Chapter 48
Chapter
Forty-Eight
-brIDA-
“Do you think we could perhaps sneak off unnoticed?” We strolled arm in arm back into the palace. “I’m not sure I fully explored our room.”
“Are you trying to seduce me, Ilia?” Dainan whispered as he nipped at my ear.
“Is it working?” My gaze was hopeful, attempting a sultry stare in the low light.
“I will not require much convincing,” Dainan said as he pulled me into an alcove.
Stepping in closer, heat radiated from him. I had missed his warmth, his proximity, him. “You put on quite a display not long after I first arrived here.” He lowered his voice, the predatory stare in his eyes clear.
“I’m a woman who knows what she wants,” I said, dragging a finger down his chest. Dainan grabbed my hand just as I landed above the waistline and hissed.
“Afraid I might hurt you?” I teased.
Dainan smiled softly. “In every city, in every world, they will know you are mine, Brida. When your cries fade, there will not be a soul alive who has not heard my claim on you. You could never hurt me… though the way you will cry out for me may make them think otherwise.”
A shudder ran through me. “Shadow-step us to our room.” I pressed myself into him, feeling how much he desired this, desired me.
“As you command.”
Dainan’s shadows encircled us but ceased when we heard, “There you two are.”
“Now is not a good time, Marius.” Venom dripped from Dainan’s words.
“Ah.” Marius paused as he reached us, our expressions evident as to what our plans had been. “I’m sorry to interrupt your… reunion. Would that be the correct terminology? Regardless.” He clapped his hands together. “Your presence has been requested.”
“Can you not ask Melia to wait. Just an hour?” I questioned.
“Two hours,” Dainan added.
“Two, really?” My eyebrows piqued, intrigued by whatever he had planned.
“Better yet, three.” Dainan pulled me in closer.
“Gods, you two never change. It’s like watching Thale and Hakar all over again.” He dragged a hand down his face, “Under any other circumstance, I would love to tell Melia to fuck right off, but alas, it isn’t her who has requested you.”
“Who has then?” I turned to face him, extricating myself from Dainan’s firm grasp.
“Just come with me.” Marius turned on his heel and made his way down the hall. “Then you two can shatter the world.”
I looked back to Dainan and mouthed, “Three hours?”
His smile grew wicked as we followed Marius down the corridor.
“So. You are Asana’s uncle. What’s it like to be uncle to the most stoic woman alive?
” I smiled as I found myself in step with Marius.
Dainan had chosen to walk behind us. Something about protection and perhaps about the way I looked in my dress.
A dress I was eager for him to remove from my body as soon as possible.
“She was not always so. In fact, she was quite the opposite as a girl. Loquacious, happy. I assume she has become the way she has in order to survive. It is a guilt I will have to bear.”
“Marius,” I ceased our walking as I placed my hand on his forearm.
“Asana, while, yes, was a child, did well for herself. I do not know her story, none of us here do but she rose to one of the highest ranks in one of Azmeer’s four courts.
In addition, she was consort of the king.
She would have had a far less interesting life had you been monitoring her every movement.
I’m sure she missed you, and yes, at times was quite scared.
But she is resourceful, and I don’t believe holds any animosity toward you. ”
His expression softened as he lowered his head in gratitude. “Yes, well. Best be on our way. They don’t like to be kept waiting.”
“Who exactly are they?” I asked as we rounded a corner. The hallway led to a doorway that was cracked partially open, laughter roaring from inside.
Marius simply shook his head, unable to find the words within himself as we approached the door, and pushed it open.
The room was ornately decorated like much of the palace. A long table rested in the center underneath three large chandeliers made from gemstones, mother-of-pearl, and candles that burned more brilliantly as I entered the room.
The laughter ceased, and the room quieted. As I gazed around at each of the faces, I felt Dainan’s hand press firmly against my lower back. “I’ve got you,” it said.
Melia, Asana, Tamra, Marsh, my father, and six other individuals stood around the table. Their sizes varied from taller and broader than Dainan to my size. They parted, and I saw one in the middle I recognized.
Stepping toward me, thunder echoing with each footstep, was Ollo. His pale hair and violet eyes were unmistakable. My legs trembled at the sight of him, remembering when I had seen him last.
Before I could say a word, Ollo lowered himself to one knee.
“For the storm shall clear the skies, and make way for the Dawn.” His voice was lighter than I remembered it being. He rose, and within seconds I was in the air. His arms wrapped around me tighter than any hug in my life, and the spark in my chest responded in kind, glowing for all to see.
“Hello, Ollo,” I said as he placed me back on the ground.
“I was happy you took my advice.” He looked over to Marsh. “Couldn’t have one of my own taken over by another.”
Ollo looked over my shoulder to Dainan. I turned to face him, and his expression was murderous.
“The vessel may change, but the spirit remains the same.” He stepped around me to inspect Dainan. “You still an uptight prick in there, Everos?”
Faster than lightning, Dainan’s arm reached out and grabbed Ollo by the throat, lifting him into the air. Ollo’s legs kicked as his face purpled—Ollo clawed at his throat.
“Is this really necessary?” I said to Dainan, whose gaze didn’t flinch.
The others took a step back as they watched the Primal of Storms gasp for air. “Dainan,” I said, voice firmer. Still he did not move.
