Griffin raised an eyebrow but didn’t question the movement, it appeared involuntary. “She is a woman. A natural-born. A Cherished. And even though she never was able to have children of her own, she will be kept alive. Women are not to be killed, no matter the crime. What happens to her will be up to the High Priestess’s discretion.”
“The High Priestess,” Julian growled. “She is a mummified corpse.”
A particularly large bump caused all of them to bounce in their seats, Raven’s hair falling over her face, but even still, she didn’t wake.
Julian reached out, tucking it behind her ears, his fingers stroking her cheeks. “I loved her my whole life. It was always her.” Julian cut his attention to Griffin.
Griffin had not often felt intimidated, but in this moment? It was not Julian in here. It was the Host.
“Will marrying her keep her from their clutches? From the Isle of Sacerdos?” Julian’s hand shook on Raven’s cheek, and he pulled it away as if shocked.
Griffin inclined his head. “It is the only thing that will. And you will create a loophole we can exploit if needed.”
Julian fell back, his hands coming up to rub his temples. “Harold told me so much, but it was never enough. Just morsels to keep me satiated but never fully informed.”
Griffin raised an eyebrow. “I guess you would have been close with the Creators. Especially after—” he cut himself off.
“After I became the Host. Yes. That was when they collared me and pumped me full of drugs.” Julian stroked his face, his fingers landing on the holes there. Where metal had previously been. “I feel naked without my piercings. Isn’t that stupid?”
“I can get you what you need,” Griffin offered. He had to build some sort of mutual agreement with Julian if this was going to work. “We need to work together if we have any hope.”
“And what’s the plan? We get married, and then what? We go to war with Violencia? And for what?” Julian heaved a sigh. “Isn’t there anywhere else that’s better? Raven was right, it’s worse here.”
“Violencia is only bad because of us. Because of Luscinia, Grypheem, and the Isles of Sacerdos. The Sacred Trinity, that’s what they are all called but it couldn’t be further from the truth. The corruption runs deep. And while there are Kings in Grypheem and Luscinia, make no mistake who runs it.” Griffin squeezed Raven to him tighter. Reminding himself that she was alive. That she was okay. But there was another country, one that was much safer. They just needed to wait until the time was right to escape there. However, Griffin held onto that information, he didn’t want it to get back to Raven, for her to fight him on it.
“The Priestess.” Julian narrowed his eyes. “But why?”
“She has control over our most precious resource.” Griffin breathed out, staring down at Raven.
The carriage was silent, save for the occasional bumps, as Julian processed the information. It didn’t take him too long to understand.
“Women,” Julian growled.
Chapter 14
The Flower of Fertility
Oleks
Present Day – Grypheem
Oleks remained frozen long after Raven left. His eyes trained on the boat, waiting for the silence.
He knew Harold.
Intimately.
Painful, sharp, staggering memories pierced his psyche as he remained frozen.
I deserve this. I will do better.
The sentences cycled on repeat through Oleks.
“Soldier!” Drago’s voice cut through his spiraling. “Let’s go.”
Oleks jumped as if shocked and turned away from the crowd towards Drago.
He didn’t trust the man. Not one single bit. But he recognized that it was in their best interest not to go head-to-head against the King of this country.
