Chapter 30
RAVOS
After the strange conversation with the even stranger man outside the tavern, Sonah told the others of Lethe Monastery and her connection to the monks there, persuading them it was a better option than chasing blindly after the Liodari.
“They are waiting for us,” Fane had argued. “We’ll most likely run into them before we reach the monastery.”
“All the better, then,” Sonah had said with a shrug. “But we ride for Lethe.”
Leander, for the second time in their travels, sided with Fane. “You’re basing this all on the word of a complete stranger? It could be a trap.”
“He knew things,” Sonah had replied. “And we’ll be safe at Lethe. I know the abbot and monks there. They’d never do anything to harm me.”
“Except give you away to a nobleman to use in his games with the emperor!”
“He did that out of love! He thought he was giving me a chance at a good life! How could he know the man was so vile?” Sonah had yelled. She’d looking around at the others as they’d watched her in silence.
“We go to Lethe. And if Jason—if the Liodari find us on our way, they are welcome to journey with us.”
“The commander is your eudaemon,” Melanos had said, leaning across the table. “You’ll be safe with him. We cannot have something like what happened with the duke happen again.”
“The commander is not my eudamon,” Sonah had replied.
She’d then told them of her conversation with the oracle.
Melanos had exclaimed, thumping the table hard enough to make their tankards topple.
He’d gone on to say how he’d had a feeling Daris was Ren’s eudaemon when he’d first met him, but had not pressed the matter because of Ren’s condition at the time.
“I’ll be safe with the monks until Rydon can come for me,” Sonah had added. “And since he’s with Ren, she’ll come for me, too.”
“Are you certain of this, little—Sonah,” Melanos had asked, his gaze tender.
Sonah had only nodded, keeping her eyes shielded from Leander.
He’d seemed angry with her, his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed the few times he’d deigned to look at her.
For the life of her, Sonah could not figure out why the man was upset.
She thought she’d acquitted herself admirably during their skirmish, considering her lack of fighting skills.
Sonah had gone to bed shortly after, no longer interested in arguing over their destination. In the morning, they set out in silence.
Now, Sonah’s gaze shifted to her surroundings as they walked their horses, giving them a rest from the constant galloping, for which she was grateful.
They’d barely crossed the border into Ravos and still no sign of Jason or the Liodari.
Fane and the Spartans had ridden off earlier in the day to search for them, promising to meet them in Lethe whether or not they were successful.
“Lethe is another hour this way,” Sonah said, gesturing with her right hand.
“South?”
“All right.”
“No, I’m asking. Lethe is another hour south?” Leander asked, his voice rough. Sonah glanced over at him. His expression was stony, his eyes looking past her.
Frowning, she shrugged. “If south is that way, then aye, we go south.”
“You don’t know which way south is?” Leander sneered.
“Careful,” Melanos muttered, his eyes flashing.
“No, I don’t know which way south is, Leander,” Sonah sighed.
She refused to be baited by the Riverman just because he was in a foul mood.
“But I know where Obsidian Bay is because I know this area. And because I know this area and I know where Obsidian Bay is—to my right—I know the monastery is also,” she paused, raising a brow at him, goading him. “Where? Ah, yes. To my right.”
Pulling the reins so her horse would move in the direction she meant for them to follow, she hid her blooming smile when she heard Bethana’s tinkling laughter at her back.
“Forgive me for being concerned for your wellbeing,” Leander snapped, crowding her with his horse so she was forced to look over at him. His expression was thunderous but there was also fear there which made her snap her mouth shut against the shrill retort she almost unleashed.
“You need not worry so much,” she said instead, proud of how calm she sounded. “Need I remind you I’ve now survived two kidnappings and two attempted murders? Also, I’m a god, so…”
“But you are not immortal!” Leander spat. “I couldn’t get to you fast enough to prevent those men from almost killing you! You should be dead—”
“Aye!” Sonah shouted, pulling her mare to stop. She glared at Leander, who gave as good as he got. Jabbing a finger at him, Sonah said, “I should be! But I’m not! Maybe the Fates intervened on my behalf, I don’t know, but whatever happened to stay those murderous fiends, I am not dead!”
