Page 5 of The Gods We Defy (All Gods Must Die #2)
CHAPTER 5
L ord Cain’s little reveal tumbles around in my mind as we move toward our destination.
Peeking through the tarp, I glance out at the fae lands and watch on as the green trees soon turn to brown and then to black the closer we get to Túr Rí.
The effect on nature is unnatural. Just like Veles said. It’s as if the land is not only being tainted but also starved.
The ground is barren with long cracks running in every direction. They’re not deep enough to fall into, but they make the travel by carriage a bumpy ride.
Trees soon become rotting corpses of their former glory, brittle and weak. The land grows more desolate, more uneven, revealing even more devastation and ravaged ruins of what must have once been a beautiful place.
This is what Veles meant. The gods’ presence in this world is enough to taint it by their existence alone. And if they can cause such desolation, I can only imagine how truly powerful they are up close.
A cold shiver works its way down my spine at the thought of meeting one.
I thought all gods were long gone from this world. I also thought the kingdom of Findias was my cage, but if what Veles said was true, that cage was the only thing keeping us all safe from the gods.
Though, I still believe we should have been given a choice. We shouldn’t be living in ignorance, so blind from our lack of knowledge.
What did Kestral mean when he said we were their only hope against the gods? How could we be? The Caligo and Sidus are not as powerful as the fae and most definitely nowhere near as powerful as a god.
These trials are meant to find a chosen. One who will supposedly awaken with some hidden strength. But what then? What will this chosen do that can help the fae remove the gods’ taint on this world?
It feels like it’s all just another game. Something someone with way too much time on their hands came up with to pass the seasons.
Sighing to myself, my gaze finds Lord Cain’s back as he continues to direct the horse and carriage.
If he has noticed my silence, he doesn’t say anything about it. He leaves me to stew in my confusion and anger. I stay that way, lost in my thoughts about who Kestral and my new friends are, until I realize how foolish I’m being.
I’m heading to a place I have no knowledge about, to trials that could be my end. I should be using this time to gain as much information as possible.
“What are the trials like?” I ask, dragging Lord Cain out of his own silence with a jolt.
He sighs, tightening the long robe around him as the air quickly turns cold and bitter. “They change each time, but they all will try to break you. Each of the three trials are meant to push you beyond your limits. You will need to pass the first trial in order to make it to the second, and so on. The first begins three weeks from now. You will only know what the trial entails right before it starts.” He glances over his shoulder at me and frowns. “Túr Rí will provide food and shelter. Find a place to train daily and stay in shape.”
I glance down at myself. My body is still toned and fit from the constant fights, but I’ve lost weight. Too much.
“The chosen are placed closer to the underground passages, so it should be easier for you to search for the green stone.” He places the reins to his right before turning around and rummaging through the pile of clothes beside him and handing me something black.
I reach out and take it only to find it’s a black mask lined with gold around its edges.
“Anonymity among the chosen is vital to staying alive. All chosen wear masks similar to mine or they cover their faces, they will also all wear armor. I’ll provide what you need. But you’ll have to make it through the trials by yourself.”
I place the mask on and a pulse of power swirls around me as it molds to my face, leaving only my eyes visible. It’s soft against my skin and even though it covers my nose and mouth, I can still breathe easily.
I look at Lord Cain through the mask, and he nods to himself. “It will stay on even in a fight. Most chosen masks or covers are made with some form of power. They will not fall off easily and can only be removed by the owner.”
My brows rise. “The other chosen kill each other off?” Taking off the mask, I place it beside me.
“Without a second thought. There are no limitations. The original rules are no longer in place, serving to only making the trials more vicious. The one who wins the trials will gain a title, power, and riches beyond their wildest dreams. The other chosen will kill you quicker than help you. Do not trust anyone. You are but an obstacle in their way. One they are only too happy to remove,” he warns just as the storm overhead grows darker.
“We will be close soon. Eat and rest some more. You’ll need your strength.”
Heeding his words for now, I lay down and close my eyes, letting the swaying rock of the carriage lull me to sleep. But sleep comes too slowly, eventually leaving me alone in the darkness.
I feel like I have only just closed my eyes, the darkness snuffing everything out around me, when I wake with a jolt as the carriage comes to an abrupt stop. The howling wind reaches my ears as it moves around us and the bitter cold turns icy, seeping into every inch of my body.
“This is as far as I can take you. The wards only allow outsiders to get so far.” He hands me a large pouch of items. “Your token is inside. Take it out.”
Reaching into the pouch, my hand immediately finds a small, hard, rectangular item. I take it out and hold it in my hand. The entire token looks to be made of iron, but there is a strange silver pattern that almost glows on the front of it.
Lord Cain begins mumbling something and I feel the minute the power awakens from inside it. It moves to me and back to the token, over and over until it feels like we’ve merged as one.
“It is done.” He looks at me and hands me a black cloak. “The token will now recognize only you as its owner. Go to the entrance and place it in the doorway. It will allow you access. Stay on this path and move up toward the mountains. There is a small path you can follow. It curves to the right before opening up to steps made from the mountain itself. Up a little further is where you will find the entrance. You can’t miss it.” He turns back around and takes the reins once more, and I take it as my cue to leave.
Covering my face with the mask, I wrap the cloak around me and pull up my hood before getting out of the carriage and stepping into the soft snow. Wearing the pouch across me, I move to take a step when Lord Cain speaks.
“There is a geas woven into our deal,” he warns. “You cannot tell anyone about it. It is necessary to protect us both.”
My body freezes, and I turn to look him in the eye. “What happens if I do tell anyone?”
There’s a glint of something dark in his eyes and it immediately sets my nerves alight. “You can’t. The geas will not allow it. If somehow you find a way around it, I promise you, it will hurt.”
Clenching my fists by my side, I nod to him before making a move. There is no turning back time. I will have to go through with this to whatever end.
“One more thing,” Lord Cain calls out, stopping me in my tracks. I turn to look at him again and the ruthless look now in his eyes makes my stomach drop.
I knew there would be some other catch, and it seems that I am about to find out the extent of it.
“Our deal will last until just after the end of the last trial. But should you not find the stone before then, our little deal will expire… along with you.”