Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Kieran was at a loss. “I really have no idea. None. The fae in this world don’t make any sense, other than if it’s to collect magical items. That, at least, has some logic to it—an end game. Dealing with that Chester in there? What’s the point?”
Thane scrubbed his hand through his unruly hair as they heard a voice from off to the side. Mordecai, staying quiet and out of the way. Suffering from his grief for his sister. He’d stay reserved until needed, and then he would dominate. That was his way.
“A toy,” Mordecai murmured. “Non-magical humans make great toys. They can’t fight back. They aren’t as dangerous as magical people.”
He was quiet for a beat as Lexi passed, arguing with three ghosts from home. They wanted to come along.
When she was again out of earshot, Mordecai continued.
“They made a mistake with Daisy, though.” He pushed off the side of the cashier building. “Daisy isn’t less dangerous than magical people. Because of her upbringing and constantly having to assess the danger around her and find a way to kill it before it kills her, she’s ten times more dangerous than magical people. Than you, Demigod Kieran. Than even Lexi. She’s at home in the shadows, has no moral hang-ups where survival is concerned, and knows how to manipulate people, spy, and play games. She won’t ever break. Not ever. She won’t give them the satisfaction. If there is one human in all the world they shouldn’t bring into Faerie, it is my sister. She’ll burn that place to the ground and wonder why we took so long to show up and join her in dancing around the flames.”
6
Daisy
“Come on, you stupid human,” said Curvy Woman.
I’m Revana, she murmured, pulling Daisy roughly down the dark tunnel on the left. Gorlan said to tell you how gross that spit was, and he does not appreciate it.
“I can’t see, you fucking idiots. How am I supposed to walk?” Daisy gritted out, resuming looking at the walls and thinking of the horrors that might await there. Then thinking of her captors and how hard it was to stop herself from falling to the ground and sobbing.
Kayla and Revana hoisted her up, carrying her. It was not at all comfortable, so Daisy grunted and squirmed until they had her in a better hold that didn’t yank at her shoulders so much.
Don’t take it personally, Kayla said. About Tarian. He disappears into the creature he needs to be to survive this court. He has to battle harder than we do to keep the twisted magic from infiltrating his mind. It’s not an easy feat when you feel it as often as he does. The royals—the princess, especially—plague him.
We are sitting down to a game of chess, Daisy thought in that way Kayla had described. Her body twisted weirdly, and it looked like she was trying to moonwalk in the air, her legs dangling as the females carried her. Why the hell couldn’t she think quietly like (apparently) a normal person? I would expect him to play his part correctly, so that I might play mine.
You can think more freely now, Revana thought. Anyone powerful enough to possess the mindgazer magic won’t be in these tunnels. And if they are, they are easily spotted. Tarian said you have a distinct eye for human fashion—
He sounded very impressed by that, Kayla murmured. He loves human fashion.
If that is true, Revana went on, you should be able to notice the finer attire here. Those who wear it have gold and status. They will be more powerful, more prestigious, and crueler. Try not to gain their notice.
Only the more powerful half of the court has the mindgazer magic, Kayla said.
Yes. If you see someone with less quality attire, you may be safe in assuming they cannot hear your thoughts. Soon, hopefully, you’ll learn to block your thoughts. Tarian thinks the chalice magic should make you powerful enough to do so, even against the royals.
And your crew? Daisy asked.
Are an exception, Kayla said. An exception the true nature of which no one knows. To them, we are the Thornborn, a rough and hardy group of kin that exists on the outskirts of fae society. They live in the wylds on the borders of this kingdom and the mountain ranges of the Topaz kingdom. We found some of them working here, as hired muscle, mostly. They took us in when the gods stripped us of all that we are.
A pale blue glow interrupted the darkness, and a putrid smell hit Daisy like a wall. Her stomach churned. It was a combination of damp stone and mold, stale body, and decay and rot. She shut down her senses as the glow grew into a dim magical light that washed over a cramped space filled with strange contraptions. They appeared to be intended for physical suffering, and she wanted to inspect each one, curious to see what they did. How creative fae got with torture.