Page 164 of Of Nine So Bold

Thelivingwater.

I’d never heard of such a thing. Not like this. I knew water had tiny organisms in it. That was a given, as was the fact it sustained life.

But for it to be alive in and ofitself…

I glanced at Clay. His gifts were closely tied to water. If anything was dangerous about the liquid in that pool, he’d know it.

He caught sight of me, and he seemed to understand my silent question. “Yeah, um… the water’s definitely weird.”

“Weirdhow?” Lars asked before I could.

Clay shrugged, his eyes returning to the basin. “I don’t know. Just… alive, I guess. Like the guy said.” His brow furrowed. “It’s kind of creepy.”

Well, that didn’t exactly make me feel better.

The duke strode forward, no trace of worry on his face.

“Boots off.” Ignatius held up a hand to stop him. “The Holy Water of Syloria deserves respect.”

The duke paused for only a heartbeat before saying dismissively, “You are too impatient, scholar. Of course I respect this water.”

Clay snorted with disbelief.

Ignoring him, the duke took off his boots and set them aside. His eyes skimmed imperiously over the room as if checking he had everyone’s attention, landing at last on us. A tiny smile crossed his face, one that clearly said he expected to be ordering our deaths soon.

But predators loved to posture. That didn’t mean I had to react to it.

His smile soured. My stomach quivered with a perverse sense of victory.

Turning sharply as if to put distance between himself and us, the duke slammed his feet down into the pool. Water splashed us, making Ozias growl and Clay mutter more curses.

I tried not to shudder at the thought of living water again, turning instead to check on Gwyneira. “You okay?” I whispered, looking her over quickly.

“Fine.” She smiled, but there was an edge to it. Her eyes never quite left the larger giants. “A little water never melted anyone.”

Norbert chuckled. “Gotta watch out there, dwarves. You might drown.”

My temper flared, only to falter at the strangely uncomfortable looks that flashed over the faces of Brock and the five henchmen who’d gone down into the tunnels.

What wasthatabout?

I had no time to ask. Striding to Ignatius’s side, the duke spun, sloshing water around, and faced the room like he was already imagining everyone bowing while he sat on the throne. “Let the proof of kingship begin!”

Expressionless, Ignatius extended his hands over the water and began chanting words I couldn’t understand.

“He’s asking the spirits to show us the strength and truth of this one’s claim to the throne,” Byron murmured, translating.

“If anyone feels like praying for those holy waters to drown Deter’s ass,” Clay muttered darkly, “now’s the time.”

Roan and Ozias both looked wholeheartedly in agreement, while Dex’s eyes just scanned the room, constantly checking the exits.

Gwyneira reached out, taking my hand with a tiny smile. A small measure of my tension faded.

But then a murmur went up from the crowd, yanking my focus back to the fountain.

A shimmering glow was rising from the water. It hung above the surface like the ghostly lights that sometimes lit up the northern night sky, glistening with red and orange like the memory of a sunrise.

And then they grew stronger. Darker, taking on the color of blood.

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