Page 29 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)

Chapter Twenty-Five

I feel the divine presence before I’m fully awake. My eyes snap open, revealing the darkness of the bedchamber.

“I am Hallr, God of Stone and Mountains.” His deep, gravel-like rumble rattles my lungs.

Though I can’t see the god, there’s a shimmery presence at the foot of the bed.

According to the priests who tutored me as a child, the Hallr is known for being temperamental and greedy.

He clearly expects an offering. Bitter fear coats my tongue, dry like the dust of rocks stirred up in a storm.

I can almost taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

My pulse races as I scramble out of bed, careful not to wake Sterling.

Just as Narc expects offerings related to the dark, Hallr requires gifts connected to stone or the mountains.

But I have nothing like that. Not here in my room, in bed, while wearing only a nightgown.

How am I supposed to have an offering ready when he’s caught me sleeping? Think, Lark, think.

My room. My clothes. The dress Celeste ordered for me, bedecked with gems and jewels. Ripped and hidden away after Sterling and I headed back to the room, so no one would see the evidence of our impromptu sex in the throne room.

Not the best direction for my thoughts to go while in the presence of a god.

Like a treasure chest forgotten in the corner of a dusty cave, the wardrobe beckons with its sparkling contents. I can almost sense the stones pulsing.

A nearly perfect offering.

I grasp at the jewels, tearing loose the threads that were so painstakingly applied to secure them to the gown.

With trembling hands, I turn back to Hallr’s glistening mass and present the precious stones with a respectful bow. “Please, accept this offering.”

A second passes. Then another. A few more.

“Acceptable.” The gems vanish from my hand.

I let out the breath I was holding. But anxiety still prickles my skin. Why is Hallr here? What could the God of Stone and Mountains possibly want from me in the middle of the night?

And why does Sterling never wake up when things like this happen?

I glance over at him, still slumbering, his silky black hair tousled across the pillow. He’s out.

Steeling myself, I spin back around to face the towering stone god, determined to find out his purpose before he goes on his merry way to…wherever he resides. I can only hope my meager offering is enough to appease his volatile nature.

“In the northernmost reaches of Aclaris,” Hallr’s gravelly voice breaks the tense silence, “where the mist clings thick as a burial shroud, there’s a labyrinth of caves.”

This could be the key I’ve been searching for. Is that why Hallr appeared? To help? “What kind of caves?” Back when I knew Sterling as Instructor Thorne, we fooled around in a cave, but I had no idea Aclaris had an entire cave system.

“Vast. Ancient. Riddled with secrets long forgotten by mortal minds.” There’s a hint of reverence in his words. “They delve deeper into the bones of the earth than any human has dared to venture.”

I commit every word to memory, mind racing ahead. “These caverns, they’re more extensive than anyone realizes?” I might finally have a way forward.

“Nature’s mysteries run deep, little human. Far deeper than your kind can fathom. But for one who bears the blessings of the gods…perhaps a path shall be revealed.”

Blessings of the gods.

A reckless question spills from my lips before I can stop it. “Why are you telling me this? Why are you helping me?”

A long stretch of stony silence ensues. I fear I’ve overstepped, offended him with my impertinence.

Tension squeezes my throat until he exhales. “The night goddess conceals much, even from her fellow deities.” Hallr’s delivery is so abrupt, I can almost feel his scowl. “She did not intend for me to know, but your visions are Mar’s doing.”

Shock jolts through me, followed by a swell of overwhelming gratitude. Mar, the one goddess firmly on my side, is secretly guiding me forward. And now Hallr, too, albeit for reasons I can’t begin to guess.

“I…I don’t know what to say.” I clasp my hands to steady their trembling. “Thank you. Truly. But I have to ask, why do you care what happens to me? To us? Why are you assisting us when Nyc no longer will?”

“Careful.” A note of warning enters his gravelly voice. “The ways of the gods are not for mortals to question.”

I force down the frustration that bubbles up inside me at Hallr’s condescending tone. Eons-old deities and newly crowned queens make for unequal verbal sparring partners.

Instead, I paste on my most placating smile and hope it’s convincing. “Of course. I would never presume to understand the will of the gods. I’m grateful for your help and eager to heed your wisdom.”

Hallr’s snort could trigger a landslide. “Humans always want attention. Then, once they get it, they’re upset.” His mocking drawl sets my teeth on edge, but I hold my tongue.

Moody indeed.

I dip my head, chastened. “I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect.”

Best not to push my luck, not when Hallr has just handed me the opportunity I so desperately need. Whatever his motives, I cannot afford to alienate him.

