Page 160 of Alien God

“I’m sorry I scared her,” I said. “It was not my intention.”

“What is your intention, Wylfrael? Why are you here?”

“I am here because my own human mate demands that I make sure her friend is alive,” I said. My relief at finding him sane, and his mate alive, was rapidly being replaced with anger. “You are one to speak of my intentions,” I hissed, “When you yourself crashed into Sionnach and almost destroyed everything. You almost killed me twice.”

His thick, scaly tail swept over the stone, his snout tightening.

“I barely remember that. I remember when the madness started, and with my last bits of reason, I went to Sionnach, because I trusted that you would do whatever it took to keep others safe from me.”

“I tried,” I said. “We fought over many worlds. I nearly died, and spent eons recuperating in some foreign desert, under red mountains. Then, you crashed into that world, too. I took you to Heofonraed, but they would not help me.”

“They would not help you either?” he asked, sounding surprised. “Not long after I found Suvi and rationality returned to me, I went to them. Suvi wanted to find out what happened to the other women. But they would not open their gates or hear my petition for information.”

“There is much that I must tell you,” I said darkly. I filled him in on my recent trip to Heofonraed with Torrance. Unlike the censored version that Torrance had told her friends, I gave him all the details on how they’d fooled me into killing her and how I’d gone to Sceadulyr after.

“Ill tidings,” Skalla said, turning his head to look at the house that his mate had retreated into. If not for the mangled eye, he looked almost exactly as he once had. His hair no longer wild and tangled, but oiled and smooth, tied into a long braid. The beautiful Bohnebregg prince I’d always loved.

“Clearly, the council thought you’d die. It’s an easy way to kill a stone sky god, to target his mortal mate that way. Cowardly,” his voice hardened, fangs flashing. “Pathetic. What is their purpose?”

“I don’t know. But I’ve warned every stone sky god Sceadulyr and I have come across in our travels, told them not to take their mates there or try to join.”

Skalla ran his hand down his braid and hissed a sigh.

“This can mean nothing good. This is something we will have to address, and soon. His gaze softened, turned far away. “Right now, I have little room in my head or heart for anything but her and the babe.”

“I understand,” I muttered, already wanting to return to Torrance’s side and forget everything that was going on with the council. “Congratulations, by the way. I couldn’t help but notice.”

Skalla grunted.

“I am going to ignore the fact that you saw so much of my mate’s body just now. Otherwise, I’d have to kill you.”

“You already almost did. Twice.”

Skalla fully faced me.

“I am sorry for that, Wylfrael,” he said, and I could hear the honest regret and pain in his words. “I am endlessly thankful that I was not successful. I would have come to Sionnach, to see what became of you, but I have not been able to tear myself away from Suvi, especially now that she carries my babe in her belly.”

“I am just glad you and I are both alive. And Suvi, too. I admit, I feared I’d find something very different here today. Torrance will be glad to hear the news. All the women will be. They are all together, safe on Sionnach.”

Skalla smiled, stretching his snout.

“And that news will make Suvi happy. I would take her for a visit to Sionnach, but I find myself concerned about bringing her through a sky door while pregnant.”

“Perhaps I could bring some of the other women here to see her?” I suggested. Skalla’s grin widened.

“Yes. Bring them any time. Suvi is healthy, but even with me here, I fear that she grows lonely. Being around her own kind, especially as the birth nears, would do her good.”

“Then it is done,” I promised. “I will bring them as soon as they wish to visit.” I doubted that would be long. As soon as I told them of their friend, I was certain they’d all be clamoring to come see her, Torrance at the front of the line.

“We will look forward to it,” Skalla rumbled. “Will you stay and take a meal with us, or will you return to Sionnach now?”

“I will go now,” I said. “I want to get back to Torrance.”

Skalla was already heading towards the palace, no doubt feeling the exact same way.

“It is good to see you, Wylfrael,” he called as he stepped into the shade of the pavilion. “Until we meet again.”

I took off into the air. But when I opened a sky door, it was not to Sionnach.

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