Page 101 of Kiss the Filthiest King

Calreth's on the small bed, swearing as Relva reads a number of spells out loud.

Caenan's setting his shoulder.

There are various claw marks across his body, all of which disappear, slowly.

Ryther makes his way to him, pressing his palm against his chest. The many cuts seem to heal much faster.

What could have torn him apart like this?

Rather than satisfy my curiosity, I join them and ask, "How do I help?"

"No need, he's almost healed. What happened?" Ryther asks.

Calreth grunts, his eyes flashing with fury. "Eldritch. A number of them. The hunt—we were responding to an attack on the shields, pushing them back. But a few came at us from behind. They were already on Ilvaris. Are," he rewords. "I only killed one. There were six inside the shields, and another half-dozen outside; they've certainly been let through now. We're under attack."

I'm not sure I take in what that means. "By gods? Is that why everyone’s asleep?”

I wonder why we aren’t affected.

“The only people who were spared were inside your rooms,” says Loch.

“Shit. What do they want? How do we stop them? Wake everyone up?"

I remember my vows at my coronation. This is what I'm supposed to do. Protect my world against outside threats. But how am I supposed to do that?

With great difficulty, by yourself, a small voice whispers.

And I know. I know it's not mine.

"The hunt's following. We'll soon have their location." Calreth sits up, groaning. "But in all likelihood, they'll come here if they want to get to the All and Undoing."

Foolish boy. They know we're no longer contained.

"Then what do they want?" I snap.

Everyone glances at me, frowning. "Sorry, Calreth, I wasn't talking to you."

That doesn't seem to reassure anyone. I sigh, and vaguely gesture to my own head. "The goddess inside me fancies a chat all of a sudden. She said it'd be difficult to fight them. And that they know the gods aren't in the heart of Ilvaris, so, no, they're not coming here." Feeling completely insane, I ask out loud, anyway, "Any helpful insights?"

She's silent.

I roll my eyes. Bitch.

"They're heading northeast, if I'm to judge by the hunt's whereabouts. On foot, yet racing faster than any flock. I say once we have a definite location, we portal in. There's no way to catch them, the way they move."

"They're gods. Even if we catch them,howdo we stop them?" I wonder.

Calreth shrugs. "The concept of divinity tends to create a divide between them and us, make them feel grander than what they are. Our father was one of them. They're just men, women, anything in between—with great power, yes, but they bleed, and hurt, and die. We hunt them like we'd hunt anyone else."

I like this one, the goddess unhelpfully puts in.

I groan in annoyance.Unless you want to actually be cooperative, shut the hell up,I demand.

Why is she so chatty all of a sudden?

You could always say please.

Please shut the hell up?

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