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)
“Fiona never spoke of it.”
Queen Noemi resumed her chair and clicked her tongue once. “Probably because she had an older brother she was trying very hard to impress. General Bast is acting as her aide, but she’s excelling in her position as a sniper.”
Shey bowed his head. “I can’t wait to see my sister, so I can congratulate her on her success.”
“Good. In the meantime, Pritchard is working on uncovering spies and assassins within the city. If you leave the protection of the palace, you must have bodyguards with you. Also, that man Caelan sent to you. Vitor?”
Shey nodded. “One of Caelan’s intelligence agents. He was trying to crack into a computer to gather information for us.”
“Yes, he’s been working with our hackers and has promised a fair exchange of information. I believe he sent word that they got into the phone and the computer today, but with everything happening, I haven’t been able to learn what he’s discovered.”
Tyche laid a hand on Shey’s arm, drawing his gaze to him. “It can wait.”
“Are you sure?”
Tyche shrugged, a sad look filling his eyes. “It’s clear what was happening in Damardor has been going on for a long time. I don’t wish to see innocent people hurt, but the situation in Sirelis is more urgent. There is also the matter of Haru. We’re stretched too thin. Sacrifices must be made. Right now, our priority is Caspagir.”
Shey barely suppressed the urge to grab Tyche’s hand and thread their fingers together. His heart squeezed at Tyche’s thoughtfulness. He understood that Shey’s first calling was to his country. “Except we both know that this attack on Caspagir is nothing but a distraction.”
“Distraction or not, they are killing Caspagir citizens and destroying their homes,” Queen Noemi cut in.
Tyche released Shey’s arm and walked up to the edge of the desk. “If I might be so bold, Your Majesty, I would suggest that we fight the Federation of Order until we can force them to the negotiating table. Fight distraction with distraction. It will stop the killing of your people and allow us to return to the matter at heart—the hunting of minor gods for their powers.”
Shey’s mother gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “Dear gods, no!”
“That’s what we found,” Shey said as he moved closer to the desk. “They say they’re hunting for magic, but in truth, we think that someone knows that the magic they are hunting for is linked to gods. Someone in a place of power within this new Federation is searching for minor gods, killing them, and stealing their power.”
Queen Noemi lowered her hands from her mouth, and deep lines of anger dug into her face. “No, this must be stopped. Have you told Caelan of this?”
“Yes, it is why Adrian is with us—to help and keep him abreast of the situation.” He had a feeling that she’d expected Caelan to take a more hands-on approach since he had his own powers, but it seemed the relatively new major god was trying to keep his major god powers tied to major god problems.
“Very well. What—”
A sudden sweep of darkness enveloped the room. The fading evening light coming through the windows vanished as if a giant monster had swallowed the sun. An icy wind whooshed through, rattling papers and shoving curtains about, followed by a demonic howl.
“Shit!” Tyche swore.
He didn’t need to say more. Something had happened to Haru and Adrian. The dragon had lost control of the nightmare powers within him, plunging a city at war into a nightmare.
FIFTEEN
ADRIAN WESTERGREN
Pain.
Everything hurt.
Fuck.
Consciousness steadily crept into Adrian’s brain, and he realized he hated every decision he’d made that had brought him to this moment.
What the fuck? Was that his hair? Did his hair actually hurt? No, that was only the pain radiating from his skull through each follicle and strand.
Clenching his teeth, Adrian sucked in a slow, deep breath, trying to brace a little better against the overwhelming pain. He held the air in his lungs for a count of three and pushed it out with the same slowness. The pain seemed to recede like a wave retreating from the shore, and the fog in his brain cleared.
The last thing he recalled was walking down the street with Haru. His dragon’s bottomless pit of a stomach had grumbled, and they’d been checking their funds to see how much money they had between them. It hadn’t been good. Adrian had a wad of cash from both Erya and Damardor, but no Caspagir currency. Of course, he possessed a credit card that was paid for by the royal family. Haru had argued that his cousin wouldn’t begrudge them a hearty meal after beating the crap out of some New Rosanthe ships.
Just as they’d decided where to eat, there had been a scream. Adrian had turned to see a woman run out of a building, her arms above her head as she’d shouted. Without a thought, Adrian had lurched forward, his feet carrying him toward the trouble only to be thrown backward as the building had exploded.