Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“Tch, tch, tch,” Cassius fussed. “Here now. Come here, boy.”
The stallion swung his head side to side and danced this way and that, trying to evade getting close to the prince, not as if he feared the man, as if he was ashamed, but his mare was always there to foil escape.
And finally, as the crowd looked on in amazement, Cassius caught the stallion’s velvet jaw in two hands.
“You came to Ellie and me to be safe, eh?” he asked the creature, moving his head side to side to catch the unicorn’s evasive gaze.
It was not lost on many that their prince referred to his intended as “Ellie.”
Many thought that was very sweet.
Some thought it nauseating.
“And now you are with us and you will be safe,” the prince promised. “For you are my Sky, and she is my Star, and the Sky King cannot do without either. Hmm?”
The stallion nickered.
“Yes, that’s right,” Cassius murmured.
The stallion nickered again, dipped his head and pawed at the cobbles with his hoof.
Cassius moved his hands from the unicorn’s jaw, toward the truncated horn at his head.
And when he did, Princess Elena sprang forward with great alarm, crying, “Cassius, don’t touch his—!”
But the Prince Regent touched the horn.
And the darkness went from the day, the air went stark white and the ground shook.
Triton
At the movement of the earth, Mars raced for his Silence.
And when he found her, she turned her silver gaze to him, and she was smiling.
Marian put her hand to the wall of their underground lair, looking up.
And she frowned.
The pirates ceased shouting at him at the summit table, and Aramus turned his head to look at his wife.
And he caught Ha-Lah grinning.
Serena lifted her head from the crumbling stoop as she felt it, her eyes watching the troll across from her blinking stupidly as he did.
“Sister,” she whispered.
And her heart grew light.
Even as her eyes filled with tears.
Jellan pressed his hands to his throat, closed his eyes, sensed the seismic shift of the veil.
And decided it was time.
True broke his embrace with Farah.
And when he gazed down at her, he saw she was gazing up at him, laughing.
Nandra of Firenze appeared at the henge first.
Rebecca of Wodell flashed in second.
Lena of Mar-el arrived third.
They all went directly to the slab.
But it was Nandra who spoke.
“It is beginning.”
A god moved from the shadows and smiled into the dark.
“Finally, my love, our wait is almost over,” he murmured to nothing.
The Nadirii galloping up the side of the mountain stopped abruptly, for their queen had suddenly tumbled from her horse.
Her lieutenants dismounted instantly and raced to their friend.
And Ophelia lay on her back, gazing up at them…
Dying.
Princess Elena
Highgate (Eastern Gate into Sky Bay)
AIREN
The white left nearly as quickly as it came, but it was as if it was still there, for I could not believe what I was seeing.
Cassius’s hands had not been charred to dust at touching the shorn horn of a living unicorn.
The unicorn was up on two feet, scraping the air with his hooves as his mare pranced around him and Cass slowly stepped back from him, its horn renewed.
Renewed.
“The Phoenix,” I whispered.
And as sheer joy soared through me, I sprinted to my man who turned just in time to catch me up in his arms.
“What did you do?” I asked, framing his face in my hands and looking down upon him as he held me high.
“I’m seeing you aren’t the only one in the family who has magic,” he replied arrogantly.
I gazed at his handsome face before I threw my head back and laughed.
While doing it, Cassius lowered me, my body gliding along his as he did.
And I did not mind our audience, and further paid no mind to the miracle that had just occurred.
For my prince was kissing me.
The People of Airen
Highgate (Eastern Entrance into Sky Bay)
AIREN
Almost all the population of Sky Bay were most startled to see their prince openly embracing the Nadirii.
He was known to have very much loved his wife.
He was known to very much grieve her death.
But now, seeing him vital and happy, it appeared he was healed.
Reborn.
A goodly amount of the population of Sky Bay fell in love with Princess Elena in that very moment.
Another number continued to detest her.
But those last realized they had a very serious problem.
Especially in the now, with their plans so close to being put into action.
For their prince could heal a unicorn.
And that begged a very important question.
For if he could do that…
What other powers did he have?
108
The Taking
Tedrey
Heden District, Fire City
FIRENZE
Fortunately, it was not unusual for a man to move through the narrow alleyways of the Heden District wearing a short, belted sarong at his hips, crossed straps on his chest, and a short cloak with the hood pulled over his head.
For this was how Tedrey had left the home of Nyx and Lorenz after receiving the message from Faunus.