Page 45 of Empire of Death
Her eyes flicked back and forth between mine. “Don’t pretend you care about this forest or anyone in it. You committed treason forher.”
“I did it for both. Don’t forget that I have people I love on the other side of that door. People I think about every single day. And I demand payment for that intervention.”
“They were only here because of you.”
“They chose this forest on their own. I simply gave him the army of orcs they requested. Don’t tell me we aren’t supposed to interfere with the living when you wouldn’t be here right now if I’d made a different choice.”
Her eyes sharpened like a blade. “If the tree is ever compromised, I can still defend my realm.”
“Hopefully you’ll never know if that’s true or not.”
Anger continued to bubble deep beneath her gaze as she regarded me with coldness.
I stood my ground, determined to get what I’d come here for.
Her arms were stiff by her sides as the invisible breeze continued to blow through her hair and gown. Full of elegance and grace, she was a beautiful woman who could hypnotize any mortal who laid eyes upon her. But my desire for a woman had been swallowed by the permanent grief I carried…until Lily.
Until that woman set me on fire. “I humbly ask for your help, Riviana, God of Caelum.”
My praise and respect somewhat restrained the anger that had played on her face.
“You don’t have to tell me where I can find it. Just tell me what I’m looking for.”
She took a heavy pause before she answered, surveying the forest around us as she considered the request.
“Talon Rothschild has defended this forest more than once. He is a good man and a worthy king to rule this part of the world. He came to your aid without hesitation, and it may have cost him his life.” I put aside my own jealousy and resentment and fought for the man Lily loved with all her heart. Fought for him, father to father. “And you know he will always fight for this forest as long as he lives. You have deep love and respect for him. Help me help him.”
“I’ve already interfered for him before, and it nearly cost our entire way of life.”
“But this favor is minuscule compared to that. Just tell me what I’m looking for.”
She considered the request in silence again, her hair looking like dancing flames. “The type of gold forged in their blades is different from what is seen here and in other parts of the world, the kind that adorns women’s necks and sits on the hairy knuckles of men. This substance is so pure that it absorbs what it destroys. At some point in time, the substance will fade from his flesh and he’ll be able to heal, but it may be months before that happens. Time that Talon doesn’t have.”
I listened to each word, waiting for the answer I sought with every fiber of my being.
“You need a substance to counteract it, something stronger and purer than this type of gold. And that substance is called platinum. Brilliant like a diamond but malleable like hot steel. It’s rare, but it exists. I can’t tell you where it can be found because its location is unknown even to me.”
15
LILY
I was dead asleep when Zehemoth’s words came into my mind.
A missive has arrived from King Ithaca. He asks for an audience.
My eyes remained shut, and it took me a moment to process the words that exploded in my head.Sorry, what?
King Ithaca asks you to return to the Empire Colonies so he can speak with you.
When did this missive arrive?
My father just informed me, so I assume within the hour.
I was irritated that he didn’t seek my audience in person, but because I could traverse enormous distances in a fraction of the time compared to a ship, it made sense for me to go to him.Tell your dad we’ll head there in a few hours.
I will.
Did he say anything about my parents?
