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 way he’s looking at me… “Since what?”
“Since you were born the first time. Since he had to hide you,” Benny whispers. “I was there. I served him, un sanctaidd. She belongs to the world. Mae hi y llwybr i dragwyddoldeb.”
“She said that to me. What does it mean? It’s Welsh, right? I thought you spoke Gaelic.” The words unnerve me, cause those tears to pulse behind my eyes because I know I’m close to understanding. But I’m also close to knowing something hidden. Something lost. Something that might need to stay lost.
He stands and his expression gentles. “All of his followers speak his language, sacred one. You are the path to eternity. She’s coming. She’s fought so hard to get here. Do not be afraid. Call his name when you need him. He will always come for you.”
And then he dives toward me. I put up a hand, though I know he can’t hurt me. He’s non-corporeal. But instinct has me backing up against Rhys and holding a hand out.
He falls against it, and a gold light shines and he is gone.
What the hell just happened?
“Are you okay?” Rhys asks.
I hear the sound of rushing water that is not from this stream. That sound is soothing and this one…so familiar and yet so deeply frightening.
The Drowning Woman is here. She floats ten feet away.
I turn to my husband, wrapping myself around him and trying not to cry.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Zoey
I sit in the middle of a lush park and thank the goddess for all of Dev’s lessons on protocol when it comes to dealing with the high Fae, and in particular the Seelies. It makes it less awkward for me to know how to sit on this grand quilt beneath me and still look very much the lady. I circled my skirts around my bent knees and made sure my ankles are covered. My boobs are on serious display. Such a weird culture, but I know how to move through it. I keep my eyes downcast for the most part. As they would say in my time, I am all kinds of demure and mindful.
I wonder what my younger self would have done in this situation. Probably taken the knife in Devilshea’s hand and attempted to murder him with it.
“It’s odd.” The king took off his formal coat when he declared this the perfect picnic spot. He’s in a snowy white tunic that’s been unbuttoned to show off his golden, muscular chest. “According to the head of my guard, some of the servants were affected by whatever happened in the temple last night. I use certain spells to make it easier for them to work, and the magic seems to have lessened the hold.”
Though he calls this a picnic, and we’re sitting on the grass that is absolutely greener than it was the day before, there are ten guards with us and three servants who drug out china for us to dine on, including the delicate cup I hold in my hand and pretend to sip from.
There are some mistakes you never make twice. I have a charm Evan gave me that would detect any kind of spell or poison, but I can’t use it in front of him so I pretend to sip. Bibi brought me a canteen of water early this morning. I hid it in the closet along with the bread and cheese she gave me. More importantly, she gave me news. Danny is hidden for the day. We decided the night before that we must figure out what Myrddin wants before unleashing hell on everyone. The last thing we want is Myrddin running away and leaving us stranded. Daniel is going to send news that he is willing to talk to Myrddin. He’s not, but it will buy us some time.
And I pretend to not be horrified by his behavior. “Affected? How?”
I hope they were smart enough to pretend, but I’m sure it’s hard for them. Thankfully my own maid had done a spectacular job of fooling him.
“I think the ones who wandered out of the wards had the bonds we forged broken. The gnomes especially were…feisty today. I’ve found bonding to the palace and their king makes them more satisfied.”
It made them into wordless zombies who couldn’t feel or use their own voices. It made them slaves. I stare at him for a moment, trying to see anything of my Devinshea inside this monster. “Tell me why you didn’t marry Zandra.”
He waves me off. “It simply wasn’t done.”
“But you wanted to.”
“I did. I wanted to badly.” He leans back, giving me a lovely view of his profile. His hair is slightly longer than Devinshea’s. “But my brother convinced me such a marriage would bring shame to my family.”
“You were embarrassed by her.”
“Never. No. It was always my brother.”