Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110079 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Caelan straightened. His long fingers drummed on the arm of his chair for a moment before he sighed. “That’s a shame. No more Goddess of Nightmares. So many other gods and goddesses lost. I refuse to believe that they were all as feckless and troublesome as Tula, Kaes, and Nyx. At least some of them had to have taken their roles in existence seriously.” With his brow furrowed, he looked over at Tyche. “Or at the very least, pursued a quiet existence like you.”
A giggle escaped Tyche, and he had to cover his mouth to hold the sound in. He glanced up to see lines crisscrossing Caelan’s brow and a frown forming.
“What?” the king inquired.
“It’s a very naïve statement on your part. That’s all.” Tyche dropped his hands to his lap and chuckled. “Just because we’re minor gods doesn’t mean that we’re not reckless, petty, and stupid like humans. Oh! And bored. So fucking bored sometimes. The difference between us and the major gods is that usually our magic doesn’t create mass death and destruction. But sometimes, our interference at the right or wrong time can have catastrophic results far beyond our expectations. Luckily, that is far rarer.”
Caelan’s expression turned sardonic. “You’re probably right.”
“But you can’t blame everything on the gods. Sometimes humans are simply humans. They make plenty of their own messes.” Tyche brushed his hands together as if washing them of all that nonsense that had nothing to do with him, and he jumped to his feet. “I like your suggestion. If Omari Nori would loan me half a dozen dragons for a trip to Brightspire, we can get that sarira out of Haru now.”
Caelan pushed to his feet as well. “I don’t think it will be a problem.” He motioned for Tyche to precede him toward the doors that led into the building and out of the garden. “After you lay Yesuntei’s powers to rest, do you have plans?”
Tyche’s mouth popped open, ready to state that he would hurry to meet up with Shey, Adrian, and Haru to deal with the Damardor mess, but the words got caught in his throat. Did that make sense? Why would he tag along with them when all he would do is hold them back? He wasn’t a fighter, and his luck magic wasn’t reliably useful. What good would he be to them? None.
They didn’t need him.
He’d be a burden. A nuisance.
Tyche’s shoulders slumped, and his steps slowed to a stop. He frowned at the pond. A minute ago, the day had seemed so bright and productive. He’d had a plan to save Haru and get Teitei’s powers tucked away permanently. Everything had been moving forward in a positive way, and now…it was like a dark cloud had poured across the sky, blocking out the cheery sunlight.
What was left for him? Just his old, lonely life of traveling from one random city to another, scratching together a cheap existence pretending to tell fortunes and trying to escape the notice of more powerful gods.
“If you don’t have any specific plans, I would like to invite you to come stay in Stormbreak for a time. I could have you set up in a comfortable residence. As you’re aware, I don’t have anyone else I can ask questions about what it means to be a god, and I would appreciate the chance to pick your brain.”
Caelan’s cautious and gentle comments brought a hint of a smile to Tyche’s lips, and he almost nodded. A visit to Stormbreak under the God of Hope’s protection was a very tempting offer. He’d not been in Erya in a long time, and seeing Stormbreak sounded interesting.
“I would love to see you, but I promised Shey—” The words were out of his mouth before he could catch all of them.
The king’s eyes widened, and he took a step closer to Tyche. “Prince Shey, huh?”
Tyche scoffed. “He promised to take me on a food tour of Sirelis. That’s all.”
But there was a glimmer of something in Caelan’s eyes that made Tyche think Caelan didn’t buy his excuse. Like he thought something else was going on. Which was pure bullshit. There wasn’t anything. At all.
So, naturally, Prince Shey and Megumi burst into the garden at that exact moment, sending Tyche’s heart rate skyrocketing.
“We got word that the dragons sent to Stormbreak are on their way here,” Megumi announced, her dark eyebrows knitting together over her nose.
Tyche’s brow furrowed as he gazed at Caelan. “You had more dragons in Stormbreak than Drayce?”
Caelan grunted. “When Nori reached out to me about Haru, I told him that Drayce and I would come immediately. In response, he sent a pair of dragons to Stormbreak in the event that there was an emergency and someone needed to reach me. There must be a serious problem if they’re returning.”