Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
One of the half-bloods slowly raised his hands. “We are not here to fight!” he called out, all assurance. “We come in peace!”
Uh, forgive us if we don’t trust that.
They seemed to be alone, but they weren’t likely to launch an attack without their armies present. Said armies could be lingering in the woods.
“You know you’re not welcome here, Theseus,” said Ajax, a vein of tension running through his long, burly build. “None of you are.”
Theseus very slowly cocked his head. “Can you imagine what it would be like to be unwelcome in what was once your home?”
Ajax stared at him steadily. “You only have yourself to blame for that.” There were no hints of mercy or sympathy in his deep voice.
“The blame does not entirely lie with us,” cut in a female half-blood. Her gaze flitted to Talon, and a taunting smirk curved her mouth. “Talon, you look far better than the last time I saw you. But then, you’d been covered in blood, hadn’t you?”
This had to be Medea. It was rumored that she’d once tried to take his life. And, as such, it was tempting to let my arrow sink right into her heart.
Talon responded to her comment with only a blank, uncaring stare. Well, it wasn’t like he wasn’t using to people making attempts on his life—he was Cardinal of the Black Tapestry, after all. Trying to kill him didn’t make her special.
The second—and rather tall—male half-blood inched up his chin in an arrogant manner. This could only be Daedalus. “Where are the brothers? We wish to speak with them.” It was a demand.
“They’ve been notified of your arrival,” Ajax told him. “If they want to talk to you, they will. If not …”
An angry flush stained Daedalus’ face. “We did not come all this way to be sent home like errant children.”
The curvy female half-blood beside him who had to be Scylla placed a soothing hand on his arm. “The brothers will see us,” she said confidently, her voice soft and almost musical. She smiled up at Talon. “Could we not wait inside the walls?”
Talon gave a hard but slow shake of his head.
“You have no right to deny us entrance,” insisted Daedalus. “Especially not to our childhood home. We are children of the gods.”
The Cardinal gave an unconcerned shrug.
I leaned into Khalida. “He can’t really think he’d be allowed entrance.”
“My guess is he’s hoping that kicking up a stink will provoke the Sovereigns into showing themselves.” Her gaze drifted to something behind me. “And if they hadn’t already planned to, then his little plot paid off.”
I turned to see the Sovereigns walking onto the battlement—cold, composed, menacing.
Theseus’ mouth curved politely. “My Lords,” he greeted, all sarcasm, “what an honor you bestow upon us by granting us an audience.”
Minos sneered down at the visitors. “You would dare come here? Putting aside the fact that you were banished, you recently sicced armies on us.”
Daedalus lifted one finger. “They were merely minor demonstrations.”
“Of what?” demanded Eacus, his usual calm elegance cracking with anger.
“Of what a collective force we are,” Daedalus elaborated, his lips kicking up.
Rhad’s jaw hardened beneath his thick, curly beard. “So it is true that you have all banded together.”
Daedalus only grinned.
Minos fisted his hands, his flushed cheeks mottled. “What do you want?”
It was Theseus who spoke. “You saw the fighters we have at our disposal. Imagine those numbers coming at your city all at once. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“We could have brought them with us today,” Scylla interjected, “but we did not. Though we can take Deimos effortlessly, we would prefer to do it peacefully.”
“A month,” Theseus tossed out. “We will give you a month of no attacks while you gather your belongings, evacuate your people, and safely relocate. Then we will return to claim Deimos.”
Silence fell at the verbal bomb. I’d expected threats, taunts, and maybe even a sneak attack. But not such a warning.
The worrying thing? Their combined armies would be too much for the Tapestry to take on. Especially when it was believed that one or more of the half-bloods were responsible for freeing the Watchers from Tartarus.
Minos’ face flushed with anger. “You truly believe we will tuck tail and run?”
Medea gave him a foul look. “You will if you wish for you and your people to live. You have kept us at bay successfully only because we were divided. That no longer stands.”
“We have allies of our own,” said Eacus.
Theseus’ lips quirked. “Are you sure? For years you have subjugated the Archdukes, demanding proof of their loyalty; insisting on god-like devotion. Can you be certain that they will put their lives on the line for you?”
Unease pricked at my skin. Because it wasn’t a mere query. It was a taunt. He’d either somehow already secured the support of the Archdukes or he felt fairly certain that he could.