Page 66 of The Rebel Seer

I’m shocked he hasn’t already. “I think it would be an excellent way to murder me. You wouldn’t even have to get your hands dirty.”

“Oh, if I thought he would kill you, I would tell him in a heartbeat, but he is obsessed with you. He’s hunted the planes for you,” Myrddin whispers. “And I think he’ll do what he did last time if you die. He’ll lose his fucking mind. Tell me what you do to him, Zoey, that he cannot be whole without you.”

“I’m his soul mate and his goddess, and don’t think Daniel doesn’t play his part. This Devinshea was doomed when he wouldn’t accept this version of Danny. We all were. What the hell is your endgame here? You could murder the king and take whatever you want from this timeline.” It’s beyond clear that this is our Myrddin and he can jump timelines. “Or you could find yourself in this timeline and literally fuck yourself. You should do that.”

“Such a mouth on you,” he sneers back. “And there is no other me. I am unique in the universe. As is that god hiding in your faerie prince and the sad spring goddess. The gods and the most powerful of us are unique in all the planes. The only unique thing about you is that you are always a nexus point. Sometimes that works in your favor. Sometimes it means you die young. But there are many yous. You will find no other version of your daughter Summer, but there are many Evangelines I can get to. She’s on the Hell plane, or so I have heard. You sent her with the Hunter. Maybe I’ll pay her a visit.”

I sent her to Gray’s kingdom to keep her away from Myrddin. “If you do, be prepared to deal with Fenrir. And Kelsey. And Gray and Trent and…”

He holds up a hand. “Yes, I will deal with them all at some point. I will certainly deal with the dark prophet. He’s the one who foiled my attempts to deal with the seer.”

I remember what he said in the dining room earlier. “You killed her family to get to her. You were looking for someone specific. You found some prophecy that talked about Shy.”

“I was told the Davis family could be detrimental to my plans,” he says. “Any of the major psychics, really, but the Davis family in particular. I thought they were talking about the mother, not the daughter. I didn’t realize the daughter possessed any power at all. It should have worked. I planned it carefully. I did it on a night when everyone should have been home.”

“But Gray nudged her.” I love that prophet. They aren’t supposed to fix things but the two I know sometimes take things in hand. If they aren’t supposed to do it, then they won’t be allowed to.

My children are alive because Grayson Sloane told my butler to get the kids out if anything happened. Just a nudge. Albert listened, and they made it out by the skin of their teeth. It appears Gray’s the reason Shy is alive, too.

“And he will pay,” Myrddin vows. “Zoey, I need you to understand that I require something specific from the king of this land. You are payment. If you cease to please him, then there’s no reason for me to keep you alive. If you turn him against me, then there’s no reason for me to not tell him of your pregnancy.”

“And if I’m a good girl and simply hate you from afar?”

A shoulder shrugs. “Then I suspect there’s little reason for me to kill any of you. You somehow managed to save that idiot son of yours. Now tell me about the seer.”

“Shy? I barely know her. She’s not powerful. My son kind of has a crush on her, but it’s not serious.” I will lie and lie and lie to this man.

“Either you are lying or you don’t know what she is. Likely a bit of both. I don’t think she understands what she is, and I was a bloody fool to use Arawn’s name to get you here.” He stands and paces. “I should have found another way. If he knows…”

“Knows what?”

He gives me a nasty smirk. “Nothing since she’s not powerful and you shouldn’t care because the relationship isn’t at all serious.”

Asshole. I hate this man with every fiber of my being. “Daniel’s going to kill you.”

“I’m sure he’s going to try, but the question is can I get what I need out of your erstwhile suitor before Daniel comes calling. You see even if I don’t kill you all, I can leave you stranded here. I got you here with the blue dolerite, but it won’t work for the return trip,” Myrddin taunts. “You use that door again and you’ll simply find yourself on the Earth plane in this timeline. It’s interesting. You’ll get to see Marini again, dear. Since you were Fae in this time, you weren’t around to fuck things up for him. He has more power than you can imagine, and you will be the sweetest treat for him. So you see, I don’t have to kill you. I simply have to leave you here.”

My rage threatens to boil to the surface. “Then I’ll steal whatever key you have.”

His smile becomes brilliant, and he holds his arms wide. “I am the key, darling girl. Didn’t anyone tell you? I’m part Planeswalker, too. I can walk any plane I like, and I walk through all the times.”

“Except the celestial ones.” Somehow I don’t see him walking those or he would have found Sarah.

The tightening of his jaw lets me know I hit on the truth.

“And if you can’t go there no one should. Have you considered the dead in this ridiculous plan of yours? If you cut off the doors to the celestial planes, millions of dead will be trapped. Any who aren’t on their way to Hell will be stuck. From what I understand reincarnation happens on the heavenly planes. How do you intend to deal with millions of souls with nowhere to go?” And then the truth hits me with the force of a runaway train. He has considered them. He is counting on them. “You’ll force them to Hell.”

His eyes practically glow as he contemplates his plans. “Yes, that is the deal I’ve made with the Hell plane. And there is a unique energy formed when souls cross the barrier. I can use it. I will feast when I close those gates. You think I’m naïve and will allow the demons to overrun the planes, but here’s what you don’t understand. I don’t intend to allow the demons to take the Earth plane. By the time I’m done, I’ll take over Hell, too. I’ll be more powerful than the Morningstar, and I’ll pick my teeth with his bones.”

I feel a chill go over my skin. So many souls. Practically endless.

He might be able to do it.

“Now, it appears your vampire husband has fled the grounds so we can have some dinner. I’ll have the hounds escorted back to the royal kennels. They’ve done their jobs,” the king says, walking back in. “Teacher, if you don’t mind. I would like some time alone with my…with Zoey. We will talk about the mountain in the morning.”

The mountain. Shy wanted to go to the mountain. She was drawn to it. I stand and allow Devilshea to lead me away.

The whole time I feel Myrddin’s eyes on me and know this is far from over.

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