Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 165618 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 662(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165618 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 662(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
He was referring to their current accommodation, and she understood his disdain.
The crumbling human stronghold that had been abandoned centuries ago, an edifice built into a mountain in the Center, a stronghold that she’d retrofitted to be one of their refuges should her plans go awry, was far from what they were used to.
There might be little luxury, but it was warm. It was comfortable. They had food.
And they were very far away from anyone, so no one could hear a being scream.
“We will not leave our land,” she retorted.
“They’re going to find us,” he whined.
She took in yet another steadying breath but fortunately was saved from having to respond when one of her males filled the doorway.
“Your Majesty,” he said.
“Yes?” Arnaud replied.
“He meant me,” Tatra gritted between her teeth.
Her son’s pout returned.
She shifted her attention to the male at the door. “Are they here?”
He dipped his chin. “They are, Your Majesty.”
She rose.
Arnaud rose.
She didn’t move further as she addressed the male. “Tell them I’ll be with them in a moment.”
Another chin dip from the male and he vanished from the doorframe.
Tatra now addressed her son. “You aren’t coming.”
His eyes widened. “You’re joking.”
“They think you a fool.”
“I’m not a fool,” he snapped.
In a flash, she was before him, her fingers wrapped around his neck tightly as she’d used them to drag him up from the sofa.
He gurgled and now his eyes were bugged out.
Yes.
Indeed.
It was time to get control of her boy.
“You are a fool,” she bit. “But you are my fool. I give you your head, Arnaud, do not make me tighten the leash.”
He gurgled some more.
But he did not fight her.
He could take her. His younger age. His superior strength as a male.
He did not fight her.
Weak.
Darynda birthed a warrior.
Darynda birthed a king.
The bitter taste of that never left Tatra’s mouth.
Darynda should never have done what she’d done.
Calisa should never have done what she’d done.
Felenia should never have done what she’d done.
Elspeth should never have done what she’d done.
Salyna should never have done what she’d done.
But they had.
And now there was this.
She would have it all.
She’d spent over thirty years planning it.
And she would not…
Would not…
Fail.
She released her son, hissed, “Stay,” and exited the room.
She had more males to put on her leash.
Arnaud did not follow.
The Isle of the Sacred
“This is my son and daughter you’re talking about,” Calisa hissed.
There was a stamping of feet and a snapping of fingers all around.
“We watch,” the Council of Three stated in unison.
“We do?” Felenia asked. “So can you explain Monique?”
“You ask a question you know the answer to. In this case, you know she is the Visitor,” Clover, one of the Council of Three, reminded Felenia with strained patience.
“And you know my nephew is also in the line of this fire,” Felenia did her own reminding.
“Prince Cormac is being watched,” Clover retorted.
“Watched!” Elspeth threw up her hands, exasperated, but she said no more.
“We were informed your son made contact,” Juliliel, another member of the Council of Three, noted.
“Dinyn did,” Elspeth replied. “But he couldn’t exactly say, ‘Hey, my mom is a Sister of the Tribe. You can trust me. I’m an ally.’”
“He can now,” Salyna murmured. “Monique spilled the beans.”
“She had no choice,” Clover stated. “She had her orders. Intervene covertly, unless the danger level was such, exposure was necessary. The danger was such, exposure was necessary. Therefore, she followed her orders to the letter.”
Elspeth eyed Monique where she sat under the shining sun across the open-air oval space on a bench carved in white stone.
“We need to send more Visitors,” Salyna declared.
“Monique seems to be working just fine,” Elleliese, the last member of the Council of Three said.
“And it is my future king who’s on the line. I don’t have to remind you, me, and all my ancestors, have been assigned to serve the Dayrise Dynasty since it emerged,” Salyna said.
Before any of the Council could reply, Calisa’s voice rang out.
“I call a vote on sending more Visitors!”
As the noise of the stamping feet and snapping fingers rose, Clover snatched up her staff and struck its edge against the white stone by her feet.
A great wave of light flashed out from the strike, rushing over the space, and the assemblage went silent.
“It is up to them to fight this battle,” Clover told them what they all knew. “It is a test of the gods they must best on their own.”
“We failed the last time,” Felenia returned.
“It is up to them,” Clover repeated. “As it was the last time.”
“With some help,” Elspeth put in.
“As with the last time, the Visitor was chosen by the gods,” Clover shot back.
“We haven’t exactly stayed tucked safe on this isle,” Felenia pointed out. “Calisa is Queen of Night’s Fall. I’m a Royal Princess of Land’s End. Elspeth is the mother of a representative of the Center. Salyna is an advisor to the crown of Dawn’s Break. And our lost sister Darynda birthed the current king of Sky’s Edge. We’re entrenched. We’re involved. And the beings we love, and some of us birthed, are in mortal danger.”