“See you on the other side, God of Wisdom,” she said without looking at me.
Then she was gone.
And everything inside me went quiet.
* * *
Someone had pulled a bag over my head, so I couldn’t see where we were going, but they underestimated my knowledge of this world.
As the Pathways slowed, I recognized the magic in Somnaris realm. They had taken me to his capital, Malakar.
I let my limbs go limp and slowed my breathing. Feigning unconsciousness was the most sensible option. There was no advantage in panic, I needed to be patient.
If they thought I was out cold, they’d speak more freely.
And if they did, I intended to hear every word.
The shelves of my mind clicked into motion, years of study rustling open like pages in a wind. Somnaris, the God of Dreams and Nightmares. He was quiet, but never harmless.
I had visited his court twice in the past. His palace consisted of several buildings, arranged in a C-shape with a courtyard in the center.
When we stepped out from under the Veil, a strange sensation of peace settled over me.
The air was heavy with the sweet, heady scent of blossoms, mingling with the faint freshness of the night that was about to take over.
As the wind stirred, I could hear the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft hum of bees, creating a symphony of quiet sounds that filled the space with a sense of peace and stillness.
So we were still outside in the courtyard.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I heard a voice behind me, it was Somnaris talking.
A shiver ran across my skin when I heard Mae’s quiet voice.
“Thank you for inviting me to your court, Somnaris.”
It was silent for a moment.
“You have caused quite the chaos, wordsmith,” Somnaris said, and it was more of a question than a statement.
“I believe it was you and your Heralds who started this chaos in the first place. I was dragged into your games unwillingly and am simply trying to ensure that I am coming out of this better than I went in,” Maelis said coolly.
“Is that so? Because it looked like you were pretty chummy with Auretheos and his circle when you went to the Celestium.”
Every single one of Somnaris words oozed with mistrust and distaste, but Maelis did not falter.
“I am a mortal, I do not belong in your world. The Gods have never done anything to improve my life or that of my family. So if you are asking me if I support you and Ignara because I think it’s a worthy cause, I have to disappoint you. I don’t give a fuck about what you or Auretheos want. I am here for myself, my family. This is a job to me, and I’ll be glad to leave this continent when this is over.”
The cold calculation in her tone was a knife to my gut.
Had she been lying to me all this time?
I had never heard her speak so harshly before.
I heard Somnaris moving then. “I am well aware of where your loyalties are, you are a wordsmith after all, girl. We will be watching you closely and we will not hesitate to snap your neck if you so much as think about betraying our cause.”
She huffed, unimpressed.
“You are being way too dramatic about this. Could you please show me to my room?” Somnaris called out andservants approached.
