She laughed. “Thank you,” she said. “Sometimes I, too, wish circumstances did not drive me to this, but I will always be grateful to Aphrodite’s Feast for an opportunity few have.”
“And I will always be grateful that it brought us together.”
She laid her head on his big bicep, feeling things she hadn’t felt since Brenner was alive. It was a sweet moment between them. Orion kissed the top of her head and was preparing to speak when something down the road caught his eye.
He was watching a tide of people move toward Aphrodite’s Feast, toward them. Hundreds of them. Shocked, he and Anosia watched the crowd of people move closer and closer.
“Whoisthat?” Anosia asked with concern. “What are they doing?”
Orion shook his head. “I do not know,” he said. “I do not see any weapons or battle implements. It does not seem to be an army.”
Anosia could see both men and women in the crowd. “I wonder where they are going?” she said.
Orion wasn’t sure. He just shook his head, watching the crowd. When it became apparent they were heading for The Feast, he broke for the entry door, pulling Anosia behind him.
“Get inside,” he said. “Let me see what this is about.”
She nodded, somewhat fearfully, as he pulled her into the foyer. The Guardians at the door had seen the tide, too, and were most curious. As they began to discuss how to handlethe situation, Anosia went into the reception chamber, to the window, and watched the approaching crowd. So many of them coming. It was most puzzling.
But she was about to discover the truth.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Jareth,” Aidric whispered.“Are you awake?”
Jareth was, sort of. He was sitting in a chair, his head on the bed next to Desdra, when Aidric spoke to him from the chamber doorway. Instantly, his head was up.
“Aye,” he said, quickly rubbing his eyes with his good right hand. “I am awake. Why?”
“You’d better come,” Aidric said. “Do not ask me any questions because I do not have any answers. But you had better come.”
Puzzled, Jareth sat up. “I cannot simply leave her,” he said. “Someone must stay with her.”
“Orion will,” Aidric said. “But you must come. Now.”
He sounded alarmed, which had Jareth on his feet. He was weary, and his left arm and shoulder were still wrapped up, but he was no longer suffering from a fever. Thankfully, that episode had been brief. But he was still recovering from the wound and his left arm was still useless. Any movement still greatly pained him. But he forced himself to wake up fully, to focus, because there was evidently something that required his attention.
He headed down to the foyer.
Hugh and Orion were there standing alongside Zeus and Heracles and Orpheus. Once Orion saw Jareth, he turned and headed back up to Desdra’s chamber, but Jareth and Aidric joined the crowd at the entry door. He had no idea why until Zeus pointed to the approaching surge of humanity. Bewildered, Jareth stepped into the doorway, watching.
“What am I seeing?” he finally asked. “Whoarethose people?”
“Townsfolk, I think,” Zeus said, coming to stand alongside him. “I recognize several.”
“But why are they coming here?”
Zeus shook his head. “I do not know.”
“Should we secure the building?” Aidric asked. “If they get any closer and charge, we will not be able to hold them all off.”
“I’ll run back to the castle,” Hugh said, turning for the rear of the building. “I’ll bring the garrison.”
“Nay, Hugh,” Jareth said, stopping the man in his tracks. “Hold for now. Let us see what they want. They are not armed, so I do not think they pose a threat.”
Hugh wasn’t so sure, but he remained, watching the group as they came off the road and headed up the stone path that led to the entry door. They came within about fifteen feet of the door before they came to a halt.
“My God,” Jareth muttered. “There has to be hundreds of them.”
