Page 100 of Crown of Ashes and Awe

Rowena nodded, accepting it as the closest thing to an apology she would get from a god.

“You were right about Viggo.”

Tearloch tensed behind me. I quickly explained and he relaxed.

Agrios lifted his chin in Tearloch’s direction. “I am not so sure about this one. Is he worthy?”

I squeezed Tearloch’s fingers without looking back. “Utterly.”

The god accepted it with a nod. Then he turned to a surprised Minkin and asked her the same thing of Sweetie. To which she replied, “Utterly.” Then he beckoned Lennon forward. “And you, who have lost so much. What can I do for you?”

She caught her breath. Then, with tears in her eyes, she asked if she could have Kivi back.

Agrios shook his head sadly. “You cannot. There are contracts with nature not even I can break. But know that her sacrifice did not go unnoticed. Such a worthy spirit has a place with me.” He smiled. “Now, anything else?—”

“Yes,” Griffon said, wrapping his arms firmly around his wife from behind. “We wish to return to Earth. And we wish…” He tilted his head to look Lennon in the eye, then waited for her nod up at him. “We wish to be mortal as well. If we have learned anything during our time together, it is that immortality is overrated.”

Agrios smiled like he understood. “Mortality, I can do.” He moved his attention to the next man, Ghloir. “And you?”

“I also belong…elsewhere.”

Agrios nodded without further detail, then moved on to Bain who stood to Ghloir’s right. “Well?”

The younger man’s crooked smile was contagious as always. “I was just thinking I might want to tag along with them.” He indicated Griffon and Lennon. “If life is to change, might as well be a big change, yeah?”

Griffon laughed, then nodded. “You’re welcome to give it a try, but there won’t be any DeNoy left to bring you back.”

“Fine with me. When do we leave?”

Before Agrios could address Dower, shouting arose outside the residence, then someone broke through the residence doors and the volume doubled. We retreated to the side walls and we women were pushed to the back behind our vanguard of fighting men. Ghloir stood between the archway and his father, the king. Agrios straightened in his seat and waited.

Whoever was coming was in for a surprise.

A mass of pale robed druids clogged the arched opening, then pushed through. Light flashed along the steel blade in one fiend’s hand just before he sent it flying toward the king. Another aimed for Tearloch.

“No!” Moire yanked Tearloch back and took his place. The blade had already been released, and after a tiny gasp, she slumped to the floor. Poole and Nogel wrestled the two assailants to the ground, but there was another.

He showed his teeth as he pulled his arm back. “Ruined everything,” he growled, then let his blade fly. Not at me, but again, at Tearloch. I tried to push him to the side, but he wouldn’t budge. Lears reached the druid too late, but he grabbed the man around the neck and pulled him to the ground. Guards clambered through the archway, weapons drawn. But the fight was already over.

I wrapped my arms around Tearloch from behind, tried to catch him as his legs crumpled, but he was too heavy. When we reached the floor, he slumped, and I could see the hilt sticking out of his chest. His weight held me down. I didn’t know how to help him!

“He’s mortal,” I cried. “What do I do?”

Agrios came to us, bent down, saw the weapon and pursed his lips.

“Demius! Help him!”

Those familiar eyes cut to mine.

“Demius,” I whispered. “This time you have to tell me what to do. I know nothing.”

His eyes smiled. “Yes, you do, Asper. My silver ball of joy. Do it.”

I shook my head, my mouth open, my heart shattering. I knew what to do? Impossible! I had no power?—

Oh, yes I did.

Demius lifted Tearloch’s shoulders. I reached forward and remove the blood-smeared dagger. Then I wrapped my legs and arms around him, closed my eyes, and summoned that mass of Hestia’s energy that I’d taken from Skullcrusher, the energy I’d swallowed and never drawn upon.

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