The Evolution of Fae and Gods (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 3)

She was oddly beautiful and grotesque at the same time. She still wore her hair in a frizzed slanted beehive, had on garish makeup, and exhibited a distinct love of sexy clothing to show off her thin body.

Gods damn it, Carrick thought. “You had a spell on him that activated if he told anyone about the ritual.”

Kymaris laughed, a cold and high-pitched sound. “Indeed, and it was so much flashier than your petty binding spells. Again, sad to see the best ritual weaver die, but can’t have you learning all my secrets.”

Carrick grasped the sword handle with both hands, raising it up at an angle over his shoulder. He was prepared to end it now and lop her evil head off.

“I’m not going to fight you, demi-god,” she hissed.

Carrick’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

“That’s right,” Kymaris taunted. “I know exactly who you are, but what I can’t figure out is why you’re helping that do-gooder, Finley Porter, who thinks she can stop me.”

“Let’s just say I don’t wish to see Earth overrun by your Dark Fae and demon horde from down below when you destroy the veil,” Carrick replied, lowering the sword. She’d bend distance and blink away before he could reach her.

The sly smile she’d been sporting slid off her face, and he could tell she wasn’t happy he’d figured out what her evil plan was.

Of course, he didn’t know how she planned to accomplish it.

“I’d think carefully before you choose a puny human’s side,” Kymaris warned, and that told him something particularly important.

She had no idea the gods offered him this role.

She had no idea Finley was anything but puny.

However it was that Kymaris found out about Finley’s role in stopping the prophecy, she still didn’t know much about it, and that was important information.

Not as important as learning exactly what the ritual entailed, but at least he knew Kymaris was in the dark about her foe. It meant they knew far more about her than she did about them, and that was why it was crucial to keep their circle of trusted ones as tight as ever.

“Tell your little human I’ll be seeing her soon enough.” Kymaris sneered. “And that I’m going to enjoy tearing her limb from limb.”

“Never going to happen,” Carrick vowed. He didn’t give a fuck what the fates said or what Arwen predicted about Finley’s sacrifice, he was never going to let Kymaris touch her.

“We’ll see,” Kymaris purred. She then blew Carrick a kiss and disappeared.

Heaving a sigh, Carrick glanced back at the pile of ash that was Ozigeor’s body before bending distance back to his condo.

CHAPTER 21

Finley

There was never any question about staying in the kitchen. Sure, I love being around Carrick, and Zaid and Maddox aren’t bad either, but I’ve missed Rainey and Myles. I’m not about to pass up the opportunity for some time alone with them.

There was also never any question as to where my friends were located in the condo. Any time Rainey and Myles come over—which, to my amusement, Carrick had given them the code to the private elevator—they sequester themselves in the library and go through the thousands of books he had down there. It was the best way they feel they can be helpful, especially since the stakeout at Kymaris’ house had led Rainey to believe that she was not cut out for the action part of the prophecy.

While Myles actually is sort of cut out for the action part because he’s always been adventurous, he was grateful Rainey wanted to stay away from the dangerous stuff.

When I reach the bottom of the spiral staircase, I see Myles seated at the conference table, hovering over a large, dusty book. His head tips up, and a grin spreads on his face. “There she is. The famed traveler, Finley Porter, jet-setting from Berlin to Faere and back to Seattle.”

I snort and glance around. “Where’s Rainey?”

Myles jerks his head to the left, indicating the really old books at the north end of the library. “Down there somewhere. When she gets frustrated, she likes to just randomly roam the stacks and nab books, hoping something will be useful.”

“And how has that worked for her so far?” I ask.

“Not that great,” he admits with a grin. He casts a furtive glance down to where Rainey is supposedly wandering and lowers his voice. “You got a minute? I need to ask you something before she comes back.”

“Sure,” I reply, taking the seat at the conference table beside him because he clearly doesn’t want Rainey to hear this.

Once more, Myles glances at the far end of the library and is satisfied Rainey is out of earshot for the moment. “As someone who has recently found herself falling in love while her entire world has been turned upside down, are you worried that any of these crazy circumstances are the reason why you feel the way you do?”