Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
“And when they met to return her to the Green King so he could discover what she wanted, they clashed, magicks against magicks, with her in the middle. Some lore has them actually physically tearing her asunder, and their magicks exploded in grief and fury when they did, the Green King intervening in an effort to stop their power from destroying the earth. Other lore says that when the Green King saw what they were doing, saw his subject caught between these two powerful forces, he sent his magic to save her. The three magicks colliding disintegrated her on the spot. However it happened, this magic drove deep into the earth and up to the heavens and scorched all around for miles. And it heralded war that lasted one hundred and fifty years before a stalemate was finally called, Firenze broke in two and Airen was born.”
“I don’t understand why this would be why women were so awfully treated here, Cass,” Silence noted.
“Because they blamed her, love,” he told her. “They couldn’t assume the blame they’d earned, so they blamed her. They lost their magic, all of them, two of them because of pride and arrogance, and one, sadly, because of fairness and the desire to seek the truth. The Fire King went back to his land, demanded the greatest beauty of Firenze be brought to him, and he forced her to marry him. They eventually fell in love. The Sky King went back to his land and demanded all the greatest beauties of the realm be brought to him. He selected ten, married the lot, attempting to force them to mend his broken heart. None of them succeeded. Thus, he garroted them all, eventually, doing this personally. He had more brought forth, and died having had thirty-three wives, twenty-nine of them dead at his hand. But none of them were her.”
He turned his head to look at Elena.
Farah clenched True’s thigh.
“And that is my blood, darling,” he finished.
“Well, it’s good that your mother’s blood is good and kind and won out in you, isn’t it?” Elena retorted without a second’s delay.
“Gods, nothing shakes it, does it?” Cassius muttered.
“No,” Elena responded easily on a large smile.
It took a moment, but Cassius’s lips quirked.
“You’re the Sky King,” Farah blurted.
True turned to her to see her gaze on Cass.
And thus, he only heard Cassius’s reply, “In name only.”
Farah looked to True. “And you’re the Green King.”
“Also, in name only, darling,” he murmured.
She turned to Mars. “And you’re the Fire King and you,” she looked to Aramus, “are the Sea King.”
“And you will note, my people didn’t get caught up in that messy bloody business,” Aramus stated.
True felt his own lips twitch.
“This is…we are…” she stammered but said no more.
“Farah?” Ha-Lah called.
“We are their power,” Farah stated.
The room went silent again.
Someone cleared their throat, and all looked to the door.
A servant was there, his eyes on Elena.
“Your Grace, dinner is ready,” he announced.
Before Elena could say anything, Bram appeared in the door, rounding the servant, and his eyes were locked on True.
“True, a word?” he asked.
At the look on his brother’s face, True did not delay in murmuring his apologies, straightening from his seat, and following Bram out of the room.
Bram headed down the hall the opposite direction of the dining room.
He stopped nearly to the entry of the Citadel.
“I don’t like the look on your face,” True noted after he stopped with him.
“We’ve had ravens from Alfie. He says he’s sending a messenger with the fullness of his report, including the evidence he has that supports what the ravens bear. That being, he believes it was The Rising who conspired to surface the Beast. And True…fuck.”
“What?” True asked with dread.
“He thinks there’s strong evidence that the Beast is risen.”
True closed his eyes.
And whispered…
“Fuck.”
136
The Assignments
The Great Coven
Silbury Henge, Argyll Forest
AIREN
In the clearing of the forest, the first flash of light came before the first of the five standing stones.
The light was coral.
The witch Melisse of the Nadirii Sisterhood.
The next flash was green.
Rebecca of Wodell.
And at her side, arms linked, was Queen Farah.
The next light was crimson.
Nandra of Firenze.
And linked to her was Queen Silence.
Then there was marine-blue.
The witch Lena of Mar-el.
And with her came Queen Ha-Lah.
The last flash was bright white.
Fern of Airen.
At her side, with arms linked, was Queen Elena.
Without a word, they moved as one to the slab in the center of the stones.
Touching the stone with her fingertips, Lena stated clearly, “The moon.”
Fern of the Airenzian touched it. “The star.”
Nandra of the Firenz also put fingers to stone. “The blood.”
Rebecca followed suit. “The dirt.”
Melisse hesitated, closed her eyes, breathed deep, took a moment with love, respect and sorrow to remember her sister, her friend, and then said, “The sisterhood.”
Instantly, Elena broke from Fern and declared, “You need to cease your activities in Dunlyn.”