Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
The townhouse was filled with outsiders by dinner time.
After hearing the twins and Everly mentioned, it was nice to finally put faces to their names but it was immediately obvious to Tighe that they were not average outsiders.
Tall and handsome with dark features and soft green eyes, Bryn and Arawn carried themselves like hounds, prowling confidently with their mates.
Meanwhile, Everly Wells was small. Not short or like a child, but like a slightly miniature human with a delicately beautiful face.
His eyes were alarming and a giveaway that he was not human. They were large for his face and were like deep, black wells. Tighe was fascinated and found Everly to be incredibly gentle but kept a distance on account of his unnatural eyes.
Tighe really liked Arawn’s husband, Fletcher.
He was a human and doctor who examined the dead for the police, Silas had explained.
That seemed like a difficult and unpleasant job to Tighe but the older man had a big, warm smile and an easy laugh.
With short-trimmed gray hair, glasses, and a competent demeanor, it made sense when he gravitated toward Nelson and Silas and it wasn’t long before the three of them had their heads together and were discussing tests and databases.
Eventually, Merlin announced that dinner was ready and everyone gathered in the dining room. Many were holding glasses of whiskey and there was some confusion and jostling until everyone found a seat at the table.
“Cenn stepped out but we can go ahead and start without him. He doesn’t really eat,” Niall said as he sat.
Nox was seated at the end and Nelson was on his right.
Merlin was at Nox’s left and Arawn was next to him.
Silas and Tighe fell into the seats next to Nelson, positioning them in the middle of the table.
Fletcher, Bryn, and Everly sat across from them.
The seat opposite Nox was left vacant when Niall sat next to Everly and there was some murmuring about it as plates of roasted vegetables, a wild rice salad, and smoked salmon were passed around.
“I don’t like him—Smoak,” Tighe whispered to Silas, earning a soft hum of agreement.
“I wouldn’t mind if he skipped dinner,” he whispered back, smiling as his knee bumped against Tighe’s under the table.
There was speculation as to whether Smoak would even join them as the rolls were being passed around but he strode into the dining room, his expression grim.
“The warlock knows you’ve taken his Ossor,” he declared, settling into the armchair across from Nox like it was a throne.
Nox waved his roll dismissively. “That means we made it just in time. We knew that Dùbhghlas and his minions were on Tighe’s trail and they would have heard that we’d found him.”
“I’m not his Ossor,” Tighe answered, shaking his head and glancing at Silas. There was only one person who could claim Tighe’s heart and loyalty and it wasn’t Hugh Dùbhghlas or Lennox MacIlwraith.
“We’ll see,” Smoak said with a shrug and wagged his finger at Nox. “He’s in a state over this and he’s guessed that you have an oracle.”
There was a loud scrape as Nox’s chair slid back and he stood. “He knows about Tony?”
“Dùbhghlas doesn’t know who or where your oracle is yet but he suspects Pooles Island might be its sanctuary.”
“We’ll get word to Tony and Ronan,” Nox said, shaking his head. “Dùbhghlas can’t set foot on Pooles Island. Ronan won’t let him and it’s heavily warded. Nothing can harm Tony there but he needs to be warned about leaving the island.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Smoak replied. “No one’s heard of this Tony yet, but he’s clearly very powerful.”
Nox grinned. “Tony’s a natural and recently discovered his ability, but we’re keeping him a secret. He has no interest in fame or performing prophecies for pay.”
“Tony has no interest or you won’t share your oracle?” Smoak countered and Nox pulled a face as he sat.
“Do I strike you as a tyrant?” he said.
“You do,” Smoak said, pointing at Nox before he could object. “You’ve got a gentle touch and you’ve lulled them into accepting your peace but what—or who—would you burn to prevent a Hunt?” he asked and the change in the twins was immediate.
Arawn reached for Bryn when he started to rise and both swelled and stifled snarls.
“I’ll behave,” Bryn said as he stared Smoak down. “He knows we’re ready but Nox isn’t obsessed with power and ruling like you and Dùbhghlas.”
Smoak laughed, smacking his hand on the table.
“He is biding his time! He’s just begun to learn what it means to be a god and he’s still testing his own limits and abilities,” he said, no longer amused as his expression turned severe, his eyes glowed bright blue, and his voice deepened.
“This life satisfies him and serves his ego—for now—but he’ll tire of it and the god in him will grow restless.
