Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
This whole thing is stupid.
But instead of getting angry, I just sigh. Because there’s no place for me anywhere. Not even Pennsylvania. I’m a satyr chimera. There will be no slipping into a normal life.
“You’re thinking very hard, brother.”
“What?”
Apis points at me. “What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing.”
“Pell. I know better. You’re worried about something. What is it?”
“Well, for starters, what happens now? And don’t say ‘the party’ because I don’t care about the party.”
“Tomorrow, you mean?”
“Yeah. And Pressia? What’s gonna happen to her?”
Apis tilts his head at me. “Do we care? She was your broodmare, Pell. Not your soulmate.”
“But… do you know?”
“What happens to you?” He shrugs. “Well, I did some spying and found out what happened at the Caretaker Ceremony.”
“Really? What?”
“A little lioness was kidnapped by an eros!” He can barely contain his laughter.
“What?” Fuckin’ eros. Why is he messing with my life like this? I mean, it’s been two thousand years and he’s still interfering. Why?
“Yeah. That guy. He can’t take no for an answer, can he? Showed up, tried to steal her, and then a door popped open and off they went! Can you believe it?”
“What do you mean ‘off they went?’”
“She was pulled through the door, Pell. By a disembodied hand. And she took the eros with her. Princess Pianna. That was her name.”
“Pianna? You mean Pie?”
“Yeah. Little thing, about six, maybe. My brother was gonna wed her tomorrow.” Then he points at me. “Same day as you. And… wow. Now both weddings have been called off. That’s some coincidence, isn’t it?” He frowns, his brows furrowing. “Hold on. Wasn’t your dream girl called Pie?”
“Yes.”
“She’s the one you’re after? My brother’s promise?”
“Your brother? Tarq?”
Apis side-eyes me. “I only have one.”
I turn away from him and run my hair over my shaved scalp. It’s not smooth, it’s got stubble. Which kind of reminds me of Pie’s ass.
This thought lifts my mood, just a little bit.
And I’ve gotten some answers. My mind begins to wander back to our first trip up in the hallways. We were in the woods, running. And then we were kids. This is what Pie said, though I wasn’t there.
Well, I was, I guess. But not as myself. I wasn’t even an observer. This was her dream inside the memory. Or… something.
But the important part is that Pie was right. We did live at the same time. “How long has it been since I’ve seen Tarq?”
Apis shrugs. “I dunno. Maybe… last summer at the temple?”
The temple. I recall this from Pie’s description of that memory as well. She saw a temple through the forest with her moth eyes. “Was Tomas at the temple?”
“The nasty blood dragon? Of course. Without the stupid dragon Ostanes would be powerless. She needs his blood the same way she needs yours.” Then he grins at me and points to my horns. “You’re not dumb enough to do what he did, so at least you know they’ll never lock you up like that.”
Wait. Did he just insinuate that Ostanes is bleeding Tomas out for magic blood? And also imply that they’ve been doing that to me too, except I’ve been cooperative? “Lock me up like what?”
“Like the fuckin’ dragon. Like those stupid monsters they walked into the palace today. They’re on their way to the Bottoms too.”
“The monsters. The prisoners?” I turn away, shocked. Though I don’t know why I should be. I know there are prisoners in the Bottoms. And Pie just told me that she thinks our monsters belong there too.
And maybe I don’t know a lot about those guys, but I’ve been around them for over a month now and I do know one thing. They have magic. Big magic. Not just Batty, either, who brought Madeline back to life as a dragon. But Cookie makes some pretty magnificent magic food and Eyebrows can tailor the fuck out of royal fabrics.
She’s stealing our magic. That’s what Ostanes is doing. But how? How did we get here? Or, better question, how did I get there? To Saint Mark’s?
How did this day turn into that place?
Because this is where it all started, obviously.
Maybe I should go back to Pressia and get her little oracle ass to spit out more answers?
But I don’t do that. I already know I don’t do that. Because I never see her again and she writes me books to guide me through the curse.
I turn back to Apis, who has been staring at me as I work all this out. He’s starting to get suspicious. I can see it on his face. “Are you OK, Pell?”
I’m not. I’m confused, I’m conflicted, and I’m tired of this. I want these answers and don’t want these answers. I want to go home, and hug Pie, and maybe even chat with Tomas, and forget about all this stuff.
I want my sanctuary back.