Page 64 of Kiss the Filthiest King

"Yes," I snap. "Moving on. Do you know why they warred?"

"Why do you ask, halfblood?" he questions.

I don't like the idea of revealing Ryther's business to such a crowd. "Because I must know."

"Give me an actual answer, not your fairy nonsense, and I might just tell you what you seek."

"I'm not the one with a life debt to repay," I counter.

Seevar considers me for a moment. Then, he talks.

"It’s inaccurate to say the gods made the world. They didn’t. They found this corner of the cosmos, through the unknown region of space, and at first there was very little. Just the possibility of life. Through experiments, while sharing with others of their kind, they built the living world. And eventually there were war over territories." He pauses. "The gods you talk of… There’s a reason they call her the All. She was always too powerful, and had chosen a mate to match. No one could even dream to take what was theirs, untilhecame."

"Who?" I press.

"He’s known by many names, too. He invited them to a revel and plied them with wine, laced with enough eversleep to send an entire kingdom into a hundred-year slumber. For these two it was just a nap. Gaia woke up in chains, blindfolded, getting defiled. As for Uranus, when he woke, their host told him he didn’t expect his mate to be such a slut, describing how she fucked half the guests. She came to him still reeling from the assault, and he accused her of cheating. It was the beginning of the end, for them both. Of course, they never knew they were duped. She didn’t bother to defend herself—not to a mate who didn’t trust her and hadn’t been there for her in her moment of need. From this point it was easy to set one against the other. She truly did start to cheat, all too happy to hurt him, as she knew he’d hate it. And he took pleasure in killing everything and everyone she made, earning that title—the Undoing."

It takes me long moments to recollect my thoughts after that speech. "Basically, they’re morons."

"Yes, quite," Seevar agreed. "Though they're hardly the first to have been tricked by that god.There were talks, some thousand years passed. You see, while they lived free, it was a great secret, but once they were bound, he boasted of having arranged their doom to everyone. Now, will you tell me why you seek this knowledge? If the All and Undoing are unbound, my world needs to know, and prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Rain asks.

"The end of all things, likely."

I sigh deeply. Why are Ryther's problems always so dramatic?

"They haven't quite been freed. They're contained," I hedge, not wanting to get into the who and how and when.

"What do you mean?" Silver asks.

Kleos looks like she's dying to take notes.

"When a god dies, they leave behind their power, and that power can be claimed by a living being," Lucian answers for me. "A new god. They have the god’s power and maybe an echo of their memory. Honestly, if they're bound in a new body, it's probably not going to be the end of the world?" He shrugs. "The hosts should be in charge."

"Well, they aren't. Not quite. The gods acted on their own, when the hosts were asleep."

"I guessthose guys were seriously powerful. I'd better get a ticket to another universe."Lucian grimaces. "You're welcome to go, good friend," he tells the incubus.

Seevar tilts his head, watching the sorcerer closely. "Howdidyou call me here, mortal?"

"And on that note, bye." He snaps his fingers, and the creature disappears.

Now it's my turn to wonder. "He has a point. There's no circle. There wasn't any incantation. You just…"

Willed it.

I close my mouth. "Things like you don't belong in the mortal worlds."

The sorcerer rolls his eyes and yawns. "Welcome to Highvale. The whole city is full of things who shouldn't be here. That's literally on the pamphlet. Now, if that's all, I'd love to get back to sleep."

Silver screams, jumping to her feet.

Lucian seems thoroughly amused."I warned you the cat bites. Bye! I'll invoice you."

The cat is a tiny little dainty thing, with soft white fur. It looks adorable. His eyes are bright red, though, so he also looks rather evil. He jumps on Lucian's shoulder as the sorcerer leaves the room, clearly not intending to see his guests out.

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