Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
“I’m a wanderer. I don’t have an affiliation with any kingdom. Even if they were to discover that I’m a minor god, what repercussions would there be for Erya, Caspagir, or the Isle of Stone? None. There is no way to spin my involvement to launch a new war. Fuck, I could claim that it’s heavenly justice for the gods he had murdered.”
Shey squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. When they opened, there was a new shininess to them. His voice trembled as he said, “I hate you.”
But that wasn’t what Tyche heard. His heart skipped, and his throat squeezed so tight he couldn’t even swallow.
“This is a horrible, stupid idea,” Shey continued. He remained on the opposite side of the room, his arms folded so tightly across his chest that the muscles in his biceps flexed and bulged.
Tyche shoved his bones into his pocket and rolled off the bed. “You’re right. This is a horrible, stupid idea.” He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around Shey’s waist. “I suggest that we all run off to the Isle of Stone where we can hide for the rest of our lives, ignoring the rest of the world. However, I know you won’t do that. Adrian would never agree to it. And Haru follows Adrian, so he’d never agree either. So we’re just stuck.”
Shey hugged Tyche, pulling him in tight while peppering his forehead, cheeks, nose, and lips with kisses. “Horrible. Stupid. Ridiculous. I don’t like this at all. And I don’t agree to it…yet. Let’s…let’s get to Bellcairn and check out the full situation before we make any final plans.”
That was the best he was going to get out of Shey, and Tyche could accept that. It couldn’t be easy to allow someone you cared about to walk into danger, knowing they didn’t stand a good chance of walking out again.
“Thank you.” Tyche smiled at the amazing man in his arms. Never in his very long life had he expected to experience this. “I want to do this if it means I can protect you, Adrian, and Haru, as well as the people of your kingdoms.” He made a sound of disgust. “I’m a freaking god, Shey. I’ve benefited for lifetimes from the kindness of humans. It would be nice to be a bit more helpful. Let me return some of that kindness.”
“I have little doubt that you’ve helped countless people through the centuries in your own way. You don’t owe humanity anything.”
Tyche rested his head on Shey’s shoulder, tightening his arms around Shey’s waist. “Can I ask a favor, though?”
“Of course.”
“If I die, I want you to invite Rayne to the funeral, and I want you to make a big scene sobbing over my ashes.”
“Ty,” Shey growled.
“Oh! And you have to proclaim loudly that I was the very best lover you ever had.”
“Ty.”
“And you must swear off boyfriends and sex for the rest of your life. You have to devote the rest of your life to being the most devout priest of the God of Chaos.”
By now, Shey’s low chuckles filled the room. His big hands moved up and down Tyche’s back in a warm, soothing massage.
“Should I tell your followers that you accept only offerings of coffee?”
“Yes, that would be acceptable.”
Shey loosened his grip on Tyche so he could gaze at his face. “If I agree to this stupid plan, you have to do me a favor.”
“Sure.”
“Don’t die.”
The lump returned in Tyche’s throat, but he braved out the moment with a cheeky smile. “Give me some credit. I’m the God of Chaos. No one is going to kill me that easily.”
Especially if he had a hot prince waiting for him. No matter what, he would find his way to Shey’s arms again, and nothing would save those who tried to stop him.
TWENTY-EIGHT
ADRIAN WESTERGREN
“What do you mean, they’re checking vehicles?”
Jules’s panicked voice cut through the conversation in the SUV, silencing everyone as they strained to hear the answer from whomever he was talking to. Their new partner in crime had received a call from people in The Citizens Restoration Group who were in Bellcairn and were supposed to be monitoring any activity within the city, particularly the actions of the local law enforcement.
“Called it,” Adrian grunted from behind the steering wheel. His hands tightened on the wheel, and he straightened from his slouch as he started scanning the immediate area for a turnoff. They were in a long line of traffic to enter the former Damardor capital through what they had hoped was a little-used set of side streets, but clearly, they weren’t the only ones who’d thought of this approach.
It had taken them two days of driving to get to the outskirts of Bellcairn. Jules had received regular updates from his people, hearing news of increased patrols and painfully conspicuous black vans rolling down the streets. Here and there, they would randomly stop, and men in body armor would pop out to grab people and chuck them into the vans. The chancellor’s arrival was less than a week away, but the streets were deserted. People darted out from the safety of their homes long enough to get food and hurried back again.