Page 41 of Winter Goddess
I wait for him to disappear, but a few seconds later, he protests, "Let me go."
"I'm not keeping you," I explain calmly. “But I think I know why we're here. To talk. To discuss what's going on."
"There's nothing to discuss," Dewi shouts. "I'm not going to talk to an ally of the monster who tried to suppress my people."
"What are you talking about?" Angus snarls back. "Who are you?"
"I am Queen Dewi, the Ruler of the Dragon Realm," she announces haughtily and I suppress a sigh. That was supposed to stay a secret for now.
"Dragons? I have nothing to do with dragons," the Summer King replies, confusion lacing his voice. "I didn't attack your Realm."
"No, but your girlfriend did!" Dewi shouts hysterically.
"My... girlfriend?"
I start to laugh. "She didn't tell you, did she. Oh, she's far too clever to tell her allies all her secrets. Especially not those stupid enough to trust her."
"I'm sure there are reasons," Angus splutters. "Maybe she's hadn't had time to tell me yet."
"She took over my Realm three months ago. I'd say she's had enough time to let you know." Dewi's voice is dripping with poison, but also with a hint of satisfaction. We're at an advantage now. We've planted seeds of doubt in the Summer King's mind, and even though this meeting has come completely unexpected, it's just what we needed. We were planning to have Bridget be the chisel that could divide Angus and the Morrigan, but now we're able to do it from two fronts.
"Sometimes, a true leader has to keep secrets, even from her allies," Angus says, but he doesn't sound as confident and brazen as he did before.
"Maybe ask her what other secrets she's keeping from him?" I suggest lightly. "There might be a few."
"Did you know she was going to kill my husband?" Flora suddenly asks, reminding us that she's here with us as well. "We were your allies, yet you discarded us without a second thought. Is that what she's teaching you? To let go of all alliances and betray the people who trusted you?"
Angus doesn't reply. I bet he didn't know about the assassination before it happened. Yet another seed planted.
"It's not too late to turn your back on her," I tell him urgently. "She doesn't trust you with her plans, what stops her from betraying you? What has she promised you in return for your help? Or is she helping you, using you?"
"We're equal partners," Angus barks out.
He's getting emotional. Good. Now we just need him to think about it, then the doubt will hopefully fester. If only we can get him to change allegiances, then half the battle is already won. Or is that me being too optimistic and hopeful? It's not like I know Angus like all the others do. I'm new to this game of thrones and war, and I don't have any experience I can draw on. I'm hoping that at least this makes me unpredictable.
"I still don't know why we're here," Dewi complains. "I have better things to do than to talk with him."
"Believe me, the feeling is mutual," Angus mutters.
While I'm really glad to have escaped from my coronation for a bit, this is becoming strange. Is it the balance causing this? Are we supposed to do something here? I wish this job came with an instruction manual. 'In case you're abducted and put into a dark room with both friends and enemies, go to step 4B.'
I still don't know where we are. Am I still sitting in the Great Hall and is it only my mind that's been transported here, or have I disappeared from the coronation completely? That would certainly cause some gossip. The newly crowned Queen disappears into thin air the moment the crown touches her head. People would be talking about that for years.
"Is anyone else feeling a little light-headed?" Flora suddenly asks, but before I can answer that I am indeed starting to get dizzy, the darkness disappears, finally letting me see where I am.
Wow. I'm standing in a winter landscape, a forest on the horizon, a few snow-covered shrubs around me. Snow is falling in thick flakes all around me, but it's... wait. It's not falling. It's flying upwards. It's leaving the ground and rising towards the clouds. Exactly the opposite of what should be happening. And why can I see the horizon with so much snow? There's something seriously wrong with this place.
"Hello?" I call, expecting the other Gods to be nearby. We were just talking, they must be close.
"The leaves are turning from brown to green!" Dewi shouts. It sounds as if she's right beside me, but there's no one there. She must be in my head. Does that mean we haven't actually been in the same dark room together? Was it all an illusion?
"The snowdrops are turning into snow." Flora sounds as if she's close to tears, but again, I can hear her as clearly as if she was standing only a few feet away from me.
"What about you, Angus?" I shout, before remembering that I probably don't have to. "I assume you're in a summer world?"
"Everything's burning," he whispers, but it's loud enough for me to hear. "The grass is burning, the trees are burning. It's too hot, the sun is killing it all."
"Is this what could be happening if the balance is disturbed?" I ask into the empty landscape. "Could the world turn into this?"
