Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
Eyes the color of copper pennies bore into me. “Is there anyone else I could be?”
“No. But I didn’t … I thought I had to summon you?”
“You chose her instead.” His eyes drag over Vin’nyla’s form.
“No, I didn’t.” Oh God, I remember Wendeline telling me they were touchy about one being picked over the others.
“You didn’t?” There’s an edge in Vin’nyla’s voice.
I spin back again. “No, I mean, I did summon you. But if you didn’t answer me, I would have summoned him.”
“So, I was your second choice,” Aminadav purrs directly in my ear, his breath caressing my skin a moment before his hand settles on my shoulder.
I stiffen. Is this real? Are they standing in front of me, in flesh and blood? “I don’t know what you want me to say,” I admit.
“Stop toying with her,” Vin’nyla scolds, though her smirk tells me she’s enjoying this. “We knew you would come to us, and we made an agreement that we would both attend you. Now, why have you summoned me?” Her voice rings with irritation.
“We need your help.”
“With?”
I don’t know where to settle my eyes. They are both very naked. “With closing the Nulling.”
“The Nulling must be closed by the nymphs and the nymphs alone.”
“I know, but I thought you might be able to block it somehow so nothing can get through to this realm.”
“You mean so a fate cannot pass through and exist in your plane.”
I hesitate, unable to read her tone. Is she insulted by that idea? “Malachi, especially. And Aoife. But also grifs and hags and nethertaurs, and definitely the vrogs and wyverns—”
“What issue do you take with the wyverns?” Vin’nyla snaps.
I stumble over my response.
“You’ve made your point.” Aminadav strolls past me, and I avert my gaze from his firm backside. Are they always naked or is this to make me uncomfortable? Agatha should have warned me. “What would make you think we can do this?”
“I thought … so you can’t?”
“I did not say that. Where there is a will, there is always a way.” He passes by Vin’nyla, and they eye each other like two predators deciding if the other is worth fighting before they pounce on their prey.
Have I made a horrible mistake coming here?
“Why would we grant such a request?” Aminadav asks.
“Because we won’t survive if you don’t.” It’s that simple.
“And what makes you think you will survive, anyway?” His smile is beautiful and perfect and yet it still sends a shiver down my spine.
“I’m not sure we will,” I admit. “But we will try.”
“How?” Vin’nyla prods, calm again.
Agatha warned me not to ask questions. She didn’t warn me that I’d be interrogated. Don’t they know all this, anyway? “With help from everyone willing to help us. Elven, humans, casters, dragons. You, if you are—”
“We do not fight the wars of lesser beings. Wars are fought in our names.” Aminadav’s voice is deep and loud, and it reverberates in my bones.
I purse my lips. This isn’t going well. I can’t seem to say the right thing.
“The Fate of Fire’s flame burns forever.” Vin’nyla’s eyes sparkle. “Be wary of how you choose to fight.”
“Okay.” I nod, though I’m not sure what that means.
“We have seen the great army Malachi has produced. The abomination he has created in these Saur’goths.” Aminadav sneers as he paces. “They will taint everything in this world.”
He probably said the same thing about the Islorian immortals when King Ailill was plagued by the blood curse, and then he went and cracked the earth in two to show his displeasure.
Aminadav rounds the altar, his palm smoothing over the stone. “You are an interesting creature. A human at heart, a wielder by skill, an elven in body.” His fingers toy with the collar of my leather vest, his thumb grazing my skin.
When he meets my gaze, my stomach drops. I’ve seen that hungry look before. If he thinks I’m going to—
“Consider your request granted.”
“Really?” I squeak. Just like that?
“I am feeling compassionate. And Malachi is testing my patience in ways I do not appreciate.”
I swallow. “You’ll block everything from coming through the Nulling?”
“For a time. Not for all time. My mercy is not limitless.”
I nod. “I understand. Thank you. Both of you.”
Vin’nyla hovers behind, dissecting me with her tarnished silver eyes. Wherever that wyvern took Neilina—Aoife—I’ll bet all the jewels in Argon’s castle that it was by this fate’s order. “You are bound to us now, to call upon when you next have a request.”
“Oh, I’m not summon—” I cut myself off before I admit that if we survive the coming days, I will never stand in front of these two again.
Their laughter rings out, Vin’nyla’s a musical song, Aminadav’s a lover’s deep chuckle.
“She denies us while she wields gifts we tore from our very forms.” Suddenly, his massive hand is in my satchel, pulling out the silver mask and the horn.