“The magic will choose well,” Lord Belshazzar assured. “It always does. Everything happens for a reason.”
I held up an instant finger. “Except for that one time it didn’t. I was listening earlier.”
“Not very well,” Elder Otto grumbled. “The match wasn’t ideal, but the king was. There is a difference.”
“This isn’t good.” I placed my face into my waiting palms, hiding from my misfortune.
“Uphill battle. But not impossible,” Lord Belshazzar reminded. “And with the overlords backing the new king—druid or not—our people will trust in us. Our pasts have won over the people, and that is how they remember us. Trustworthy and loyal. We wouldn’t back someone if we didn’t believe in them.”
I dropped my hands from my eyes and slumped onto my side. The chill of the ground was delicious against my fevered body. I growled in frustration. “I hope you’re right.”
Lord Belshazzar snorted. “Get up, Gwynnore. If the Unseen Gods saw how pitiful you looked right now, a candidate to the throne—”
“The Unseen Gods are only a myth,” I cut him off, bravery loosening my lips. “I can’t believe you believe in them.”
Though, I did sit up.
Ice blue eyes caught mine, sending chills down my spine. He rumbled, “I believe in a great many things. Live long enough, and you will too, candidate.”
CHAPTERTWELVE
~ GWYNNORE ~
One night in the old jail turned into two nights.
Then three nights.
On the fourth day, we were all a sight for sore eyes.
Though we had learned blood bags could be tossed into the room.
By females. Not males.
No men could enter the cavern who shouldn’t be here right now.
We weren’t thirsty anymore, but we were damn grumpy.
Thank goodness for the tiny shower in the bathroom.
Or we would have stunk too.
Lord Xenon rubbed at his chest and stared at the cauldron. “This is getting absurd.”
“It’sgettingabsurd?” Lord Otto growled. “It passed absurd two days ago. We’ve enteredWhat the Fuck Land.”
I choked on a laugh.
I hadn’t known he had a sense of humor.
Cato prowled from one end of the room to the other. For hours straight. He rubbed the back of his neck fiercely, muttering, “It feels like there’s a whole damn legion of druids coming.”
Instantly, I sobered. All mirth was gone. “What do you mean?” Asshole.
Lord Belshazzar was doing a backbend, stretching his muscles…then he started walking on his hands and feet across the room, still in his backbend. Bored silly. It was the oddest thing to watch. He grumbled, “The power that’s holding the spell. It’sourmagic. We feel it being pulled.”
Adelie cocked her head, eyeing him. “You know, Lord Belshazzar, you’re very limber.”
He snorted. Winked from his upside down position. “You have no idea.”
