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)
“You should know that Arawn is one of the Unseelie who fought the idea of forcing me to play priest for the sitheins.” Rhys sits beside Shy. When we returned, he was still on the errand with his papa to bring Nimue back. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Shy. He hasn’t let her out of his sight again. “When a group dragged me and Lee to the Unseelie sithein, it was Arawn who stopped them. And maybe one of these guys. They’re sweet now, but you should know I’ve watched them take apart an ogre.”
My heart clenches because I think he’s talking about the incident that led to his twin brother losing an eye. Oh, it grew back after he died and rose as a vampire king, but I’m sure it was incredibly traumatic at the time. I know Rhys still dreams about that day and carries guilt with him like a millstone around his neck. I have to wonder if there’s a part of that trauma in his deep desire to avoid Faery. “I’m glad to hear Arawn helped you.”
Nimue sighs. Her hair is far longer than her body at this point. Apparently it kept growing when the rest of her did not. “In the last couple of hundred years, I’m afraid Arawn has grown apathetic. Once he was a true believer in justice. It seems a few centuries without his original body have taken a toll. He took on some of his hosts’ more hedonistic tendencies, but then I did as well. Until I had a cause again.”
“My father,” Rhys prompts.
“Your parents,” Nim corrects. “I know Daniel Donovan is the King of the Sword, but it was obvious from the first meeting that he was a member of a royal trio. When I found your family I remembered my purpose. If only I remembered how duplicitous the wizard can be. There’s a reason I lock the fucker up when he’s done.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Nim,” Danny sits at the head of the table, Sasha on the opposite end. A king and his general.
“Technically, it was.” The Russian watches Nim with dark eyes. “She took you to the wizard. She allowed the plan that ended in the king and His Grace receiving thrall stones that kept them in Myrddin’s pocket for years, that led you all to lose twelve years of time.”
“I had one, too,” Nim argues and then sighs. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am. What a fool I have been, and I do not have the excuse of youth.”
I’m not sure what Sasha is trying to do, but I can’t let Nim think I blame her. “You were doing your job, and Myrddin certainly didn’t treat Arthur or the other kings of the sword in such a fashion.”
“I wonder about that now,” Nim admits. “But there’s nothing I can do but move forward. I know what Myrddin’s planning. He must be stopped. I assume Arawn has figured it out. Closing off the celestial planes would be devastating for the dead, so of course Arawn is concerned. If he requested a meeting with you, perhaps you could do it on some neutral site.”
“I got the feeling the meeting he’s requesting isn’t with me,” Danny says, and I fear his next words but know they’re coming. Danny isn’t one to play politics with his family. He does too much of that in his job. He’ll rip this bandage right off. “He wants to meet Shy.”
Shy winces. “I think they have me mixed up with someone else.”
Rhys has gone quiet and still. Like really still. Like “trying to keep his cool so we don’t find ourselves in a prison of grass and leaves” cool.
“Rhys, we would never let Arawn hurt Shy,” I say, trying to calm my son down.
“He wants to meet Shy? He sent the Cŵn Annwn to find Rhys’s girlfriend?” Nim asks.
“His goddess,” Dev corrects.
At least he’s on board supporting Rhys’s choice now. In public. The problem is I’m not absolutely certain Shy wants to be his goddess. Or thinks she can be. One I can work with. The other will break my son’s heart.
“And that Matilda person,” Shy adds even as I see her sneak one of the hounds a piece of cheese. Gotta pay the cheese tax.
Nim goes still. Or rather stiller. There’s not a lot she can do with those stubby things growing out of her shoulders. “He sent Mallt-y-nos?”
Danny nods. “I believe that is what the crone called herself, though she allowed us to call her Matilda.”
“It’s her informal name though she hasn’t been around in centuries. I thought she was on another plane. She’s a crone who often traveled with the Cŵn Annwn. She acted as Arawn’s eyes from time to time. If he sent her, then he believes Shahidi is important,” Nimue explains. “You’re a psychic, correct? From a family of psychics?”