The world will get darker and your society will struggle as Dùbhghlas and others like him gain more power and build their armies.
I will get stronger as my children reap the souls of the lost and the sun god will have to answer the prayers of the innocent and restore balance. ”
“That is your plan, Smoak!” Merlin accused in an indignant splutter, his face red as he hopped to his feet.
“You’ll divide the world, just like you seek to divide us, to bait the god within Nox but it won’t work.
Clancy already tried that with a cult and Dùbhghlas twisted an undead changeling and summoned a kraken to challenge Nox and those failed too. ”
“Give the god within him time,” Smoak said with a suggestive lift of his brows. “One day, it will devour the child you raised,” he predicted but Merlin lifted his chin defiantly.
“I know him better than you do and that will be your downfall, mark my words.”
“That’s enough,” Nox said, taking Merlin’s hand and giving it an affectionate squeeze before rising and silently striding from the room.
All eyes were on Nelson as he wiped his lips with his napkin and sat back, signaling that he was done as well.
“Tell Smoak he’s wrong,” Merlin urged Nelson. “He is the Father of Demons and a master of riddles but he’s underestimated our Nox.”
“Go ahead, tell me,” Smoak said and snickered as he rested his chin on his fist but Nelson shook his head, calm as he stood and buttoned his coat.
“I don’t know. You could be right, Smoak, but it doesn’t matter. Wherever Nox goes, whatever his fate is, it will be mine as well. I’ll follow him on a Hunt or to Hell, if that’s what he chooses. So will they,” he said with a nod at the twins, Fletcher, and Everly.
Bryn nodded, his smile stretching menacingly as he watched Smoak. “Tony would die for Nox and Ronan’s already proved he’ll fight whatever Dùbhghlas or the darkness throws at him. I know where I’m starting when Nox says it’s time.”
“Is that so, pup?” Smoak chuckled and rolled his eyes. “I could possess you now and make you maul your husband and rip your own eyes out.”
“I can do that too,” Everly said in his soft, flat murmur, his head tilting as he smiled at Smoak.
A hard shudder passed through Smoak and his head jerked and his eyes rolled. “Stop!” he gasped as blood dripped from his nose and ear. “How dare you, you—!” he swung forward, his head slamming onto the empty plate in front of him and making the silverware rattle.
“What are you doing? Stop!” Niall begged Everly.
“Gae from me, imp!” Smoak bellowed as he threw himself back in his seat and grabbed the armrests, looking winded as he scowled at Everly in disgusted horror.
“See? I can do it too,” Everly said in his small voice, pleased as he clasped his hands in his lap and beamed around the table. “Nox taught me that I can learn anything I want because I’m a changeling.”
“Look at that!” Bryn boasted as he put an arm around Everly. “You’re such a badass,” he said and kissed Everly’s hair.
Merlin rapped his knuckles on the table, calling the room to order. “That was well done, indeed. But we’re all friends here and Nox would not want us to mistreat a guest, no matter how rude he is or how much he offends our host.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” Nelson agreed. “Please, enjoy your dinner and the rest of the evening. We’ll talk in the morning,” he said, then left them.
Smoak left a few moments later but the mood remained tense and little was said as everyone ate and the table was cleared.
Niall went to find Smoak, and Fletcher, the twins, Everly, and Merlin gathered in the study.
The study looked extra stifling with so many extra people but Silas must have sensed that Tighe was getting a headache from all the talking and tension.
He wished everyone a good night and graciously excused himself and Tighe for the evening.
For Tighe, it was interesting to see how everyone had dispersed after Nox and Nelson retired.
He wasn’t surprised to see who would conspire together and that Merlin would want to manage the others and reassure them if there were concerns.
Tighe also wondered if Silas was still jealous and harbored any resentment toward Smoak for coming between him and Niall.
But at the moment, he was more concerned about what had been said at the table.
“I don’t think I want any part of a Hunt,” Tighe said as they undressed and he sat cross-legged on the bed, happy to be alone and naked again.
“That was nuts, right?” Silas had taken off his shirt and paused after he unzipped his jeans and leaned against the bathroom door. “They can’t mean that kind of Hunt—like Odin’s,” he said but Tighe held up his hands.
“We had stories about our gods and a Hunt like that. I heard them as a child and then I read about them in a book about old gods. All I know is that I don’t want to spend a millennia hunting without rest, no matter how much I like Nox and his friends.”