Page 56 of D'Vaire or Nothing
“Drat, you’re too good at this,” Fate replied. “Okay, I’m not giving anyone any more clues about our other D’Vaire. Let’s hear the guesses.”
The room filled with names, but Death kept quiet. She wasn’t sure yet, and she wasn’t one to show her cards early. As she watched Heathcliff’s feet take him closer to Hearts bar, Death hoped her sister would be as successful with his matchas she had been with every other mated D’Vaire pair. And that they would find Folly before the goddess could wreak any further havoc.
Chapter 2
Her mood shifting slowly to jovial, Justice relaxed next to the goddess who shared her love of training. Courage had many things in common with Justice, but their friendship hadn’t grown any stronger until Death had brought their small group together. It hadn’t started with any intentions. Usually, goddesses united for a specific reason—Justice wasn’t sure what other things drew her sisters together, but she was only added when they wanted someone to make rules or keep the others in line.
It was irritating, and Justice didn’t relish the idea of constantly being stuck with the responsibility of convincing the goddesses—who had been left to their own devices by their long-absent mother—to behave. But their group had formed accidentally. Death had wondered how things would have differed for their beloved D’Vaires if certain historical events differed or never happened at all.
Eager to run with the idea, the goddesses had crafted an alternate realm and hidden it from the rest of their sisters. Courage hadn’t been present that day, and even she was unaware of the project. Of course, the damn twisted realm was frozen in time. Justice was eager to see the next couple find each other and watch the sparks fly, but Folly had shown up andthrown everything into chaos. Desperate to stop her, Courage kept close to Justice’s side, and they brainstormed constantly.
Justice was furious whenever the thought of Folly sprang to mind. The goddess had broken practically every rule they were given by their mother, and somehow, she kept outwitting them. It was humiliating.
Justice’s fingers curled into fists, and her lip twisted in a snarl. Rolling her shoulders, she forced herself to relax. She had to remain clear-headed if they had any hope of tracking Folly down again. They had to find her and punish her. Only then could Justice return to normalcy and gather with her sisters to unlock their twisted realm. Her first order of business would be to add Courage to their team.
Courage was reliable and honorable. They could count on her to keep their secret. And Courage was intelligent, with a dry sense of humor she saved for those dearest to her heart. With her on the team, they would have more options to keep the project interesting and far different from the realm where the Brynewielm Duke was staring at his other half. He had a mixture of surprise and pleasure in his silver eyes.
“It was wild of me to get two different mates hired at Deck of Cards so they would meet their D’Vaires this weekend, but I couldn’t help myself,” Fate enthused.
Justice barely restrained from rolling her eyes.Wildwould be uniting a few dozen people in a single night, not arranging for two lonely D’Vaires who’d waited too long for the other half of their souls to bump into the men who completed them. But Justice kept her lip zipped and allowed Fate to bask in her glory.
There was little happening on the viewing screen. Heathcliff had exchanged numbers with his mate, and the other couple had yet to meet. A constant state of anxiety and rage kept Justice on edge, and it was difficult to concentrate. Forcingherself to stay in the moment, Justice unclenched her teeth, and her gaze strayed to her sisters.
Death smiled at something Eternity said to her and gave every appearance of a relaxed goddess. Which was why Justice noticed the second her demeanor changed.
Misunderstood and harassed by nearly every goddess, Death had long ago mastered the art of concealing her emotions and reactions. But Justice was now one of her closest confidantes. And Justice had adopted a habit of studying those around her for any clue of imminently inappropriate behavior. She had never expected that of Death. The ruler of theebirllobakept her heart masked, but it was full of love for her spirits. She put the dead above herself and rarely sought mischief.
Justice waited for Death to mention what had startled her, but she remained silent.
“Death, what’s wrong?” Justice asked.
The noise in the room ceased as Death turned to Justice with a mixture of compassion and alarm in her black eyes. It was the sympathy in her gaze that told Justice someone had died and their soul weighed on the goddess.
“For a moment, I thought the unthinkable had happened,” Death revealed. “The power flowing into theebirllobaconfused me, and I believed a goddess had somehow died. But I was wrong. It was a spriggan. The one imprisoned. I don’t even know his name.”
“Jowan,” Justice replied, her own pity stirring. “The first spriggan. His crime was being created by a new goddess who didn’t understand it was wrong to infuse someone with enough sorcery to make them a demi-god. Mother had him locked up before he met any of his brethren.”
Eternity rose, and a tear slid down her cheek. “The saddest thing I am learning is how many of those imprisoned were there for no reason. Can we find his body at least?”
“His spirit is rising,” Death said. “Remain calm.”
“Why?” Justice asked as she stood and summoned a giant sword that she strapped to the thick metal cuirass she wore. “Where is Jowan’s mortal frame?”
“If I had to guess, inches from the ward you and Courage created,” Death confided.
“Conceal your power if you wish to remain anonymous,” Courage instructed. “Especially you, Death.”
The ruler of the dead stared at Courage with riotous emotions boiling in her dark eyes. “Why would you single me out?”
Courage harrumphed and added an ornate golden shield to her back. “Because we will be close to many sorcerers, including the Imperian, who may be strong enough to recognize the unique rhythm of your ample magic.”
“Excellent point,” Death muttered sheepishly. “The Imperian is intelligent, and the memories of me crafting his former realm are molded into his essence. He couldn’t forget me if he tried.”
“Hurry,” Justice urged, her usually infinite patience forgotten.
Without another word, Death changed the viewing screen so it showed the broken body of the small spriggan. Justice bared her teeth as she carefully bound her ample power and shimmered to the alleyway behind resort. Around her, the other five goddesses arrived with their power muted as best they could manage.
Justice bent and allowed the tiniest essence of sorcery to land on the spriggan. He wasn’t just dead. Every drop of his sorcery was drained, and few of his bones remained intact.
