Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
“Fuck,” Cass bit off.
Serena agreed with Cass’s sentiment, for they had all heard of the evil of demons, beings who were of the earth so long ago, they were not even lore. They were myth.
Or, obviously, not.
They were creatures of the gods run amuck. And why not? When your makers gave you extraordinary powers and made you nearly impossible to kill.
“I have good news,” Ry shared.
“Then tell us that,” Mars demanded.
“It is clear from the tomes there were only five. Now, with the heroic efforts of the Great Coven, there are only four. Thus, they are not seeking others to be released,” Ry said.
This was good news for they had all wondered, and worried, in the time between their release, and now, when not much had happened, that they were about the business of just that.
“We know they have the power to transform,” Ry continued. “And we know they have great might. We also know they are not mindless. They are not but animals who act on instinct, for survival or dominion or their pack. They have reason. And last, in also closely studying the lore after the Beast freed himself previously, we feel confident in sharing this is all they are.”
“All?” Farah asked.
Ry tipped his chin to her.
“All. Poison spewing from their mouths that could freeze a being?” He shook his head. “We feel that is myth. We do not know for certain the ability of their quickness, but in examining the time it took for them to leave the stones and find the homesteads in proximity to them in order to commit the atrocities against those five families, it would seem their speed is not beyond a normal human. These we feel, albeit strongly, were exaggerations. Manifestations of the lore passing along the centuries, heightened for the teller to keep the hearer in their grip.”
“You feel this, but you do not know this,” Aramus pressed.
Ry nodded.
No one spoke.
Thus, Ry continued.
“There is, I’m afraid, some bad news.”
“We’re used to that,” Ha-Lah murmured.
“What is it?” Cass asked.
Ry looked to Liam who returned a nonverbal indication he should spit it out.
And he did.
“We feel it is not coincidence, that Rebecca and Nandra were lost.”
That earned the attention of all.
“We feel,” Ry carried on, “it was foretold, that the power of the Great Coven, created after the last time the Beast walked the earth, would rise up to do exactly what it did. Eradicate one of them. And do it at the henge, where the Coven met, and where a witch could garner more power.”
It took a moment for him to speak on, and it did this for it seemed like he wished not to do such, and then he did.
“And we feel there is a reason there are four,” he stated. “Four Beasts. Four couples prophesied. We feel, the way forward, is not that you act as one. We feel it is likely they will not move as a pack. We believe that each prophesied couple will need to strike out on their own to…”
He hesitated.
Everyone listened closely.
And then he finished.
“Hunt.”
Well…
Shite.
Queen Elena
Red Room, Sky Citadel, Sky Bay
AIREN
“I don’t give a fuck what he suggests,” my husband declared. “It’s lunacy for us to separate.”
I had to agree.
“I do not know,” True murmured.
“True, it took the four mightiest witches in our realms to kill one of them, and it was vulnerable when they did, and two of them perished in the doing of it,” Cassius reminded him.
“I’m aware of that, Cass,” True said patiently.
“And you wish to separate?” Cass asked.
“I wish to divide and conquer,” True answered. “But to do so, I feel we must not be hunters.”
“And how do you suggest doing this? For I do not wish to be following in their path, ten steps behind as they slaughter more families, entire villages, leaving panic, mayhem and anarchy in their wake,” Mars put in.
“I feel we should become the hunted,” True declared.
No one spoke.
“What is the most magical place on Triton?” True queried.
“The Enchantments, of course, True, but obviously, although I don’t want them anywhere, I have grave issue leading them there,” I said.
“If we could take them to the place where the Green King and the Sky King and the Fire King drove their magic into the earth, the sky?” True inquired. “Break them from each other, make them chase us. Not realizing their brethren are being led to the same place. And when we get them there, surround them and do…whatever it is we’re meant to do.”
“I don’t like it,” I said.
“I don’t either,” Serena said.
“This is not the most magical place in Triton,” Aramus said.
Everyone looked to him.
“We must drive them to Mar-el,” he declared.
“Husband,” Ha-Lah said softly.
“Why?” Mars asked.
Aramus looked to Jorie and stated, “I know how the Mer captured him.”
“Aramus,” Jorie rumbled warningly.
“I see there’s something going on between you two,” Cass remarked. “But I feel it’s important to note we don’t want to capture them. We want to kill them.”