Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
I hold her multi-colored gaze for a split second before dropping mine and nodding. “If I think of something, I will.”
“Good.” She turns her attention to Maeve and Juniper. “I’m glad you two are already fighters,” she says, causing them to shift in their chairs. Caz’s clan has been rather speechless since the memory of Vakeeli’s past.
I mean, there are simply no words for what we saw. It felt like a fever dream. We could see everything so vividly, feel the weight of every single emotion, their heartache, hear the wail of the children. Everything.
“Maeve, I don’t expect you to partake in this fight, but Juniper has proven herself to be quite useful.” Hassha smiles at Juniper as she perks up in her seat. “It’s that feminine rage inside you, that demand for respect that this world needs. You’ll let nothing stand in your way.”
Juniper twists her lips to fight a smile. “I can’t guarantee anything, but you’re right. I am pretty badass.”
“I don’t want the women of my clan involved in this, Hassha,” Caz counters.
“That’s not for you to decide.” She studies each of us again, eyes flashing as she scans for something. “They’ve all made their decision anyway. You’ll have to take it up with them.” Hassha walks past him but not before saying, “I will return within a few hours with Korah at my side. Prepare your best swords, and if you don’t have any, have them made. As far as your treasured guns, I suggest you make as many bullets as you can so that I and Korah can grace them with our energy and use Caz’s blood to increase their power.”
With one last look at everyone, she vanishes, and Caz huffs as Juniper and Maeve murmur to each other. Killian and Rowan lumber toward us.
“So, I don’t know if it was just me,” Rowan says, scratching his head, “but what I gathered most from those memories is that she was fucking her brother and then had his babies.” He plants both hands on his hips, looking at all of us.
“Oh, Row, come on! Shut up,” Juniper yells.
“I mean, are we really just going to ignore the incest part?” Rowan breaks out in a laugh, and I can’t help smiling.
“To be fair, all the gods of Earth used to fuck each other too,” I say, shrugging. “Can’t say this surprises me. It’s different for immortal people, I guess.”
“You’re kidding,” Rowan chortles. “Fuck me, that’s nasty. I need a drink.”
“Get an order on the weapons, then you can have your drink,” Caz says. “We need to start on this sooner rather than later.”
FORTY-FIVE
WILLOW
“The seeds never lie.” Maeve stands next to me, peering into a bowl full of crushed lakefruit seeds. There’s a drop of my and Caz’s blood in the bowl too. Maeve mashed it all together before pouring an elixir into the mix.
“You’re pregnant, Willow. That evil Regal wasn’t lying.” Maeve’s eyes light up like a million stars, and a smile twitches at her lips, but I can’t bring myself to join her with my own.
“I can’t believe this!” Juniper squeals. “I’m going to be an aunt. Oh, I hope it’s a girl. I’ll braid her hair every single day, show her how to dress, how to kick a man in his filthy balls if he dares hurt her.” Juniper waltzes across the kitchen, picking up a lakefruit to bite into.
“That is, if we survive The Regals,” Caz mutters. His arms are folded, and his eyes are elsewhere. It’s like he’s here, but not fully. His mind is somewhere else. I gather traces of his thoughts—things about Yuri and The Tethered. His abilities and how he’ll manage them. Selah and the threat she’s become.
“Are you not happy, Willow?” Maeve’s smile slips as she sets the bowl down.
At that, Caz turns his gaze to me, and I swallow thickly, leaning back in my chair. “I’m not sure honestly.”
“Oh, darling. I know things seem dire right now, but there is nothing this clan hasn’t conquered,” she assures me—or at least tries to. “Sure, The Regals are new territory for us, but so long as we have two of them as our allies—well, three”—she gestures to Caz— “we will win. And you won’t be alone in motherhood, if that’s what you’re worried about. You’ll have me and Juniper. Caspian, I’m sure, will make a great father, and I’ll even have Kill and Row jump in from time to time.”
Caz works his jaw before pushing out of his chair.
“Need a bloom,” he mutters, already leaving the kitchen.
I watch him go and sigh.
“He’s not ready for a child, Maeve,” I murmur across the table. “Especially right now. Vakeeli isn’t safe. I’m not even sure if it’s worth bringing a child into all this madness.”
Maeve contemplates that, studying the bowl of crushed seeds and crimson again. Then she walks around the table to sit next to me. Having watched everything, Juniper joins us, taking a seat directly across from me.