Page 254 of The Ascended
We'd survived another trial, but the gods seemed shaken. Vorinar's strange behavior, the domain’s collapse, the way reality seemed to be fraying at the edges—none of it boded well for tomorrow's Forging.
Stay safe,I told Thatcher through our bond.
You too. And Thais?He paused at the threshold of Chavore's portal.Whatever is going on between you and Xül, try to be a little less obvious about it.
I winced before following the Warden.
Chapter 60
After the Collapse
The portalto the Bone Spire closed behind us.
We stood in the familiar black stone halls, none of us speaking.
"I need to contact the others," Xül said, already moving. "Aelix, I’m sure my father will call a meeting."
"I’m coming," Aelix assured. "The sooner we understand what happened, the better."
I waited for Xül to look at me, but he kept his gaze fixed on Aelix.
"Xül," I started. “I need to speak with you.”
"Not now, Thais." He still wouldn't look at me. "This takes precedence."
"Come on," Marx said softly, taking my arm. "Let them handle the mysterious god stuff. You and I can raid the kitchen."
I let her lead me away, though my stomach was knotted. Behind us, another portal tore open.
"He's scared," Marx said once we were alone in one of the Spire's sitting rooms. She flopped onto a velvet couch, all sharp elbows and careless grace. "Men always get weird when they're scared."
I sank into a chair across from her. "He’s certainly something."
"You claim he doesn’t care, but he was awfully quick with those death hands," Marx observed. "When he saved Thatcher."
“I don’t really want to talk about that right now.”
She pulled her knees up to her chest. "Of course you don’t.” She sighed. “Can we talk about the other elephant in the room, then? Or is that off limits too?"
I rolled my eyes. “Which elephant are you referring to, exactly?”
"The resistance, Thais. We're both caught up in it now." Her voice dropped.
I nodded slowly. "It seems that way."
"Being around it and being in it are different things." She picked at a thread on the couch. "Do you think they'll ask us to join officially? After we ascend?"
"Probably. If we survive."
"When," Marx corrected. "When we survive." She studied me. "You're planning to say yes, aren't you? When they ask."
"My brother's already sworn. I won't leave him to face this alone."
"And Xül?"
"What about him?"
"Don't play dumb. You're involved with the Prince of Death, whose father leads all of this. That's not exactly a neutral position."
