Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“The temple will open to me when I have a proper goddess.” He held the dagger under Devinshea’s chin. “Tell me something. Do you have a temple in your timeline? I suspect you do.”
“I have two,” Dev replied. “In my time, I am the bridge between our tribes. Seelie and Unseelie claim me. My goddess can power any number of temples but only if the temple finds the god worthy.”
“The Unseelie are impure. They are the assassins of our world. Did you know my brother used Unseelie infestations to kill my beloved? And all because I would not take a bride. Do you have any idea what they did to her?” The king sneered, showing his distaste.
“Probably a lot of what they tried to do to me. Did Mother send Declan to the Unseelie sithein? Did you follow?” Dev asked.
“Of course not. We have no relations with the dark court,” the king replied. “None except planning our wars.”
“Well, she did send my brother, and I went with him. It’s odd how time refines and shapes memory. For so long all I thought about was how they forced me. We were caught by a rogue group. My brother got away. I did not. I remember how awful it was, and that was all I thought about at the time. But now I remember how a group of trolls found me, lying there. Spent and aching, and they took care of me,” Dev said. “The Unseelie has its monsters. And its kindness and beauty and love. The same way we do. The temple rejects you because you are the Seelie monster. Just because someone calls you light, doesn’t mean you are good. Because someone calls themselves clean does not mean they are worthy. It simply means they understand neither word.”
The king chuckles, a wholly unhumorous sound. “You are weak. When you’re dead and that god has fled in terror, I will show your goddess what we can truly be.”
Dev’s head shook. “You will be left with a dead sithein. It’s already in the process, isn’t it? Your kingdom is dying because there’s no such thing as an evil Green Man. Your magic was a gift and it’s gone now. You were unworthy.”
The knife moved to Devinshea’s throat, and a fine trickle of blood began. “You are the unworthy one. You allowed the wizard to take your kingdom. You were foolish enough to fall into our trap again. You don’t deserve her.”
“I defied my brother and Mother for her,” Dev declared. “I didn’t treat her like a dirty secret. When she had our babies, I was there. She didn’t labor alone and suffer without my aid. I held them in my hands. Two. I was gifted two children, and then another beautiful girl. Your son hates you. You are the king of a dead sithein, barely holding on to a populace that hates you, too. They loathe you, Devinshea. They see down to your cowardly soul. The only reason they haven’t risen up is you found borrowed magic, and when Myrddin gets what he wants from you, that will be gone and your head will be on a rebel pike. You killed it all. All of this death and horror because you were a coward.”
“Is he trying to get murdered?” Bibi asked with a shudder.
“He knows exactly what the man is afraid of, who he is because deep down Devinshea is honest with himself. Even when he’s wrong,” Neil said with a sniffle. “Goddess, how will I tell Zoey if he dies?”
“He won’t.” Sasha saw Myrddin’s hand come up, his fingers twisting slightly. “You see that? He’s having to be subtle about it, but I would bet he’s working some kind of calming spell. You said the wards weren’t up here, right?”
Bibi nodded. “The king likes to use magic against his enemies, and it’s hard with the wards because he’s never been good with it. He thinks he’s some kind of magic wielder now that the wizard has taught him some things, but he is still a bit inept. The guards had to take down the wards because the king’s own magic couldn’t overcome them even after they were trained to. That’s not what they told him, of course, but they had to do something. Myrddin himself has had to come in to strengthen the spells holding us from time to time.”
Sure enough the king took a step back, sneering at the version of himself currently in chains. “I will have my temple back. When I take the god, the temple won’t be able to keep me out. And I will take my bride in our sacred space, and all will be right with the world again.”
He turned and stormed out.
One of the guards started sneering Ostara’s way, an unholy light in his eyes. “I don’t think he cares about you, pretty girl. Didn’t look at you even once. I don’t think he’ll care what I do to you.”