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)
“Good.”
Tyche frowned at Shey. “I’m a coward, Shey. With my help, they might have tipped the scales in their favor.”
Shey grabbed Tyche’s jaw and pinched it hard, forcing him to hold Shey’s stony gaze. “She defeated two other minor gods and was on the cusp of beating two more. I’ve experienced enough of the battlefield to recognize an impossible fight. Retreating and regrouping are always better than dying for nothing.”
“I ran. Obviously.” Tyche turned his head, and Shey released him, his heart breaking for his friend. “As I escaped, I tripped on the body of one of my companions. He was nearly dead. I tried to put him on my back so I could bring him along, but he said no. He’d only slow me down. There was already a large gash across his chest. He reached inside and pulled out his sarira. I was horrified. They’d talked about Zyros stealing power this way, but I’d never seen it. He pressed his into my hand and told me to use it or hide. Just never let her have it. I didn’t question it. He took his last breath, and I ran.”
“You escaped and survived.” Shey touched his cheek, wiping away a stray tear. “I’m glad.”
“Zyros pursued me for years. Always a few steps behind. I could never settle. Never risk talking to anyone or using my powers. It was only after I ventured into what became Ilon that she finally backed off and left me alone. Years later, I learned there was something between her and Lore, the God of Wisdom. In truth, I didn’t care so long as I was safe. I hid in those lands for centuries until the God War and the formation of the godstones. Still, I waited centuries to dare venture out and live again. I told myself it was safe to forget about what happened.”
Shey frowned. “But you didn’t forget. I see it in your eyes. In how you keep up walls against the world. In how you act with Caelan. That nightmare was always lurking in the forefront of your mind.”
“No, I didn’t forget completely. I never forgot about those of my own kind that she killed. There were others I knew who disappeared, killed by her as well. At the end, there were so few of us left. It’s no wonder that all of Thia forgot about us. Stopped worshiping.” He lifted his hand and harshly rubbed his eyes. Tyche paced away from where he stood near Shey, his hands dropping to his sides, balled into fists. “No, this isn’t what I wanted to tell you.”
Shey straightened and took a step toward Tyche, but stopped, wanting to give him some space. “Take your time. We have all night.”
Tyche turned, a soft smile on his lips and a sparkle of unshed tears in his eyes. The look of gratitude tightened something in Shey’s throat. “Thank you.”
“I want to know everything about you. Good and bad. I’ll happily listen to any story you have to tell.”
Tyche’s smile crumbled slightly. “Kaes and I have a bit of a past.”
Shey snorted. “Yeah, I caught a hint of that in Bellcairn.”
“He approached me shortly after my first encounter with Zyros. He knew I had the power of another minor god.” As he spoke, he tapped his head.
Shey clutched his own forehead. “Why there? Wasn’t that painful?”
Tyche shrugged, looking embarrassed. “Only putting it in and taking it out. The culmination of our powers rests down here.” He waved his hand across his chest and stomach. “Either behind our hearts or near our stomachs. I didn’t want his powers and mine to merge, but I had to keep them safe on me. In my head seemed like a smart alternative.”
Shey closed the distance between them, grabbed Tyche’s head gently, and kissed the side. “Just the idea of it scares me.”
“Kaes scares me, but becoming like Zyros scared me more. Kaes pressed me to merge those stolen powers with my own. He told me this was my chance to rise to become a major god. To take on Zyros and stop her slaughter.” Tyche held his empty hands out in front of him, slowly curling his fingers in. “I have no illusions about my abilities. I’m not a fighter. Never have been. My ability to remain alive this long has been luck.” His eyes snapped up to Shey’s face, his lips trembling. “Pure luck.”
“And brains. You’re smart. Resourceful. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“If I were so smart, I would have chucked Wu’s powers into his shrine when I learned that was a way of locking them away,” Tyche muttered.
“Wu?”
Tyche wandered to the railing and sat on it. “Wu, God of Accidents. Nice guy. A bit of a klutz.”
Shey smirked and tilted his head so that it was in Tyche’s line of sight. “You mean a bit accident-prone.”