Page 123 of Ruthless Scoundrel
The thought of my sister, my mother, my kin all wasting away in the dungeons spurs me on. “Please, help a little more. Where are my people?”
Al’shan’hai’goilooks to the south, to a particularly thick parapet around a castle tower. “There.” He reaches down and scoops us up into his hand, then lumbers forward. His thick legs eat up the distance easily.
I look down at Rei. She’s unconscious, her magic expended, her skin reddened and angry. I want to heal her more. I want to take away the pain she must be feeling, even in sleep, but I can’t. I gave her everything I had.
Al’shan’hai’goitold me to give her my magic, to give her my heart and love her wholly, so I did. And she took from me. I felt the drain. But with it, she defeated the queen’s monstrous storm. We sent a piece of her back to hell for good, but the dark goddess is still alive.
Her aspect was destroyed, but her body, the queen in Fynren, is still alive. She has a foothold in this world, and despite her plans being changed, she will not stop.
I hold Rei closer.
Vessel,she called her. My sunshine, my mate. She will not have her. She will notpossessher. I will destroy all of Gaien before I let some wretched monster take my love from me.
My love.
My love.
I push the hair out of Reina’s face and gaze down at her placid features.
“Wake up, sunshine,” I whisper. “We’re not done yet.”
“Mmph?” She blinks her eyes separately and looks up at me. “What happened?”
I smile. “You defeated a dark goddess’s apparition. And now it’s time to save the captives.”
She sucks in a hard breath and sits up.
Al’shan’hai’goistomps down on the tower and splits it open. Golden guards fly, none of them moving. They’re all without power because Vansen is dead.
He drops us down in the area he’s destroyed. “I will wait to unleash my anger upon this island. Get them out.”
I stagger out of his palm, holding Reina against my side.
“Must find them,” I say, unable to form full, coherent thought.
“I know,” Reina says, looking around the destroyed stone.
“There,” she says, pointing to a pile of rubble.
We grab the stones together, pulling them down carelessly, noisily. It doesn’t matter anymore. There’s no one to hear the noise—except perhaps the two black-haired humans that saw us into the palace.
“I will patrol and keep you safe, little one,” Al’shan’hai’goi says.
I turn and take in his enormity. His massive face that could’ve held ten men inside his mouth. His dark scales that protect him from the sharp teeth of his enemies. The crystals along his back that channel his magic. He is a wonder.
Our gazes connect, his purple eyes locking on me.
“You’re a god, aren’t you?”
Al’shan’hai’goicocks his head at me, his stare somehow soft. “I am what is called a god, but our power comes from those who know us. Who call us. Like you did to me.”
I called him?
I wanted to get back to Reina. I needed help. Did I call on the power of a god? Did one actually reply? Is she worth so much?
Of course she is.
There’s no doubt in my mind.