“The goddess is right,” Bethana said as Melanos drew close. “The Fates did intervene.”
“What?” Leander and Sonah said at the same time.
“I know she’s vulnerable without her eudaemon,” the nymph said, her beautiful smile mesmerizing. “So I made her an oil imbued with protection spells to make her invulnerable. This way, whenever she bathes with it, no one can harm her.”
Melanos’s deep chuckle broke Sonah from her stupor.
“What?”
“When?”
Bethana reached out, her cool fingertips glancing off Sonah’s cheek. “You saved me, goddess. A nymph every other god ignored when Poseidon cast his curse on me. Not one of them came to our aide. Except you. And your sister. Melanos was right. We owe you a debt. In this small way, I serve.”
The sting of tears made Sonah blink rapidly and duck her head. Don’t cry, don’t cry. You’re strong. Don’t cry.
Her emotions under control again, Sonah lifted her head and smiled at Bethana.
Big mistake.
Sonah sobbed at the look on the woman’s face, the compassion wrenching the tears from her eyes.
“You’re not just a nymph to me.” Wiping the snot traveling quickly to her lips she said with a shudder, “You’re the best friend a girl could ever ask for.”
LETHE MONASTERY, RAVOS
“Riders at the gate, Abbot Malis!”
Croak sprang up from the couch in the abbot’s office. They’d arrived the day before and Orry had immediately sought out the abbot so he could scribble his nonsense and read his boring books.
Startled upon hearing the monk’s shout, Orry cried out and tossed the book he’d been reading into the air. He scrambled after it as Croak rushed toward the door. Croak knocked into him, and Orry fell onto his ass.
“We don’t have time for you to play!” Croak yelled at his friend, grabbing his sword belt from where it hung on a peg beside the door.
Abbot Malis wrung his hands as he ran after Croak, his mincing steps hindered by his robes.
Migela came flying around the corner and collided with Croak.
“Fuck!” he squeaked, shaking away the stars from his eyes. His nose throbbed, and he glared at the assassin, who was rubbing her forehead. “Watch where you’re going!”
Croak rubbed at his aching nose and brushed past Migela, tearing a path through the courtyard and up to the wall walk. Peering over the wall, he blinked at the sight before him. He let out a shout, waving his arms and laughing.
“Sonah!”
His new sister looked up at the sound of his voice, a smile stretching across her face. She stood in her stirrups, almost falling off her mount as she waved back frantically.
Croak moved back and ran down the steps to the courtyard, passing a flustered Orry who pivoted to follow. A small procession followed on their heels as Croak yanked open the door and ran to the gates, startling the monks peering out through the hatch at the riders.
The door barely widened enough for him to slip through before Croak was racing out, his arms spread wide as he tore down the wooden bridge to where Sonah was dismounting.
She was barely on the ground before Croak swooped her up in his arms, spinning her once in a crushing embrace before setting her back down.
The girl laughed, her voice cracking as she shook.
Croak blinked, his smile fading as he pulled back to see tears tracking down her face.
He frowned at the fading bruises near her mouth.
“Hey, hey,” Croak crooned, crooking his finger to lift her chin. Her beautiful green and brown eyes swam with tears, and she swallowed as another sob racked her body. She tucked her head into his neck, snot and tears soaking the collars of his tunic and jacket.
He tightened his hold on her, closing his eyes against the rush of feelings overwhelming him.
They stood like that for several moments before the sound of labored breathing behind him made Croak stiffen. Turning to glance over his shoulder, his lips quirked up on one side when he caught Orry’s beaming face, the apples of his cheeks stained red as he panted from exertion.
Sonah pulled away to see the newcomer and another sob tore through her as Orry bounded forward, wrapping his thick arms around both of them.
Croak lasted five seconds before he had to pull away from the stench of Orry’s armpits.
“Enough of that,” Croak grumbled, wiping at a tear. He sniffled. “You stink something awful, Orry. I daresay even the monks have provisions for a bath. You should definitely avail yourself of one.”
