Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Seth leaned into Cain. “He truly believes he’s taken us off-guard,” he said quietly.
Yes, the Aeon had no clue that he’d been played like a cheap harmonica. Cain conjured a small shimmering wave of power that would serve to amplify the voices of the Ancients. “It’s not much of a surprise,” he told Abel. “You’ve done enough stupid things in the past to make us consider that you might add this to your list. And it is stupid.”
Abel’s upper lip curled. “On the contrary, obliterating all of you and this godforsaken place makes perfect sense. It should have been done long ago.”
Lilith let out a low, barely audible snort. “It seems he has forgotten that God has forsaken us all, including him,” she said too quietly for her voice to carry to the invaders.
Azazel directed a smirk at Abel. “Does your daddy know you’re here?” When the Aeon snapped his mouth shut, Azazel’s smirk widened. “Ah, he doesn’t, does he?”
Seth glanced at Cain. “Looks like we succeeded in getting Abel to rebel after all,” he said, his voice low.
Abel jutted out his chin. “Do not bother asking for mercy. You will get none from me. Nor will I offer you one final opportunity to give me what I want. I am done giving you chances.”
“If you obliterate this place,” began Inanna, “you will kill your own children, not to mention your mother.”
Abel’s face hardened. “Those traitors are already dead to me. They can rot here with you for all I care.”
Then just maybe those Aeons weren’t part of a plot after all.
“Speaking of rot,” began Dantalion, “Aeon will fall for certain if Wynter Dellavale dies here tonight.”
Abel gave a dismissive flick of the hand. “We will find some other way to lift the curse. She is not as important as my father seems intent on believing. There is no possible way that she is the only person on this Earth who can help Aeon.”
Seth cast a frown at Cain. “He isn’t bothered about her at all,” he said quietly. “He isn’t referring to her as your consort. Weird. It’s like he doesn’t know. Maybe Saul didn’t tell him.”
Or maybe the two Aeons hadn’t had the conversation that took place in Demetria’s vision. Maybe they hadn’t come into contact at all.
Abel’s gaze landed on Seth. “Things didn’t have to be this way between you and me, little brother. But you chose to side with him.”
“So you’re finally acknowledging that I wasn’t brainwashed,” said Seth.
“I will never understand why you threw your lot in with him,” snarled Abel. “He shouldn’t even exist. The deities didn’t put that right, but I will. And then you will watch as I destroy all you have left of this world.” He gave a signal to his troops, who then pulled out bows and arrows.
Cain and the other Ancients formed a circle, going back to back so that the Aeons surrounding the town were always within the sight of at least one Ancient.
Abel sent out a blast of power that made large pieces of rock tumble forward and block the tunnel. He grinned at the Ancients. “I can’t have anyone escaping, can I?”
Cain inwardly snorted. No one would have tried to escape; they would protect this town that was their only point of safety, even if it killed them.
Flames sparked to life on the tips of the arrows being held by the troops.
“This town will burn tonight,” Abel swore, his eyes glittering with hatred as he glared at the Ancients. “As will all of you.”
*
Before Wynter even had the chance to react, Demetria formed a partly transparent wall of magick to separate the coven from Wynter, Saul, and the oracle.
Curses rang through the air as Wynter’s coven members punched, kicked, and blasted the wall with their own magick. Nothing happened. It remained intact.
Standing side by side, Saul and Demetria chuckled, looking rather pleased with themselves.
Wynter didn’t find the situation whatsoever fucking amusing, but she didn’t try knocking the wall down for two reasons. One, it was what these two assholes wanted her to do—they meant to divide her attention as well as ensure that she had no backup. Two, her coven was safe from Saul and Demetria while behind the wall. That suited Wynter just fine.
Her monster wasn’t so placated. It slid just beneath her skin, practically trembling with rage. If it wasn’t for the otherworldly breeze urging it to wait, the monster would have surfaced by now.
Demetria raised her hand as if to send a gust of magick Wynter’s way, but Saul tutted and said, “I told you, she’s mine.”
“You never left the city,” Wynter guessed, glaring at him.
“No, I didn’t,” he admitted. “Demetria helped me hide, just as she helped me escape my cell.”
Yeah, Wynter had figured as much. “I have to say, Demetria, I can’t for the life of me work out why you’d go and do something like that.”