Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Simply put, they were embarrassed.
They’re also scared, because it was the first time in their eons upon eons of memories that such a thing has occurred. The gods simply have never been opposed and now they wonder if future threats will come about.
I find it amusing, seeing them so bent out of shape about it. I guess as someone who was raised in Hell, I let things roll off my back a bit better.
I receive another jolt, an intense summoning, and with a sigh, I answer it. I’ve all but ignored them the last few weeks while I’ve taken time to ponder my life. I’ve spent a lot of time hiking around my home in Switzerland with my dogs and joining Carrick and Finley for meals here and there.
Mostly, I’ve wondered about Maddox and why it seemed he hated me when he awoke from his death slumber. I refuse to ask Carrick and Finley their thoughts because they won’t be afraid to tell me brutal truths. And I’m not ready to hear them yet.
Finley did broach it with me a few days ago. “Have you heard from Maddox?”
I was terse. “No. And I don’t care to.”
She mumbled “stubborn” under her breath, but then she tried to poke at me a bit more. “Carrick just saw him.”
I almost blurted out, “How was he? Why is he so angry at me? Will he forgive me?”
But instead, I changed the subject and asked how she had cooked the carrots served with the Cornish hen. They were buttery and sweet and I’d like to make them myself.
Envisioning the Council gazebo, I leave my chalet and appear on the dais. Cato, Circe, Veda and Onyx await me.
“It’s about time.” Circe sniffs haughtily.
“You’re lucky I came at all.”
Her face flushes but it’s Veda who steps into the conversation. Always the peacemaker, she says, “Thank you for coming. We’re worried about things and would like to discuss it as a whole.”
“What’s to worry about?” I ask sweetly. “Rune, Ariman and the Blood Stone have all been destroyed.”
“And you did an admirable job of accomplishing all that,” Cato says in his deep baritone.
“Well, Carrick killed Rune, and Amell killed Ariman, and Finley killed hundreds of demons that would have feasted on your bodies had they reached you, so it was a team effort.”
“Of course.” Cato inclines his head in gratitude. “Perhaps if we could understand the why of things, we could be better prepared.”
It’s not in my nature to lie, and I understand these gods are symbolically my brothers and sisters, but the truth is… I don’t trust them. “I don’t know what more you want me to tell you. I got hit by Valshour same as you. It incapacitated me. Ariman said the snake came from Heaven and he powered it up with the Blood Stone. Then he helped Rune escape.”
“But how did he get the Blood Stone?” Veda asks.
“I have no idea,” I say with a straight face, despite it being an absolute lie. I sweeten the sting with a bit of truth. “What I do know is that its power had been magnified from the sacrifice of my life. At least that’s what they told me and why it was strong enough to try to transfer my powers into Rune. Once he had me tapped, his goal was to take each of your powers while you slumbered.”
Circe shudders at the thought, Veda chews at her nail nervously in a distinctly human move and Cato exchanges a grim look with Onyx.
“Where would they get such knowledge?” Veda ponders out loud.
“Ariman probably knew more about magic and dark arts than any creature alive,” I remind them.
That starts a discussion, the gods wondering if Ariman knew such things, could others? Again, I sense their fear and disorientation as they try to reassure one another. I remain silent on the issue because I don’t care. My life as a god is so new I’m not afraid of it being taken away.
Not the way they are.
I use their uncertainty to broach another subject. “I’d like to reincarnate Lucien, and I’m asking for consensus.”
They all turn to look at me with blank faces. It’s Onyx who replies. “We’ve had this discussion already, and we’ve told you that we don’t agree.”
I expected that, and I’m ready to test my newfound independence. “Yes, so you say. But I brought Finley back after she died. I brought Maddox back to life. Those are okay, but not Lucien? It makes no sense.”
Cato steps toward me. “Finley sacrificed you to save the world. You sacrificed yourself to save the world. That was a boon we gave.”
“And Maddox?” I ask, pinning my eyes on Onyx. “You told me not to do it, and I disobeyed you.”
Onyx inclines her head. “I told you not to do it as I didn’t understand what was going on or what led you to that place. We consider that another boon… after the fact, so to speak.”