Page 7 of Into the Dawn
“Nay, but you are practically glowing like the sun,” Dominic explained. “It was easy to guess who you are from that alone.”
“Or it could be the way you disintegrated all those rogues into bloody dust,” Ronan added. “You have our gratitude for that.”
“That was the fun part.” He flashed them a wicked grin before he pushed off the tree and strode forward. “I am Silas, God of the Sun. And you, dear warrior princes, have a problem in your kingdom.”
Since that was obvious enough, Dominic nodded. “We do. With this many rogues running around the forest, we must have traitors in our ranks. The magic you wield is obviously very powerful. Is there perhaps a way you could just—”
“Destroy all the rogues within the area? What am I, your personal exterminator?” Silas sighed as he shook his head. “While that might be entertaining, unfortunately, nay. This is not my war to wage. There is always a price for retribution, and that is a debt best paid by those personally involved.”
“But you—” Dominic cut himself off.
Was he crazy? Who in their right mind tried arguing with a god?
Clearly, he wasn’t thinking straight. It wasn’t every day they came across a god, and he wasn’t sure how to act. But obviously, pissing the powerful being off probably wasn’t the best course of action.
Besides, the god was right.
While asking for help might have been the most expedient way to handle the situation, it would not uncover the traitors hiding amongst them, nor would it adequately deal with the betrayal they faced. If they needed any magical assistance, they could always ask their friends for help. But first, they had to figure out who was betraying them and why.
As Dominic slid his sword back into its sheath, he realized he was swaying on his feet. The fight had taken more out of him than he cared to admit. His muscles ached, and his mind was hazy from the after-battle crash. Glancing over at his brother, he figured he probably looked as pale as Ronan did.
Or that could have just been the blood loss.
He had dozens of cuts and bruises over his exposed flesh, not to mention the wound on his neck that had almost permanently taken him out. Ronan was in a similar state, though instead of a neck wound, he now had a nasty cut across his right cheek that looked like it would scar.
“Oh, I almost forgot about that,” Silas said, then he waved a finger in the air. “It will not scar.”
Dominic gasped as he felt a tingling sensation and suddenly found himself completely healed and cleaned of all evidence of the battle he’d just faced. Even his missing knives had been replaced in his vest.
Observing magic was nothing new to him, although each time he saw it, he was amazed. Since some of his friends now had abilities of their own, they were always performing impossible feats. But they were still learning and had only scratched the surface of what they were truly capable of.
The God of the Sun was different.
Witnessing the power he wielded was nothing short of miraculous. Dominic had never experienced having anything magical done to himself, but he was glad for the instant healing. The sudden rush of strength and energy left him feelinglightheaded. It was an almost euphoric sensation, and though it felt strange, he could definitely get used to the convenience of it.
But who had to remind themselves to notice two males bleeding to death?
“Do not be such a drama queen,” Silas chided as if he were speaking to two younglings instead of fully grown warriors. “You were not going to die from a few cuts and bruises. You were in jeopardy of getting your head cut off, though. If that happened, it would have been extremely disappointing.”
Disappointing?
That was an interesting word choice.
Dominic wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but he did admit that it had been a close call. Perhaps they had been a little lax in their training since the protection wards and magical shields had been erected. They had also delegated more responsibilities to warriors they trusted, which was turning out to be a mistake that had almost cost them their lives.
“What in hellfire just happened?”Ronan asked through their bond.
“I healed you,” Silas answered, making it clear he could hear their thoughts.
It was a little creepy to have a stranger read his thoughts, but Dominic wasn’t that surprised. The gods were capable of all kinds of amazing feats. They were divine beings, meant to be revered and feared in equal measure. It would be wise to remember that the extent of their powers was beyond mortal comprehension.
“Thank you for healing our wounds.”
Silas snorted. “That was not what you were thinking.”
“To what do we owe the honor of your visit?” Ronan hurried to ask. He wanted to distract the god’s attention away from his brother in case he was offended by whatever Dominic had been thinking.
“I guess I should get to the point since we do not have much time,” Silas announced with a sigh. “There is an urgent matter that requires your attention, but you must make your decision whether or not to help before the storm hits.”
