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)
“Daniel.” She seems to taste his name on her tongue, and now my worry creeps in. What does a goddess of spring want with my vampire? “Yes, a lovely name for him this time around. He is happy?”
Well, not really right now. He wants off this plane. “He is happy with our marriage. May I ask why you wish to know? Did you know Daniel in some way?”
She takes a breath and shakes her beautiful blonde hair. “It matters not now. Ostara has other questions. I’m afraid she has always been suspicious of our fiancé. What do you think he is doing?”
Bris turns to Shy. “Daughter, what do the spirits say?”
I feel like I’m missing something, but I give my attention to Shy, too. I’ll ask Danny later.
A concerned expression sits on Shy’s lovely face. “The spirits I met in the forest loathe the king. I believe they would say he is capable of all manner of evil. As for the ones in the palace, there are none. I do not sense or feel them.”
“Is that normal?” Bris is unusually anxious, his worry clear. Something is bothering him. Likely the idea of being out of his timeline.
“No.” Shy closes her eyes and seeks something the rest of us can’t feel or see. When she opens them again, her eyes seem darker, as though she’s tapped into power. “I can usually feel death energy. Animals, humans, even plants die all the time. My mother used to describe it as magic. There’s a magic to death, an energy that turns the wheel. Even as one thing dies, another is born. Or reborn, as she would say.” She shakes her head as though realizing something. “Ostara recently told me. She said the wheel doesn’t stop at death. Death turns the wheel. All this time I’ve been worried my power would harm Rhys’s.”
“Your power fuels mine as mine fuels yours.” Rhys puts a hand on hers, a brilliant smile playing on his face. “Baby, I know you think I should be with some sweet Fae girl, someone whose powers are similar to mine. I know you thought I was attracted to Ostara.”
Ostara gasps and puts a hand to her chest. “No. That would be terrible.”
Rhys shakes his head. “She smells cloyingly of gardenias and fresh rain.”
A brow rises over my soon-to-be daughter-in-law’s eyes.
“I am used to it from me,” Rhys replies, bringing her hand to his lips. “When we return, ask my brother. I was never attracted to submissive Fae girls. I liked the ones who could kick my ass, and I promise I’m going to be better about trusting you. I’m so in love with you and so afraid I’ll lose you that I’m practically making it into truth. If you wish to go to the mountains tomorrow, we shall go.” His eyes go to Bris. “My goddess believes there is something wrong with the mountains to the north. She was told there are sluagh there.”
Ostara nods. “I have heard rumors about the mountains. That the dead are congregating there.”
“Specifically sluagh,” Shy explains. “My question is why are there no dead in the palace? I don’t sense any wards that would keep them out. Those have to be incredibly strong since it’s natural for the dead to be around. Well, as natural as it can be to remain in a state of flux. But there is nothing here. No shades or spirits. It is disconcerting. It’s like we crossed a line when we left the forest and now there are no spirits. I’d like to talk to the dead in the mountains and see if they know what’s happening. It’s obvious that this Devinshea is eliminating what he considers non-helpful Fae. But why would he only do it in the forests? Did he purge his household when he became king? Send them away?”
It is Bibi’s voice that answers, tremulous but strong. “He slaughtered many lesser Fae. It is why my master has begun recruiting from the Unseelie sitheins.”
“So he’s the one who sent the chimera,” I muse.
“Of course it was Lee who sent a monster to kill us all,” Rhys complains, but I also notice he’s still holding Shy’s hand, still staring at her like she’s the sun in the sky.
Like he knows what Ostara explained to her, what she now understands will make a huge difference in her accepting their relationship. Perhaps going on a mission together will seal their bond, though I worry about them making the journey with his face so close to his father’s. And apparently the leader of the resistance.
“The question now is why Arawn would send us here. And why would he not be here to greet us or send us further instructions?” Devinshea has taken over the body again, and he stops at the edge of the open-air windows, looking out over the starry night. “It makes no sense.”