Chapter 45 Dove
forty-five
Dove
Goddess. Mate. Love. Those are all words I would’ve never called myself before , yet now, I have three males referring to me as those things.
It’s still hard for me to grasp those words.
I’m still the girl in the dusty library.
I’m still the girl in my garden, talking to the bees and spiders.
And I’m still the girl who wishes she had more rhythm to draw.
Now, though… Now, I’m so much more. I can feel the change in my heart. It has grown with hope and the possibilities of a bright future filled with love. With these males who want me for me. Who love me unconditionally.
It is more than God bonds. I know that now.
We have made our way back through the tunnels and to the dungeon underneath the king’s manor.
Our plan is not complicated. When the suns are beyond the horizon, the secondary fully cresting over the sea, Saff will descend on the manor steps, where we will be waiting with King Horus and Prince Castor.
The only warden to the king currently worth their salt in fighting skills is Gideon’s brother, Fenrir. But once Fury relieves him of his blood bond, he will no longer need to protect the men who prey upon Haven. The other wardens are mere humans who will cower before the sight of a dragon.
Rivern leads us through the same tunnel that brought me to him the first rhythm we met. Under the manor, the air is damp and musty. He traces one of his long fingers along the figure eight symbol next to a secret door, and it gives way for us to move through.
Stumbling behind Rivern, Gideon hoists me over a small lip on the rocky ground. “I can walk, you know.”
“Yes, you can, but that crack in the ground could’ve tripped you. I won’t have you getting hurt.” It’s sweet, disarming, making my heart turn to mush.
I look away to stop him from seeing the smile cross over my lips before quickly whipping my head back. “Just warn me next time.”
Gideon’s normally stoic face is turned around when he smiles, his amber eyes alight for me.
“Time to flirt later, big guy.” Fury barges in behind us, pushing my wolf into my body and further into the dungeon tunnel ahead, a soft glow emanating from the dungeon room we met in last rhythm we were here.
In front of us, Rivern looks on, irritated by Fury’s carelessness, my body now held aloft in Gideon’s arms.
Ignoring Gideon and Rivern’s death stares, Fury pushes past all of us, heading for the lit up room.
“Tell him to stop,” Gideon mutters in my ear. I don’t question it, concern piercing his words.
“Stop, Fury.” My words are a harsh whip down the bond, making him stand to attention before he walks through the archway.
“Yes, Pet?”
Before I can answer him, Gideon is striding towards Fury, my body still held against his chest.
When he gets to Fury, Gideon sets me in front of him, not giving us a second look, walking through the stone archway.
“Wha—” I barely get out the words before I hear another voice come from inside the dungeon room.
“Have you found the girl, brother? Horus is up in arms about your extended leave. He is questioning your loyalty,” a gruff voice, similar to Gideon’s, can be heard from within.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I dart too quickly for Fury to catch me, poking my head around the archway, my self-preservation completely thrown out the window with three large protectors following my every move.
“Pet.” The growl rips through my head. I ignore the winged God behind me.
“Love?” Rivern’s question is softer.
I answer neither of them, intrigued by the new double I am seeing of Gideon. A tall, muscular male with short black hair and a clean-shaven face stands next to my much scruffier-looking wolf shifter—my wolf shifter. They almost look identical, apart from the scar slicing Gideon’s eye.
The other set of amber eyes in the room finds mine in a glance, Gideon knowing precisely what the replica of him is looking at, setting off a series of growls coming from in front and behind me.
In a blink of my mortal eyesight, Fury stands before me, his wings stretching wide, blocking my view of the males in the room—their need to protect overkill.
“Fenrir, your blood bond to the king is now severed. You are free.” My God’s voice is a menacing echo through the thick, tunnelled stone walls.
“Orion.” Fenrir’s voice is rageful, addressing Fury. He follows it up with a hearty laugh. “Well, brother, you have been busy while you were gone.” Sarcasm laces his every word.
“If you mean I have found a way to free us from Horus, yes, I have, brother. And now you are free to live as you choose.”
Gideon comes into view beside Fury, my protectors showing a united force.
While this is going on, Rivern weaves his fingers through mine. I can’t take my eyes off the ruffling onyx feathers obscuring my view.
“What is this, Gideon? Are you bowing before the God who sent us away?” Fenrir spits out the words.
“I’m here to rid this kingdom of Horus. You are free to help us if you choose, but once again, brother, it is your choice.”
In the next moment, I hear Fury’s rumble, his wings ruffling behind him. “I will make the king pay for everything he has put my creatures and bonded through. He will be an example for the rest of the people of this land. As Gideon said, you are free to go. Your free will is your own once again.”
A deafening silence descends upon the room, followed by a loud sigh.
“Well, fuck, old man, what do you expect me to do with that? The last rhythm I was free, I had a mate and a pack. Now, I have nothing. And it seems as though my brother has found a new pack. Am I not right?”
Gideon steps forward, exchanging some gruff, mumbled words with Fenrir. Since Fenrir is Gideon’s brother, I have no qualms with him helping us, as long as he is kind to the villagers.
His voice rises. “I will find that pipsqueak, Castor, and bring him to the steps for you. I’ve been dying to char the prince’s bones for turns.”