Sonah giggled, darting forward to give Croak a quick hug before she planted a wet kiss to Orry’s plump cheek. If possible, the cleric reddened further and Croak cackled.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you,” Sonah said, her voice still shaking. She swallowed and motioned behind her at the rest of her party. “I know you’ll remember Melanos. And this—”
“Melanos!” Croak shrieked, already launching himself at the giant god. When he pulled away, the god grinned down at him, slapping a large hand across Croak’s chest, sending him stumbling a few steps back into Orry and Sonah.
“Gods, it’s good to see you too, Melanos. And grateful Sonah wasn’t traveling without protection.”
“From what we’ve seen,” Melanos said with a wink at Sonah over Croak’s shoulder, “the little one—I mean, Sonah—can protect herself.”
Croak laughed uncertainly, seeing the look passing between him and Sonah. Before he could ask what the god meant, his gaze was caught by the stunning woman dismounting behind him. Croak’s mouth dropped open, and he stared at the vision slowly walking toward him.
Straightening his spine, he plastered a look of haughty indifference on his face and crossed his arms. The woman stopped beside Melanos and wrapped her long, beautiful fingers in the crook of Melanos’s elbow.
“And who might this be?” Croak asked in a voice one octave lower than his normal tone. He heard Orry snicker behind him. Sonah came to his side, her smile radiant.
“This is Bethana,” Melanos said, looking down at the gorgeous blonde with a smile that would melt all of the north. The woman beamed up at him, a glow about her making her appear ethereal.
Croak gaped at them. “Beth—the Bethana?” Shaking his head, he speared a hand through his hair. “Gods you look… you look… very different from what Ren described.”
The woman smiled at him indulgently. “I hope so.”
Croak stared at her long enough for it to become awkward. Even Melanos shoving him lightly on the shoulder didn’t shake him out of his ensnared gaze until Orry dropped his arm across Croak’s shoulders.
“Bethana,” Orry began, his voice taking on an ingratiating, reverent tone he used whenever he was about to kiss someone’s ass. “The naiad who fell in love with a god and was punished by Poseidon to life as a serpent.”
The awe in his voice made Croak worry his friend would drop to his knees at any moment to kiss the poor nymph’s feet.
“I’ve read your story countless times in the old texts we have—well, they are at the White Palace with High Cleric Christos but—my lady, you are a legend, as are you, Lord Melanos, and it is an honor to meet you both.”
Croak rolled his eyes. “This is Ormano Peredor, our friend. If you ever want to be bored to tears or you just cannot sleep, call on Orry to regale you with tales from his studies as a cleric. That’ll do the trick.”
Sonah laughed and squeezed his waist, looking around him as she grinned at Orry’s flushed face.
“And who are you?”
Croak eyeballed the man standing beside Sonah’s horse, taking in the stranger’s mud-splattered cloak and dirty clothes.
His brown hair was unkempt, and his emerald eyes narrowed against Croak’s scrutiny.
He stood with his legs spread apart, his arrogance radiating off him like Orry’s stench: constant and powerful.
His lip curled as the man shifted his gaze to Sonah.
“Leander.”
Croak lifted an eyebrow and looked from the man to Sonah. She ducked her head. He looked to Melanos. The god shrugged.
“That’s a story you should hear from your sister,” Melanos grumbled.
Melanos led Bethana past them, heading across the bridge to enter the monastery. Orry, too, followed in their wake but Croak continued to assess the stranger.
Even beneath the layers of clothes, Croak could tell the man was powerfully built.
He had a stubbled beard and the look of anyone who’d ridden hard without resting, much like Sonah and Melanos.
Bethana seemed to be the only one unaffected by the road.
Croak doubted the woman could ever look less than beautiful.
Well. Except when she was a serpent.
“Stare any longer,” the man growled, his voice dropping low as he ambled toward Croak and Sonah, “and I’ll rip out your eyeballs and feed them to you.”
Croak blinked, affronted, and glanced at Sonah when he felt her stiffen. Looking back at the stranger, he scowled. “Go fuck yourself.”
Without waiting for a response, Croak turned Sonah and walked back inside the monastery.