Page 6 of Distinctly Daray
With a chuckle, Evergreen nodded. “You could use some yummy dinner too, and you can’t hold anything back from my mom.”
“She can pry feelings out with a spoon,” Dudley muttered.
Pleased to know that his best friends wouldn’t be alone following such a tumultuous day for the Sentinel Brotherhood, Victor dug into his salad and knew that it could take some time, but eventually Phillip the recruit would be fine. No sentinel would rest until Phillip’s life was purposeful, and there was no race as devoted to each other as Alaric’s people.
They were honorable, remarkable, and wonderful. Victor was proud to know each of them and hoped Phillip would soon be out of stasis so he could enjoy his role as the first sentinel resurrected with a dragon.
Chapter 3
Death’s expression was grim as she stood in a room that was rarely visited within the expansive palace most of her sisters called home. It was filled with large cages—each one designed to cater to the prisoner assigned to it. The problem wasn’t the condition of the prison constructed by their mother. It was the fact that every cell was empty.
“Oh, look who’s graced us with her presence,” drawled a woman with a unique raspiness to her voice.
Since Death preferred to keep the company of only a select few of her sisters, she ignored the fool standing somewhere behind her and continued to survey the disaster facing them. Recently, Death and her closest confidantes had located Folly. The goddess tasked with creating mischief had forsaken her natural duty and embraced evil.
For many millennia, Folly had lived by her own rules and preyed upon the creations carefully crafted by the goddesses. After such a long chase to locate her, Death had known Folly’s easy capture during a Council parade had been part of a larger plan. Folly had readily admitted that she had secret allies in the palace, but the last thing Death had expected was to find their prison emptied.
Folly’s power had grown unnaturally thanks to her savage decision to siphon sorcery from her accomplices. Which was why there was scant evidence left behind of who had unlocked the cages or where any of the prisoners had ventured following their release. Death’s dark gaze landed on a cage designed for a pegasus.
She dragged her fingers across a simple plaque that readTivadras. Once, he’d been her friend. But he’d made mistakes that had run him afoul of Death’s mother. For his temerity, he’d been deemed guilty and locked up for over fifteen thousand Earth years. It was harsher than he’d deserved, and Death hoped he would run far from any goddess or he’d find himself back in a cage. They had no choice. Their mother had left long ago, and no one had any clue when she’d return to reverse his sentence.
“He was always your little pet,” Mayhem drawled as she stepped closer.
“It would be easy to imagine that you played a hand in this disaster,” Death told her.
Mayhem’s mouth curved, and the bright light Justice had flooded the space with glinted off her fangs. “You will never know if I did or not.”
“Convenient, that,” Death replied as she studied her sister’s pale blue gaze. She hadn’t encountered Mayhem in years as she preferred to steer clear of any goddess whose idea of fun was stirring up unwarranted trouble. Of course, that was Mayhem’s purpose, so Death didn’t hold it against her, but she didn’t want to be caught in the middle of it either.
“As is your presence here,” Mayhem said. Without disturbing the red-and-gold gown she’d paired with a bold ruby necklace, Mayhem bent and picked up something from the ground.
Death lifted a brow. “Nearly every goddess alive is here.”
“Yes, but you have little use for us.”
Eternity appeared in the doorway with worry written plain on her pretty face. Her silver eyes met Death’s, and Eternity raced toward her.
“Untrue, dear sister,” Death drawled. “I make time for those worthy of my friendship.”
“Death,” Eternity called out as she drew near. “What a mess.”
“Yes, hello, sister,” Mayhem commented as Eternity looped her arm through Death’s. “Have I suddenly grown invisible?”
“Mayhem,” Eternity replied, surprise in her voice. “I haven’t seen you in ages. How do you fare?”
“How do you think I fare?” Mayhem demanded. She stomped her foot with such forcefulness that her black hair billowed away from her shiny gown. “No one wants anything to do with me. Do you know who bothered to seek me out last? Chaos! Who wants to deal with her? She’s unhinged.”
As it had been Death’s habit to avoid the palace, she was left out of current affairs.
“Why do they avoid Mayhem?” Death asked Eternity. “What has she done to anger everyone?”
“I am standing right here!” Mayhem exclaimed.
“As if anyone could miss a shouting goddess wearing jewels large enough to blind a human,” Fate drawled from behind Death.
“Why are you yelling?” Courage asked as she and Justice stomped toward the rapidly growing group surrounding Death. Clad in chain mail and wearing a fierce expression, Death was surprised her sister had forgone carrying a weapon. The same could not be said for the blond Justice, who had a blade strapped to her back.
“Because Death is annoying,” Mayhem accused.
