Page 31 of The Blood of Gods and Monsters

I close my eyes, shutting out the room and the three men eyeing me. One breath. Two. Three. I just stand there for several moments enjoying the feeling of having control over my own source of air. My limbs are trembling, I realize, when I open my eyes and look down at the piece of paper still clutched in my fist.

“Ophelia, Carcel, and Regis are leaving Riviere,” I say. “They’re heading to Nysa.”

“For a job?” Theos asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t know.” And now that sending me information has been compromised, because surely Ophelia expects that whatever they tell me will get to these three and Caedmon, I doubt they’ll say if I send a message back asking.

I stride over to the fireplace, the embers of the dead fire illuminating the barest bit as air wafts over the ashes and the lone log that’s inside, half burned and ashy. Without waiting for any of them to ask to see the parchment, I rip the paper into tiny little pieces and scatter it over the remains of the fire.

My head pounds fiercely, the dull ache taking up residence at the back of my skull and spanning outward as if it has little fingers clutching at any area of my mind it can reach. I sway on my feet and the bird on my shoulder flaps its wings, the barest hint of wind against my throat as it lifts up and away. Distantly, I hear the window latch reopen and the rustle of those wings growing further and further away.

Leaning over the hearth, I place one hand on the stones surrounding the inset of the wall and heave a great breath. “What now?” I manage to ask.

Silence meets my question and my lips twist in irritation. I’m debating on whether or not I have the energy to face them when I finally receive an answer.

“You stay here,” Ruen states. “Caedmon will send notice of what the Gods have decided and then?—”

“The Gods have decided to have me inducted as a Mortal God here,” I say, cutting him off as that throbbing in my head grows worse.

“What?” Theos barks. “They accepted you without punishment?”

I turn my head in his direction without moving the rest of my body and send him a baleful look. “Do you think they would have allowed me out of that room if they intended to punish me?”

He blinks as if startled by the question and his expression twists—part flush of what I assume is chagrin and part turmoil. “No,” he says after a bit. “I suppose not.”

“Nothing changes, then,” Kalix says, reminding me of his presence as he leaves the window and strides closer. Unwilling to keep my back to him, I release the stone and turn to face him, reclining onto the side of the fireplace. “You stay here and you attend classes with us.”

I shouldn’t be surprised that he knows. Other than what it means to be inducted as a Mortal God at the Academy, no doubt his little familiar had heard all and relayed it to his master. I stare back at the forest green eyes that rove over me now.

“You’re pale.”

I grimace and admit, “My head hurts.”

Theos turns towards the door. “I’ll go get Maeryn.”

I reach for him, intending to stop him, but he’s gone before I can get another word out—the door shutting silently behind him. Fuck.

“Come, you should lie down.” Ruen takes my arm, startling me.

I want to argue. I want to fight against them and demand that he release me, but just as I go to do so I realize how fucking tired I really am. I nearly falter and go down on my knees again as Ruen tugs me away from the fireplace. Even though I manage to stay upright, it’s not without issue. I stumble along at his side, my feet tripping over one another in a way I’m not accustomed to.

I’m a damned assassin. Trained. Cautious. Strong. Why can’t I walk straight? It’s the simplest of tasks.

“Kiera?” Ruen’s voice sounds as if it’s coming down a long dark tunnel. My eyes stay fixed on the floor, my shoes winking in and out of my vision despite knowing I haven’t pulled my gaze away.

Cold dread slips through my veins and into the rest of my body. My ass hits something soft, but almost as soon as that happens, I start sliding. I’m going to slip right off whatever it is and onto the floor, I just know it. How fucking embarrassing.

Before I can, solid arms lift me as if I weigh nothing at all. My feet disappear from view entirely and no ground meets them as I’m hauled close to a wide chest. My hand slaps the rock-like muscle and my head sinks back. A pair of midnight eyes meet mine, the brows above them creased with … could that be concern? From Ruen?

“What did they do to you in that room?” The question is so quiet that I’m not entirely sure if I just read it from his lips or if he really whispered it.

Unable to hold my head up any longer, I let myself rest against him as the world starts moving around me. It takes a beat for my addled mind to catch up to the fact that the world isn’t so much moving as he’s walking with me—right towards the room I woke up in. Ruen carries me into the bedroom I know is his and lays me down on the bed. The skirts around my legs get tangled up when he tries to pry the sheets out to cover me and he finally gives up with a grunt. A low voice speaks from the doorway and his head turns towards it. I can’t hear what’s being said, though I think it’s Kalix. My ears seem to be filled with some invisible substance that feels like rushing water and everything around me is muffled.

Try as I might, the room swims around me and an imperceivable amount of time later, another familiar figure appears over me. I blink wondering belatedly when Ruen disappeared and Maeryn took his place. Her features are creased with worry as she sets one cool hand on my forehead.

She closes her eyes and then something warm emanates from the palm on my head. It fills me and lifts away the running water taking up space between my ears. Something pops and the water is completely gone. I can hear again. I flinch at the loudness of sound—from the crackle of fire in the hearth of the bedroom someone must have lit to the pounding of my own heartbeat.

Maeryn sighs and I look up as she opens her eyes once more and gives me what I assume is an attempt at a reassuring smile. It’s less reassuring and more tense, but I don’t say anything as she turns back to someone just behind her. My gaze flits over her shoulder as I spy Ruen with a thunderous expression.

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