Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 161535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 161535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 808(@200wpm)___ 646(@250wpm)___ 538(@300wpm)
Then again, does it matter? I’m going to be dead and floating off to Heaven, or Nirvana, or Purgatory, or wherever souls go on my side when they die.
The realization that my death might be hours away fills me with fear. “Just so you know, I want to fight until the bitter end. Even if we’re outmatched and it’s hopeless, I’m going to club a few people with my water pitcher. I just can’t roll over and die.”
“I would never ask you to.” When he looks up at me, his expression is fierce. “They’re afraid of him. No one is more feared than Kalos, the Vulture God. Not even my brother’s visage is as hated as mine. We have an advantage, though. They’ll fear him, but no one fears Apathy.”
A pause.
The look on his face becomes terrifying. “And that’s where they’re wrong.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Protect you.” His fingers twist into my skirt, as if he needs to hold me ever closer.
I’m suddenly afraid for the others. They don’t know who they’re messing with.
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
Even though I’m exhausted, we talk through the night and come up with a plan. It’s a simple plan, no more than a bit of talking through scenarios, and the rest of the time, we wrap around each other and hold tight. Every moment might be my last moment with him, and I want to breathe in the scent of him, the soft drift of his hair against my skin, the way his nose grazes my temple when he leans close.
I have to savor every second, imprint them in my memory for all time.
When dawn approaches, he touches my face one last time, gives me a kiss, and sits in his chair again, sinking into a fugue. It’s supposed to be pretend, but his “fugue” seems so real that I immediately feel alone again. I swallow down my hurt, because I know the plan behind it. I do. It just sucks to see him stare off into space, unreachable despite being a few feet away.
I put my shoes on and cover my legs with blankets, watching the door. Through it, I can hear people moving about in the hallway, and I hold myself steady when the door opens and a smiling priestess enters with a big tray of food. She nods at a guard who holds the door open for her. “Good morning,” she calls gaily, heading to the small table. “I’ve brought you food to break your fast—”
Quick as lightning, Kalos is up and out of his chair. His hand goes around the priestess’s throat, and he pushes her to the wall. Her eyes go wide and bug out, her face flushing.
I sneeze violently, again and again.
“You feel that?” Kalos says to the priestess as he releases her. He smooths her veil back from her face, all calculated smiles. “I’ve just given you the plague. Not just any plague, either. Your insides are tickling right now, but before you can make it back to the kitchen, you’re going to be stricken with pain. You’re going to vomit blood, and before the day is out, your innards are going to melt. Your sisters are going to try to help you, like the good priestesses they are, but they’re all going to get infected, too. Every single one of you is going to die a wretched, horrible death before the next day passes.” His smile grows broader, and he chucks her chin. “Unless you bring Alithia in here right now, because we want answers.”
She looks over at me in terror.
I sneeze again, snot running down my face. I wipe it with one of the linen napkins, but my eyes are tearing and my nose won’t stop tickling. “S’true,” I manage between sneezes. “Sorry.”
A terrified sob escapes her, and she nods, stumbling out of the room. She pauses in the doorway, retches, and sobs harder as she races away. The guards in the hall watch but don’t move, their hands on their swords. They’re unsure and too cowardly to enter. Their orders are probably to keep us in this room, but since we’re not leaving, they don’t know how to respond.
I slide out of bed and move to Kalos’s side, grabbing a muffin as I do. My sneezing has stopped momentarily and I blow my nose. “Are we really going to kill her? She might be innocent.”
“My sweet, sunshine-y Elsie, you need to understand that I will destroy every single person that so much as threatens a hair upon your lovely head.” He brushes a lock of hair back from my face with tender hands, a far cry from the ruthless god he was just a moment ago. “And if they’re not letting us in on their plans, I absolutely consider them a threat.”
I manage a nod and go back to eating my muffin. I’m going to need my strength if we’re busting out of here. Hopefully. We just need some information from Alithia first.