Page 49

The flowers swiftly disintegrated into black muck. Hel dropped to a knee beside them, and with a quick flick of his hand the mess vanished. He pressed his fingers to the side of her neck and shook his head. “Poison,” he muttered and turned her face side to side. Blood slowly dripped out of her nose, eyes, and from her ears.

“Do something, Hel!” Thane shouted. “Save her! I don’t care if you hate her. This is my mother!”

He touched her neck again then sighed. “I’m sorry. She’s already gone.”

“Bring her back!” Thane pulled her limp body against his chest. Why did she already feel cold? He began to tremble as memories of her flashed in his mind. Her clapping when he first picked up a sword and swung it. Playing hide and seek with him as a child. There were many times she intervened when Tenebrisbeat him. She took a blow or two herself by stepping in between them.

“I can’t,” Hel said, softly. “You know I can’t bring people back from death.”

Thane gently laid her on the floor, her brown curls spilled out from the pins holding them in place and her crown clattered to the ground. He turned to Hel and shoved a finger into his chest. “If you did this…”

His brows pulled down and he looked truly offended. “Why would you blame me?” He snapped back.

“You threatened to kill her a moment ago and then someone just happens to bring poisonous flowers? This has you written all over it!” He shoved him hard in the chest and Hel fell back.

With a low growl, he stood and glared down at him. “I didn’t do this. You wanted to know the council’s next move, well now you do. I’m sorry your mother got caught in the crossfire.” He vanished in a puff of gray smoke. Thane slammed his fist into the ground, cracking the white tile, and let out a roar.

It wasa week later that Thane pressed his palm against the cold gray stone of Orlandia Morningflower’s tomb. Her likeness was already being carved into the door. The quiettap, tap tap, mingled with the sounds of birds chirping. The stone carver paused only a moment to watch him then went back to his work. She would have wanted a large celebration for her life and to be honored by their people. Despite not wanting to have any parties he would give her that as a gift. He’d have Talon and the staff plan it for the following weekend. Right now, it seemed the council wanted to play games and not bring a full-scale war.

A quiet rustle caught his ear and Hel appeared beside him, wearing an all-black suit, hair combed back in a way he only wore for ceremonial purposes. He tucked his hands behind himself and carefully inspected Thane. “I am sorry, Thane. I mean that.”

He kept his hand on the stone, like if he did so long enough it would bring her back. “I killed my own father and now my mother is also dead because of me.”

“You can’t blame yourself for Pricilla’s wickedness.”

“My past is destroying the present,” he grumbled.

“I know exactly what you mean.” He watched a blue sparrow fly by and cleared his throat. “It’s time to retaliate. They took one of ours. We’ll take one of theirs.”

Thane dropped his hand from his mother’s tomb and faced his cousin. There was no more waiting for the council to make a move. They needed reminding who the god of war was. “Whatever it is, I’m in.”

Chapter 15

VALEEN

Street vendors shouted at passersby to come enjoy the tastes and styles of the city of Nelfara. Exotic spices and smells of roasting meat drifted out among the large crowds gathered under the light drizzle of rain. A breeze threatened to toss Valeen’s hood back, so she gripped the edges of the fabric. It would be improbable odds for anyone to recognize her, but she couldn’t be too careful.

“Fresh spices from the hills of the goddess of the harvest! You won’t find any better!” shouted a male with a large round hat with a circular brim. Old brown feathers poked out of the left side.

There was a healthy mixture of demigods, humans, elves, dwarves, and shifters of many kinds in this city. Runevale was the melting pot of the realms; before the way was shut, the gods and goddesses had brought many races from every known kingdom and system of the living to thrive in their territories. Most thought of it as a gift to be chosen.

She had yet to spot a full-blooded god or goddess in the streets. They rarely did their own shopping, and things hadn’t changed in her absence; most wouldn’t be caught doing such a“lowly” task, and would have no reason to be in the commoner markets. Several streets over would be the stretch for the affluent, wealthy, and high-status families.

A street she’d avoid at all costs. Right now, she, Hel, and Thane needed to blend in as commoners.

A dwarf with a large, bushy beard braided into three plaits grinned up at her as she passed. He waved his arm over a precious gold jewelry set on a table display. “The finest gold for a fine lady. Perhaps one of you gents wants to purchase your partner a lovely necklace?” He stared up at Hel, whose face was half covered under his hood, hiding his distinctive rune marks and red eyes. Looking startled he turned to Thane with a half-smile.

The gold pieces were likely fake or stolen at the prices listed and the fact that he wasn’t in an area where most people could afford such gaudy pieces. “Another time, dwarf,” Hel said in their mother tongue, the commonly spoken language on Runevale.

They walked on until someone gripped her wrist, she broke the hold, twisted the assailant’s arm and whirled to find a merchant grimacing with a bottle of bubbling pink liquid in his other hand. “My apologies, lady. I only wanted to show you the finest skin-perfecting potion in the territory.”

She squeezed a little harder, digging her nails into the skin of his forearm. “Do I look like I need it?”

His caterpillar-like black brows rose high on his forehead. “No, lady. I didn’t mean it that way. Your beauty is unmatched, lady. I only meant…”

Valeen released him. “It’s rude to grab someone to get their attention. Don’t do it again. Next time you might lose a hand.”

“Of course, lady.” He dipped his head and backed toward his stand.