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)
“It is too far gone for that, Your Grace,” Fern replied.
“It is on orders from your Regent,” Elena returned heatedly.
“We have weightier topics to discuss,” Rebecca broke in.
And Nandra of Firenze did not hesitate in doing that.
“We would feel him, would we not?” she asked.
“We felt the disturbance in the veil,” Lena remarked.
“But then…nothing?” Rebecca asked. “How could he ascend after these many millennia and then…nothing?”
“We must seek him in the now,” Fern stated, leaning forward into both her palms on the stone before them. “We must discover if he has surfaced.”
“And then what?” Nandra asked.
“Vanquish him,” Fern replied, pushing back. She then indicated the queens amongst them with a sweep of her arm. “They are at their full powers.”
“Elena must marry,” Melisse stated. “She is the last. This union, their vows, must be felt by the veil. Only then will those prophesied be at their full powers.”
There seemed a general agreement with that, but Melisse did not make verbal note of it.
She continued, “And Ha-Lah, Jorie and Silence must make alliances with the beasts of the seas.”
“Do you think to drive him to the seas again?” Rebecca asked.
“I think we must consider all avenues, regardless if they are used,” Melisse answered.
“But Silence hasn’t even used her fin yet,” Ha-Lah shared.
“Then teach her,” Melisse replied. “And do it swiftly.”
Ha-Lah glanced at Silence.
Silence nodded her head to Ha-Lah.
The Firenz Queen did not appear afraid.
She appeared excited.
“And you must bring peace in your realm,” Melisse said to Fern, her gaze then shifted to Elena to finish making her point.
“You say this as if I could snap my fingers and it would be done,” Fern stated irritably. “And if I could do that, it would be done.”
“You cannot, I know this. But you have dragons,” Melisse returned. “Use them.”
“Melisse,” Elena whispered, never having been at one with the idea of using the incalculably destructive powers of those creatures.
“It is not only castles and keeps you can reign fire upon, sister-daughter,” Melisse told her. “There are fields of grape and groves of olives, mines of salt, and much more, the loss of which will be felt dearly.”
“Cassius is bestowing the land to the people who work it,” Elena replied. “If it is destroyed, now it is they who would feel it most.”
“Right.” Melisse considered this as she looked amongst the witches. She then came to a decision. “We have the power to come here. Lena, you and I will use it to go to Lord Felix’s hall. We see to it that it’s cleared. And then Frey can call his dragons.”
“The stones strengthen us as we’re here,” Rebecca pointed out. “Such transport would be incredibly draining if it is not done to the stones. It would take months to replenish it. This is why we do not do it.”
“And we are saving our magicks for what?” Melisse asked.
“To defeat the Beast,” Rebecca answered.
“And what do you think I’m talking about?” Melisse pressed. “Cassius and Elena, and the rest of them for that matter, cannot have their minds divided. Nor their efforts. If this unrest is not quelled, the Allied Gentry could use Cassius’s distraction with the Beast to press forward their interests.”
“That would be foolhardy,” Lena murmured.
“And these men are bastions of intelligence?” Melisse queried.
For the first time, the women amongst the stones quirked smiles.
“Should you be in the field on such a mission?” Nandra asked. “After what befell you from The Rising, are you at your full strength?”
“Does it matter when things need to get done?” Melisse asked back.
“Yes, if you were to fail in the mission,” Nandra returned.
“I will not fail,” Melisse declared in a manner that not another woman thought to press that particular subject.
“I will hasten to bring to fruition my mission in Dunlyn,” Fern decreed.
“You should abandon it altogether,” Elena advised.
“I do not intend to remain in the services of my Regent’s forces after this is over, Elena,” Fern replied quietly. “Thus, if he wishes to punish me for insurrection when all is said and done, I will accept whatever punishment he chooses. But the work of my women must reach completion in Dunlyn.”
“Can you explain why?” Farah queried.
Fern looked to the Dellish Queen.
“Lord Felix is the only one who has come forth to share he is officially of this insurgence. Others were identified by their militias battling your forces in the Night Heights and at The Enchantments. We have strong reason to believe, however, that not all have come forward to state where their allegiance lies. We also have strong reason to believe that a council of all those united to depose Cassius, restore Gallienus to his throne, and resume the ways of Airen meets there to plan their war,” Fern shared. “And we have reason to believe that orders are coming from the Bailey, direct from Gallienus himself.”