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)
Grigor and Karine crowded close. The moment Gaia pulled away from Andros, she offered her wrist to Grigor, keeping her hand low, hiding it between their bodies. He also took the blood without hesitation.
Vasilisa was proud of her brothers for not questioning or hesitating when she used the old nursery rhyme they would often say back and forth to one another as children in a secret code. They were very young and thought they were so clever.
“Where’s Patsy?” Andros demanded loudly. “You always brag you can take the sword away or get my whip from me with your sword. I challenge you this night, Patsy.”
What does he think he’s doing? Vasilisa whispered to Afanasiv.
He is providing the distraction for the others to get across the arena. Your brother is very courageous.
He must go with them. If he becomes trapped, they’ll tear him apart and eat him alive. Look at those demons. They’re actually salivating.
Vasilisa didn’t want to see those terrible demons in the stands surrounding her brothers and their women. Some of the demons were drooling. Long ropes of saliva poured from the sides of their mouths and hung in white slobbery fluid. They paid no mind to the strings of slobber, yelling out encouragement to Patsy as she came striding out, horns lowered, her cloven feet stomping hard on the concrete.
Patsy ignored the fallen bodies of her fellow demons. She even stepped on some, driving down with her hooves into their gutted bellies as they lay writhing and moaning. Each time she did, a cheer went up from the crowd. Patsy raised her shield toward the crowd and pointed her sword at Andros, snarling and blowing steam from her flared nostrils.
Gaia pointed to the far side of the arena where the door led to the hidden staircase rising to the corridor and leading to the upper chambers. She wrapped her arm around Lada. Karine positioned herself on the other side of Lada, and they began to stumble across the arena floor to get out of the way of the big spectacle. Grigor walked backward, sword in hand, watching his brother, who stood confidently in the center of the arena, simply waiting while Patsy made her grand entrance.
Andros, Afanasiv said, using the link Gaia provided. You cannot allow Patsy to get between you and the others. Each time she starts to circle around you, drop back and cut her off. When she charges you directly, make certain not to use a circular defense. Always know where you are in relationship to the others.
Vasilisa’s heart began to pound. There were so many demons. How could her brothers possibly escape, especially with Lada in such terrible condition? Maybe this is a bad idea. The evil one might be so angry at them for attempting to escape that she might just kill them all outright.
This is no place to live, my lady. You see what she’s doing to your brothers. You don’t want them to become fully demon. Gaia is working on healing Grigor right now while Andros is making his opening moves. Once she has gotten rid of the evil one’s ability to control Grigor, then she will start on Andros, he soothed.
Vasilisa touched her brother Grigor. She could see the thick scars in his mind already dissolving. Gaia was fast at erasing them.
Can she get rid of your scars?
Your brothers’ scarring is new. It is also different from mine. They didn’t acquire it through a fault of their own. They didn’t kill over and over as I did. They chose to save the life of a loved one. Their scars are scars of sacrifice.
Instantly, Vasilisa was outraged. And your scars are not? You didn’t get them in the defense of your people? Of all people? Mine? Human? That is some bullshit right there, Siv.
In spite of the gravity of the situation, she felt his amusement wrapped up in a deeper, growing, very genuine affection for her. That felt—good. Authentic. She didn’t want him to be with her because she had guarded his soul and they were destined. She wanted him to be with her because of who she was—the real, flawed, imperfect Vasilisa.
A flood of warmth spread through her as he surrounded her with his strength and approval. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and it is supposed to be flawed so the devil doesn’t look too closely at it.
Vasilisa would have thrown her arms around him and kissed him if she had a body right then. The crack of a whip snapped her attention back to Andros. He had backed halfway across the arena toward Gaia, Grigor and the two women.
Did Gaia check to see if the evil one still had any control over Karine and Lada? she asked, worried. She still didn’t understand how the escape was going to work.