Suddenly, understanding washed over me, causing my heart to thump loudly in my chest.
“Acolyte. Fate. You work for him. You’re one of his.”
She grunted something as she continued to write, oblivious to how my worldjust shattered. Years of interactions with acolytes and priests of Fate came rushing back to me, and I tried to discern if Pip was in any—or all—of them.
Was I manipulated my whole life?
“Yes and no. It’s no longer important.” Apparently, I’d asked that aloud. Pip spun to face me, charcoal smeared across the freckles on her pale face. Her brown eyes flashed with panic. “Whatisimportant is that you leave. Now. You weren’t supposed to be here—none of us foresaw this. If you stay, Elyria falls. You must leave, now.”
Pip began ushering me toward the door, and I followed, stumbling in bewilderment.
“But Dria?—”
“Is handled. Samyr and Solace will not come through Hestin. Your mission here was wasteful. And dangerous,” she muttered the last part.
“Leave the way you came. But make haste back to Deucena. Without you, Solace will kill Faylinn first. Then turn her ire to Torin. Once they are gone, Elyria will fall in short order.”
I allowed her to push me through the door, pausing on the landing outside.
“Go, Goddess of Death. Live true to your name.” With that, Pip slammed the door in my face and locked it for good measure.
I stood dumbfounded in the hallway before physically shaking myself and replacing my hood.
What in Fate just happened?
Chapter Ninety-Four
Peytor
“Throw everything you have at her—donotlet her release that!” I screamed, voice cracking from the force.
Immediately, my Mages responded, releasing everything from giant fireballs to whirlwinds at Solace. The goddess simply grinned in response, the power continually building between her palms as the Mages on her ships launched counterattacks at our vessels.
Water shot into the sky as magic landed harmlessly, while others collided with sails and mainstays.
Chaos erupted as wood splintered apart, ships falling immediate victim to Solace’s army.
Fuck.
“Evasive maneuvers!” I shouted, sea spraying my face and wetting my body completely.
“Peytor! Peytor, what is happening?” Torin shouted. At some point, I’d accidentally activated my communication stone with Torin. I had no time to converse, however, and Torin was subjected to the sounds of battle and screams of dying.
I scampered down the rigging, ducking behind the rail, just evading as it sailed where my head once stood. I pressed my back against the railing, breathing hard as I watched my Water Mage quickly put out the fire, the magical attack leaving a dark scorch mark on the wood.
“Fuck! She’s going to tear straight through us to Alvor, Torin. You have to get back to Alvor!” I shouted, hopefully loud enough for Torin to hear through the communication stone. My steps faltered as a magical bomb landed on my ship,exploding outward and sending me careening back to the deck. I lay still for a moment, wind knocked from my lungs as shards of wood and blood rained down upon me.
A quick glance showed my Earth Mage and Vessel were directly in the middle of the last attack, their bodies completely blown asunder. Chunks of flesh and bone stuck to the deck, and the rigging dripped with blood and tendons.
Fuck.
My stomach roiled at the sight.
I was not made for battle.
“Back to port, Peytor! Do you hear me? Pull everyone back!” Torin’s voice echoed from inside my pocket.
I scrambled across the careening deck, slipping on blood and water before grabbing desperately to the side of the ship. I pulled myself up to peer over the edge, the sight of battle stealing my breath.