“Good, Gods.” I murmured as I willed the light from my palms towards Dainan’s hand. Slowly the strands of light forced themselves between his fingers and Ollo’s neck until finally, Dainan dropped him.
I looked over to Marius, who said, “Told you.” And shrugged as he tossed food into his mouth.
“You really have been the biggest dick since Vasenia,” a woman said. She had hair as dark as midnight and deep purple eyes. She made her way toward us, but rather than approaching me, she made her way toward Dainan.
“Hm,” she said as she took a step closer to look at him. “You sure Everos is in there?” She pulled back, her eyes lingering on him.
“That’s him.” Ollo croaked from the floor, rubbing his throat.
“He’s never been so…”
The four others took a step forward, each looking between the two of us.
“Pretty.” One of the men said. “He’s never been so pretty. I think that’s the word you are looking for.”
“I think beautiful would have sufficed.” Another one of the females said.
“Still a prick,” Ollo muttered as he rose to his full stature.
I turned to face Dainan, confusion written all over his face. I reached for his hand, clasping it in my own.
“They know us,” I said as I returned my gaze to each of them. Each was striking, from their piercing eyes to the sharp lines of their face. “And part of us knows them.”
“She always was the more diplomatic of the two.” A woman with golden hair brighter than Lil’s stepped forward. She bowed her head to Dainan before lowering herself before me, similar to Ollo.
This is beyond strange.
You should get used to it.
“Elarin.” A voice that wasn’t my own said as I reached out a hand to cup her face. “Hello.”
As she rose, a tear cascaded down her cheek before she lunged at me, wrapping her arms around me, similar to Ollo. She was smaller than him, a mere few inches taller than I was, but she was strong.
Who is she?
Elarin was my first daughter. Goddess of first breath and new life.
I found myself nodding, which only sought to confuse the people who knew me, and not the Gods in the room, for they likely understood what was happening. Two voices now lived in my head.
“I believe introductions are in order.” I knew at this moment our lives would change forever.
We were no longer Brida and Dainan, but something more.
Vessels for the gods of life and death, beginnings and endings, and a great change was coming.
Something that I hoped would become clearer to me in the coming moments.
“Velora.” The woman said, who had approached Dainan. “Goddess of the Veil.” She lowered herself before Dainan. “Daughter of Dusk.”
“Atheron,” a tall man said, who looked so much like Kadian it made my heart stop. “God of the Wheel and Cycle. Child of Dawn.” He bowed from the waist down.
“Druviel,” a tall man said, whose complexion was comparable to Tamra and had a smile that could force anyone to pause in their tracks. “God of Dreams. Son of Dusk.”
And lastly, a man with red hair that was reminiscent of Court of Shadows members strolled forward. “Tavros.” He said, “Child of Dawn and Dusk.”
Of both? I thought to myself as I saw the five others roll their eyes.
Yes. The voice was gentle.
“And what’s your… gift?” I questioned him.
“I am the bringer of light to dark places. The spark of hope that lives within us all.”
“He’s a pompous ass,” Ollo said as he made his way over to the table, tossing a grape into his mouth.
“There’s a reason I’ve stayed away from you all for the past hundred years,” Velora said as she made her way to a chair, clutching the top of it as she stood behind it.
“Can’t say you haven’t missed us.” Ollo winked at her and the look of revulsion that crested her face caused me to laugh.
Marius appeared at my side, “Come, you can sit here.” He gestured Dainan and me to the head of the table, where two chairs had been placed next to each other. At the other end sat Melia. Unphased by the presence of Gods.
I looked over at Marsh, he was paler than usual. Holding onto the window frame to support himself. Tamra looked… surprisingly calm?
“Do they live here?” I asked Marius as he took a seat next to me, watching as the others did the same.
“Some. Others have travelled here because…”
“Because we looked up at the sky and we knew,” Ollo shouted.
“It has been a long time since two moons graced the sky,” Elarin said.
I looked over to Marius, whose expression had grown somber. He had been there the last time it had happened, and it had cost him the woman he loved.
The conversation grew rowdy, each of the gods attempting to speak over the other. It wasn’t until Melia slammed her hand down on the table that everyone forced themselves to attention.
“If you all would cease your chattering.” She started.
“Can you blame us?” Druviel said.
“Come now, Melia.” Ollo winked at her, and she scoffed.
“You do realize what will happen. Who will look up at the sky and come to the same understanding as you have?”
The room grew silent as each of their gazes fell to Dainan and I, our hands woven together.
“This war will be unlike any other. Thousands of years, they have been waiting. Gathering their forces, testing the limits of their newly replenished power.” Melia rose, her hands flush to the edge of the table as she supported herself.
“This will not just be another war,” she looked at each of the Primals.
“It shall be the last.” She returned to her seat, picking up her fork and knife.
“Everyone, eat. It will be our last meal of peace in the time to come.”
A cold dread draped itself over the room like a wet cloak, each of us reluctant to move, to speak, to breathe. Each of them knew what Chaos was capable of, what they had done at the height of their power.
As the scraping of forks and knives against plates danced in the air, the chatter slowly returned, the gods laughing and smiling amongst themselves. Siblings, friends, lovers, reunited at long last.
A war is coming.
A great war.
We have to save them.
And we will.