Page 89 of The Legacy of Ophelia
I paused as recollection dawned on the warrior.
“Yes,” he said clearly. “A ripple went through the land. Woke my children up and my partner, Michale. Is this about that?”
I sighed. Lancaster stiffened. A part of me had been hoping maybe they hadn’t felt it. That maybe the Soulguiders in Xenovia only had because of their proximity to where the theater was in the mountains—that Echnid wasn’t strong enough for it to echo across the land.
What a foolish wish that had been.
“It is. I’m aware the news I have to share is going to sound impossible, but please, let me finish.”
And I told them the astounding tale of a god being released from his stone prison, of a vendetta he held against his peers, and a threat he now posed to us all.
“Having another god—one who respects human lives—is not a bad thing,” Lislee argued. “I would think you’d be happy with this development, Miss Cordelian.”
“One would think,” I repeated. “But Echnid onlythinkshe is going to benefit his subjects. In truth, I believe his plans will cause the downfall of Ambrisk’s very nature.”
“What do you mean?” Lislee asked.
“Echnid seeks revenge against the gods who locked him away. We have on good authority that he is searching for a way to sever the ties between the gods and the warriors for good.” I paused. “Likely locking the gods from Ambrisk entirely. From all of their subjects.”
Lislee’s face paled, and the gravity of what I’d said hung in the air.
“Whose authority is this information on?” Willox asked, eyes narrowed on me.
I couldn’t tell him Valyrie. If she truly was on our side, providing aid, we couldn’t have that getting out for risk of what Echnid would do to her.
“Someone currently within Damenal. The Warrior God has closed off the city to messages and newcomers, but our source found a way to contact us. And we have a powerful Starsearcher on our team who has confirmed he’s getting closer to figuring it out.”
Willox’s eyes widened, his gaze flicking down the hall. “We have cousins in Damenal.”
“They’re likely fine,” I assured him. “But they wouldn’t have been able to contact you.”
The lieutenant’s jaw ticked, hand fisting atop the table.
“We heard rumblings,” Lislee said, exchanging a glance with her warrior counterpart, “of something of this legendary sort taking place recently. I dismissed it as camp rumors.”
“I wish it were,” I said. A blanket of solidarity surrounded us, stitched tight with fear of the unknown.
“What I still don’t understand,” Willox said after a pause lightened only by the birds chirping outside, “is why Ophelia Alabath would have done this.”
Malice dripped on those words, and dammit, how was I meant to answer that? Ophelia didn’t have a choice, for a number of reasons. But those who didn’t see her torn in that cavern, who didn’t feel the pain wrenching her apart…they wouldn’t understand.
But Lancaster’s deep voice grumbled beside me, “She was manipulated.”
All shocked eyes, my own included, swiveled toward him. “Manipulated?” Lislee asked.
“Tricked by a number of parties,” Lancaster went on. “The Queen of the Fae, a sphinx who only wanted her Angelic mistress to return, your Angels themselves, and a curse that woulddestroy those she loves. Take your pick of which you would like explained first. We can sit here all day.”
I squeezed my eyes tight. Lancaster was certainly not honoring thepoliterequest I’d made of him.
But Lislee only said, voice piquing a notch. “He’s fae?”
My eyes peeled open, and I nodded. Goddesses, this was not going how I’d hoped. I’d jam my cypher dagger somewhere nonlethal on Lancaster later for interfering.
“And he’s here why?” Lislee clarified.
Lancaster began, “With all due respect?—”
“Oh, Gods,” I muttered, looking to the ceiling.