Fury’s wings draw inward to tuck neatly behind his back. Once again, I’m faced with Gideon’s replica.
“I will go to Horus myself and bring him before the steps. Saff is due to fly in soon. You will both bring Dove to the village.” It’s not a question.
It’s the statement of a God ruling over his people.
I can feel that Rivern is not happy being told what to do, and Gideon’s face is all hard lines, but I know they both don’t want to let me out of their sights, so they both give in.
Walking past his brother, Fenrir stops next to Rivern, his words directed at me. “I smell him on you, little human. I hope, for his sake, you are a true mate.” With his piece said, he walks away, leaving the rest of us to head on our way.
I travel back through the tunnels with Gideon and Rivern. The sights and musky smell bring on a sense of déjà vu to the last rhythm I was here with Rivern, when we were leaving the kingdom.
Now, we are here to save it.
Goddess. So much has happened over the last several turns, I don’t know where to start.
I’m now back in this place, my home, with not one, but three people who want me.
My new family—a strange dynamic that I’m still trying to figure out.
One they are also trying to figure out. My wolf and prince have come to some silent agreement.
Fury is another story. I still don’t know how he fits into our group.
Everyone stares as we walk from behind the curtain partition separating the basement from the quiet tavern above.
To everyone in Haven, Gideon is still a warden.
Still a protector of the king. They presume he is on king’s business.
They do not question him, even with a human and fae in tow.
They have never seen a fae before, so the golden lines of Rivern’s body make him stand out like a sore thumb.
Gideon, nonplussed, pushes ahead, opening the wooden front door for me, allowing Rivern to follow, out into the light of the circular cobblestone gathering area at the base of the long, wide manor stairs.
When I was a young girl, they used to hold market stalls here, and people would sell all manner of goods.
Now, the streets are barren, no flowers lining windowsills, or the savoury smell of dinner drawing children in from play.
The Kingdom of Haven has lost all its life, and I intend to give it back.
Overhead, a shadow falls before the grey and brown stones.
I look up. Saff circles the area, ready to make her plunge just as I hear some commotion from the very top of the steps.
Fenrir, a large, imposing body, pulls a disgruntled Castor after him.
The other wardens are too afraid of the wolf to make a move.
“Unhand me, you dog,” I hear the screech of Castor’s voice. His tone is high-pitched and shrill. How did I ever like that man? Fenrir pulls him down the steps by his shirt collar.
A small group of people exit the tavern at the noise right before they gasp. Saff lands at the bottom of the steps. Shrieks are heard from down the lined streets that branch off in three different directions.
One purple baby dragon head pops up behind his mother’s, on her back. My face splits wide into a smile at the sight of my intimate and her young. These people—my people—will finally know the truth. We are mere specks in the grand scheme of the creatures of this world. Soon, they will see that.
Without warning, black wings flash before me. Fury is between Saff and me with a raging King Horus. “Guards, guards, arrest this daemon!” he’s spluttering, his face red. His eyes find Gideon, standing to my right. “Warden Gideon, kill this animal.”
The king’s eyes are wide, his wrinkled face fraught and scared.
Gideon does not move. He will never leave my side.
Just to prove his point, he slides his fingers through mine, bringing my hand to his lips for a kiss.
His incisors graze the soft skin, a tingle shooting straight to my groin. Bastard. I quiver.
He winks down at me, knowing what he is doing, and bends his knee before me, hand still firmly placed in mine. This immortal dyre wolf kneels before me, declaring his undying loyalty for everyone to see. “My Goddess, I am yours to command. What will you have me do?”
Oh, Goddess. My knees tremble at the sight. Gideon forsaking himself in front of our home for me, calling me his Goddess.
“You are my equal, which means you are his Goddess,” Fury whispers in my head for only us to hear. My eyes flick to his wicked smile. Horus is in a state of shock, his mouth gaping open at the sight of Gideon bending the knee before me.
The villagers who have come out of their two-storey wood-thatched houses at the noise are also looking on in astonishment at the spectacle.
I eye them one by one. The hollow faces of my people.
I can see the fear in their eyes, on their bones.
It’s defeating. But it’s not fear of us—it’s fear of what will become of them under Horus’s rule. They will all die of starvation soon.
So, I speak. From mute girl, to a woman with fire in her heart, nothing will stop me from having my say. Now that I have my platform, I won’t give up on them.
“My people, what you witness today is justice. Justice for all the lies this man has told us. The lies his ancestors have told us. Everything you know is nothing but fables passed down through the centuries. Out there”—I fling my free arm around—“beyond the mountains is a vast world filled with many creatures like Saff, my friend.” I gaze at the dragon.
“What they aren’t telling you is that we are the ones who conquered this land.
We ran the fae out.” I look towards Rivern, and he takes my hand in his, a hum working its way through my heart at the contact.
“We would have plenty of food if our king and his ancestors weren’t greedy and lived in harmony with the people here before us. ”
“It’s time we create a new system. One based on respect and community. One where we are all equal and everyone’s voice matters. I would like to—”
My voice cuts off. Hands grip me tight around my waist—unfamiliar hands, rough hands.
Darkness consumes me.