Page 137 of Of Blood & Stone

“Ifis a very important word you keep on using,” Elnok growled.

“Indeed, Elnok, it is.”

The way she said his name sent a shiver down his spine.

Aretta turned to Sylzenya, her breaths fading. “For life there is a price, and only in pain is it made whole, Sylzenya Phatris. Your choice has been made, and so your consequence is set in blood and stone.”

“What’s the consequence?” Sylzenya asked. “I still don’t understand it. Why is the gold ring turned into blood and stored in orodyte? Why was the bird in my vision killed?”

The goddess smiled, wiping a gold bloodied hand across Sylzenya’s face. “I’m so sorry, Sylzenya. For everything.”

The goddess’ hand fell limp as she crumpled to the earth.

Chapter 33

Farewell

Sylzenya squeezed her goddess’ hand until the golden light left her eyes.

Heart pounding, palms sweating, and mind reeling, Sylzenya wept. Her goddess hadn’t been who she’d thought; she’d been ruthless, cunning, but most of all, desperate. In her efforts to save humans, she’d killed many, and Sylzenya couldn’t blame her for such a choice. She’d been making the same decision throughout her entire time in Lhaal Forest.

But Aretta had also lied to her, shaped her to be someone Distrathrus would want for more than just power: sadistic love. A warped and twisted sort of yearning. It disgusted her. This goddess was supposed to be a deity she honored and worshiped, but she turned out to be worse than any human she’d encountered in her lifetime.

Gripping the hilt to the point of pain, Sylzenya cursed her goddess. Whether she loved or hated Aretta, she now held a sword in her hand, given a burden far heavier than any she’d felt before. Providing for her people was one thing—that she knew how to do—but to kill a god with brute, tactical force?

She didn’t know how she could possibly accomplish the task.

Despite Aretta’s death, the golden power of the tree didn’t diminish. Her birds flew down from the sky, landing in the meadow next to her, Elnok, and Kharis.

Each of them drew shapes into the grass, the shapes glowing brighter until they raised from the ground and solidified into objects. One of them was a shield, gold-plated with intricate designs carved into its metal. The bird who created it pointed its beak to Kharis. The Dynami stood, his face stoic as he took up the shield.

“I believe I’m to be your shield, Sylzenya,” Kharis said as he turned to her, his hair blowing in the soft breeze, “I’ll protect you until my last breath—until Distrathrus is killed once and for all.”

Sylzenya gave him a nod, yanking the sword out of the goddess’ body; Aretta’s flesh flickered with yellow light, transforming into sparks of power before drifting into the air.

A bird poked its beak on Sylzenya’s thigh. She looked down. A compass laid in the grass. The cool outer casing was set in gold, the needle of the compass glowing a bright white.

Looking closer, Sylzenya recognized the needle’s sharp shape.

“The tip of an arachni fang,” she whispered.

The needle spun in circles until coming to a complete stop, pointing west—Distrathrus’ location.

Taking a deep breath, she placed the compass in her linen pant’s pocket, using all her strength to lift the sword she’d inadvertently used to kill a goddess. A goddess whom Sylzenya now realized she’d never known at all.

“Elnok, you’ve been given something as well.” Kharis pointed to another bird, the creature sitting atop something aglow.

Elnok slowly approached it, the bird watching him intently until he kneeled down and observed the object. The bird flew away, the object’s glow dissipating, revealing a black leather whip accented in gold.

“She certainly knew your taste,” Kharis managed to laugh.

“I hate to admit it, but this ismuchnicer than my rope,” Elnok replied, examining the weapon and pocketing the vial of medicine.

He’s going to leave me.

Sylzenya shook away the thought as she stood. “Kharis, we better go. Elnok…”

But she couldn’t finish her words as he turned to her, his face suddenly downtrodden.

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