After a slow breath, I refocus on the revelation at hand. The caves, the path south, the chance to destroy Narc’s body and fulfill my obligations to Nyc. At last, a flicker of light in the darkness.

As blasphemous as that might be.

“I know this is how humans operate because we are always watching.” Hallr’s words slam into me like a physical blow, stealing my breath.

Always watching. My mind reels at the implications. Every moment, every secret, laid bare before the eyes of the gods.

The thought is disturbing on so many levels, but I’m not about to comment and risk pissing him off. “I assure you, I want nothing more than to follow the path you’ve shown me.” I keep my eyes downcast. “Please, if there’s anything else you would have me know…”

“Do not look so stricken, mortal. It’s the way of things. The gods see all, know all.” Seeming to sense my unease, Hallr’s tone softens a fraction. “But we do not judge. We merely…observe.”

Observe.

As if the intimate details of my life are no more than a mildly diverting play put on for their amusement. I feel a sudden kinship with the insects I’ve seen pinned in glass cases, helpless beneath the magnifying lens.

How many times have the gods’ unseen gazes spied on me in my supposed privacy?

The thought leaves me cold.

I shake off the disturbing image and square my shoulders. Whatever the gods may witness, I refuse to let my mind go there. Not when there’s so much at stake.

“I understand.” I hope the tremor in my voice doesn’t betray me. “And I am…honored by your presence.”

“Remember what I have told you. The caves of Aclaris hold the key to your quest. Seek them out within the sand-colored stones. And trust in the path that unfolds before you.”

With that, he’s gone, leaving only a faint whiff of petrichor and the echo of his parting words. My mind whirls as I crawl back onto our bed and sink against the headboard.

The caves. The key. At last, a direction.

But even as a flicker of hope takes root in my chest, I can’t shake the cold prickle of discontent at the base of my skull. The weight of divine eyes, forever fixed upon me.

It’s unsettling.

The game has changed, the stakes risen beyond my wildest imagination. This is not just one goddess wishing for her son’s return or a bereaved sister attempting to purify her brother’s legacy.

And like a fly caught in the gods’ glittery web, I can only struggle forward, praying I don’t become hopelessly entangled in the threads of fate they weave around me.

I turn to Sterling, his face soft with sleep, and my resolve hardens into a keen-edged blade.

With a deep breath, I slip from the bed, my bare feet silent on the cool stone floor. I’m no longer simply Lark Axton. Or even merely a dragoncaller.

I am Queen Lark of Tirene, with all the resources of the kingdom to draw upon.

It’s time to call the council and set in motion the gears of destiny.

As I approach the dresser, my nightgown swishes around my legs. Unease continues to swirl in my gut. This is it. The moment I’ve been preparing for all my life. Yet, as I place my hand on the ornately carved handle, doubt clouds my mind.

Can I really do this? Can I rule a kingdom and fulfill my other callings?

Dragoncaller. Lover. Ash Queen. Phoenix reborn. Woman of prophecy.

The enormity of the responsibility weighs heavily on my shoulders.

But I can’t turn back now.

With a deep breath, I begin to dress, my movements quick and purposeful.

The velvety darkness of predawn envelops me as I sit on the edge of the mattress, tugging on my boots. Despite the pressure, excitement builds within me while I prepare for what lies ahead.

Behind me, Sterling stirs in our shared bed, his motions muffled by the rustle of sheets. “Lark?” His voice is thick with sleep, but I can sense the underlying concern.

When I face him, my heart swells at the sight of his tousled hair and bleary eyes. Even now, with the world in turmoil around us, he takes my breath away. “I had a visitor. Hallr, the God of Stone and Mountains. He showed me a path forward, a way to fulfill my destiny.”

Sterling sits up, the sheets pooling around his waist. His bare chest gleams beneath the ever-lights, and I have to resist the urge to reach out and trace the lines of his taut muscles.

“What’d he say?”

I recount the gist of the conversation. “I don’t know what all this means. But the gods wouldn’t have shown me this path if it wasn’t important. Maybe this is about more than just a mother’s love. Or a sister’s devotion to family. Wherever this clue leads, I have to follow it.”

Sterling’s silent for a long moment, his gaze distant. When he speaks again, his voice is low and intense. “You know I’ll follow you anywhere, Lark. To the ends of the earth and beyond. But this? This feels dangerous. We need to be careful.”

I nod, reaching out to take his hand in mine. His calloused skin is a reminder of the battles he’s fought, all his sacrifices. “I know. That’s why I’m about to call a council meeting. We need to plan, to strategize. We can’t afford to make any mistakes.”

“Agreed.” He squeezes my hand, his eyes searching mine. “And may the gods have mercy on anyone who stands in your way.”