things to her. Or he can see into the mind of another man who committed treason by selling out his king to a government agent in order to remove him so there was no obstacle in his son’s path to get what he desired most. He could read in a woman’s mind that she helped hatch a plot against a sister, another woman and mother, trying to force her to compromise the king by kidnapping her child. The three of you sicken me. You are guilty of treason, and that is punishable by death. I accuse you of this crime against my brother and Lada Belov.”
Belka shook her head. “This is lies. All lies. We had nothing to do with such a thing. We would never betray the royal family.”
“Belka, do not speak, you only make it worse,” Vovo snapped.
“He’s correct,” Grigor said. “We can hear lies. Everyone in this room can hear them. Siv, please continue with your examination.”
“Please find my daughter,” Lada pleaded.
Andros put his arm around her. “We’ll find her. There are many ways to die, all of them hard. We are Lycans first, and death by silver is an ugly way to die.”
“You wouldn’t,” Vovo protested.
Andros raised an eyebrow. “You chose your own fate. I know every belief of the Sacred Circle. I am not allowed to hold with any religion, but I must respect them. Lycans always come first, as does the guardianship of the land. But your beliefs are sacred to you, and you believe if the transgression is grievous enough, death by silver is the only viable punishment.”
Andros sounded perfectly reasonable. Compelling. His voice was one that was calm and soothing. He could stop arguments and persuade an entire army to do his bidding. It was true that the Sacred Circle believed in death by silver if the transgression was immoral.
“You cast your vote to have Dimitri die by silver, Vovo. In fact, you were the primary councilor arguing for him to be hung up in front of the others to suffer in agony solely because you believed him to be of mixed blood. That was his transgression. Not because he had committed treason for personal gain, a far worse crime.”
There were murmurs of agreement around the room. Nods. Lada buried her face against Andros’ shoulder.
Afanasiv immediately had a feeling of sickness when he entered the remaining judge’s mind: Rudlof Drozdov. This was no ordinary Lycan sitting on the council of the Sacred Circle. He had been silent, taking everything in, but he was a big part of the conspiracy against Andros and the other royals. He influenced them by using their beliefs and their vanities, anything that worked to get them to turn on the people who protected them.
He sat silently, contemplating how he could keep Andros—or Afanasiv—from realizing he had anything to do with the plot against the royals. He didn’t really believe Afanasiv could read minds. Rudlof was very good at reading body language, and he was certain that was what the ancient Carpathian did. He couldn’t possibly have Rudlof’s experience in the military or his discipline. No one did. Certainly not the royal family. They indulged themselves at every turn.
He despised freeloaders. Parasites. They didn’t deserve to be living in a palace. Living off the backs of the people, not when they threw out family members in need. They looked their people in the eye and lied to them. Acted holier-than-thou and condemned others for the very things they did. Throwing away others who worked hard for them and trusted them.