Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
How can this be happening? I cling to my child and climb into the bed next to my wife. I kiss both of their heads and break down sobbing.
How am I to tell my son and other daughter they are gone? I sent them away to keep them healthy. They didn’t get to say goodbye.
It feels like I have a hole in my chest. Someone needs to pay for this. This could have been prevented and now someone needs to pay for my loss.
***
“Stop. No one is allowed into the city at this hour,” the guard barks as I approach the gates.
“I have information of a coven and a superbeing. Allow me passage to speak with the bishop,” I say firmly, refusing to turn away.
“Go away. No one is allowed in.”
“I need to see the bishop,” I growl and charge forward.
One guard restrains me, pinning my arms over my head. The one refusing to allow me passage throws a punch at my ribs. I cough and groan, but the pain is welcome. It’s better than the ache of my loss.
“I. Need. To. See. The. Bishop,” I say through my teeth.
The guard goes to hit me again. I close my eyes, but the blow never comes. I crack one eye open and find a man holding his staff across my body, blocking the guard from hitting me again.
“Stop this. Release him,” he says sternly.
The man then turns cold blue eyes on me. A shiver runs through me. I don’t know who this man is, but he emits a power and presence that pulses from him, causing my knees to weaken.
“You say you’ve come across a superbeing?” he says and lifts a brow at me.
“Yes, he fraternizes with a coven of witches in my village. My wife was the leader’s handmaid.”
“Was?”
I drop my gaze to the ground, feeling as if I’m betraying Annabeth. Then I see her and Lily’s faces and my heart breaks. This shouldn’t be. My regrets are forgotten as my anger rises.
“She and my daughter have succumbed to illness. I’ve lost them.”
“Let me guess, this coven wouldn’t heal your family. Now you’re looking for revenge,” he says dryly.
“It’s not right. She walks around with that demigod as if we don’t know he’s different. I’ve watched him change the weather. I know it was his doing. She could have healed them. She should have healed them,” I sob.
The man grabs my arm and yanks me into him, away from the guards. Fear fills me as he growls into my face. “Silence.”
“Open the gate,” he barks at the guards.
My heart pounds as he drags me into the city beside him. What have I done? This feels wrong. Fear overtakes my anger.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask, trying and failing to keep the fear out of my voice.
“This superbeing you speak of. You say he controlled the weather. Are you sure of this?” he hisses.
“Yes. He stopped the rain and held off the thunder and lightning. I saw it with my own eyes. It didn’t roll in as a full storm until my wife and his lover were undercover.”
“He has a lover? One of the witches?”
“Y…yes. The leader. She is more powerful than the others. I believe they are younger than she,” I reply.
“Tell me more about him.”
“He is large. Too large to be a mere human. He goes out into the valley by himself for days.
“The villagers have all been wary of entering the woods since he started to venture to them. The weather changes when he’s out there as well.”
“How so?”
“There’s always lightning over the valley while he’s out there.”
“Are there others? Superbeings, have you seen others? Three others?” he asks anxiously.
His eyes are bright with excitement. His voice is filled with anticipation, as if he’s found something he’s been looking for. I get the feeling that I’ve said too much.
“Answer me,” he seethes in my face.
I jump as he barks at me. The anger now filling his eyes is palpable. This was a mistake.
“Have. You. Seen. The. Others?” he growls at me, tightening his hold on my arm.
“N… no. There is only the one. I have never seen others.”
He releases me with a shove. I stumble back but straighten quickly. He glares down at me. It registers how much taller he is. As if he’s gotten taller since he first appeared.
“I should get to the bishop,” I say.
“Who do you think I am?” He gives me a grin that sends a shiver through me.
I have never been to the church within the city walls. All I know is that the bishop here has the king’s ear. I was hoping to have the soldiers sent to the village to burn those witches out.
“Come, we have much to speak of. I want to know where you are from and all you know about this coven. I can get you what you seek if you can get me to this superbeing.