Bethevier’s silver eyes glittered, her mouth dropping open as she lowered back into the water and held out her hand. I wondered why Redvyr needed to lift her out of the water to kiss the stupid naiad. But rather than pull her from the water, he lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of it before releasing her.
She bared her serrated teeth and made a sibilant growl. “Not a kiss on my hand! On my lips, beasty!”
“You did not specify.” Lethemier laughed with glee, spinning in a circle in the water. “You know the rules.”
“I want a second kiss!” cried Bethevier.
“Sweet lady,” he said in that crooning voice that always made me feel warm and tingly. “I cannot give you what I can only give to my gods-given mate. But I will cherish the memory of my lips on your elegant, soft hand.”
“Ooooooh, beasty talks so sweetly, sister. You must give him what he bargained for. He gave you the kiss. Now it is your turn to give him what he wants.”
Bethevier seemed mollified, twirling back to the center of the pool beside her sister. “The golems lock their captured in a cell made of magick. It is within the trunk of the Ancient One. When they are done hunting these woods, they will carry them back to their father.”
“The Ancient One?” he pressed.
“The oldest oak in Wyken Woods. He stands at the center where the trees grow thin. No other will grow too close to him, giving him space, for he rules as their king. You cannot get into the hidden chamber by cutting down the tree. In fact, if you try, you will kill them. The black magick that holds them will crush them if it feels threatened. You must use magick against magick.”
Her eyes glowed pure white, the hum of power wafting over me. Her voice took on a dreamy timbre when she spoke. Her words rang with the tone of prophecy.
“The father of the golems is a hungry god. If you kill his golems, he will simply beget more of them. For he has awakened from a long slumber, and he will not go to sleep again. The Father of Night willneversleep again.”
“We must kill him, then.” Redvyr’s voice was gruff and aggressive.
Bethevier blinked her blue lashes, returning from her trance-like state. She scoffed at him. “You cannot kill a demi-god.” Then she vanished beneath the water.
“You cannot kill a demi-god,” repeated her sister before disappearing as well.
The ripples lapped at the edge of the pool, and then it was quiet again. Only the sound of the water dripping from the stalactites on the ceiling broke the silence.
“A demi-god?” Redvyr stood, staring at the still pool. “Why would a demi-god be plaguing us?”
His mind was racing, I could tell. I stepped into his arms and forced him to look at me.
“First things first, we need to get Bes and Saralyn back. Then we will worry about the rest.”
“We need magick to get inside the hidden chamber. You heard them. If we hack it down, it will only kill the ones inside.”
“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”
Chapter 25
REDVYR
“No! It isn’t happening.”
“By the gods,” Jessamine fumed angrily, pacing in our tent where Bezaliel and Tessa had joined us. “You are astubbornmale.”
“Call me whatever you like, but you are not sacrificing yourself.”
“Please explain to me exactly what you intend to do.” Bezaliel broke through our argument, which had been going on ever since they walked in and Jessamine explained her plan. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“She’s going to use herself as bait,” I bit out angrily. “And one of those fucking creatures could kill her or carry her off or seal her into an earthly tomb like they’ve done to Bes and Saralyn.”
Jessamine stopped her pacing and faced Bezaliel, ignoring me entirely. “I have the gift of a syrenskyn. It’s hard to explain, but I have the ability to lure others to me with magick. A seduction of sorts. It’s possible that I could seduce one of them and make them open the cell. When I’m wielding my syrenskynmagick, my claws can inject a deadly poison, so Icandefend myself. Contrary to what others may believe.”
“Or,” I snapped, striding to loom over her, “he will see that you are a juicy morsel for his master and abduct you.”
“And if he does,” she snapped back, her face heating, “he will open the chamber and allow you all to attack, kill them, and set us free.”
