Page 212 of The Sins of Silas

Silas and I instantly rushed through the pronaos and, as fast as we could, down the many spiral steps, Erabella's scream cutting through.

“Let her go, Godsdamn you!” Merrick bellowed.

When we reached where thesound was coming from, just outside one of the balconies, I was stopped by the sight of Heildee holding Erabella, her arm locked around the Princess's neck.

Era was sobbing, Merrick's arm trembling, his crossbow raised at his stepmother. Hendry's focus was deadly on them.

“Mother, please,” Elowen cried, her hands pulling at her pink hair. “You have to be in there. This isn't you!”

Heildee only grinned as she dragged a pointed fingernail along the side of Era's neck, drawing a bit of blood. Biting down, black blood dribbled from Heildee's lip, and she lowered her bloodstained mouth, kissing Era over the tiny cut.

Merrick released a bolt wrapped in ice, shooting right through Heildee's skull.

“Fuck!” Era cried, falling back as Heildee's body crashed to the ground.

“No…” Elowen whispered, wide aqua eyes glued to her mother's dead body.

Silas rushed to Era as Merrick lowered his crossbow. “Are you alright?!” the Prince demanded, helping her off the ground. His eyes trailed over the cut.

“Yeah,” she panted. “I-I think so.”

“Godsdammit,” Hendry growled. “I'm sorry, Silas. It was like she was here in one moment.”

“That's because she was,” Merrick replied quietly, roughly retrieving his bolt from Heildee's skull. “She did the same spell Lena did for teleporting. She was down in the altar room…waiting.”

“I should've felt her,” I whispered.

“I don't think so,” Merrick said, patting my back gently. “She was kneeling, unmoving. Perhaps the magic was dormant. That could explain why you didn't feel anything.”

“Theimportant thing is everyone is alive.” Roland turned to me, eyes flitting to Silas. “You guys see anything up there?”

I sighed, then told them everything.

We decided to set up camp in the sanctuary, considering there were no dead bodies up there, and the nighttime breeze offered a small bit of relaxation. We were still waiting for Vi and Dani to return, hopefully with some good news. We sure as shit needed some.

Everyone sat silently for a while after Silas and I told our story, mentioning every odd thing the necromancer told us of other realms, the Travelers, and the worst fact of them all. He was the God of Deceit.

“He offered nothing up as to who the other Gods might be? Where might they reside?” Elowen asked, snuggling into Edmund's hold. He stroked her arms, green eyes worried as he looked to me for answers.

“I can only assume every God is his enemy, except for maybe Valor.”

“His father,” Torrin whispered. “I didn't know Gods could procreate with mortals.”

“Neither did we,” Silas admitted. “But it seems Azrae is the key to all of this. He is the only God still here, no? Why isn't he doing anything?”

“And what's all this about an Azraeian portal?” Roland scrubbed at his face, groaning. “Ugh. All of this hurts my head.”

Era rubbed at her temples. “You think your head hurts? I have a pounding headache,” she complained.

“We still have a destination,” I said quietly. “I say we ponder on the road and ask more questions when we get there.”

“Do you think he'll follow us there?” Edmund asked quietly.

I didn't wish to think of that possibility. Just as I tried to come up with a response, flapping could be heard in the distance. Two eagles came soaring in, shifting back to our friends as they stood before us, panting and grasping their knees.

“You're not going to like this,” Viola gasped.

“What now?” Merrick groaned.

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