Mask of Poison (Fall of Under Book 1) by Kathryn Kingsley (great novels to read txt) 📕

the arrival of the creature we called the Dread God. We battled them for three generations. But we were losing. I think the eighth altar in Lyon’s church is that same creature. I think my world is…is gone. I think all that’s left of us is here, now. I don’t know how. I don’t know why.”

Maverick hummed thoughtfully. The gears were clearly whirling away in his head. She left him to his thoughts and went back to the beautiful brass prize in her hands. A watch. A real, wonderful, working clock!

She found the small clasp on the side of the pocket watched and pressed it. She ran her thumb over the glass, watching the little hands click along in a circle. It said it was half past six. It was still dark outside—so it must be winter in Under, and the sun…

But she had been in Under for at least seven or eight hours now. She glanced up at the window. “Wait.”

“Ah, you are a smart one.” Maverick smiled at her. “It is six-thirty in the evening.”

“In some of the northern regions of Gioll, when the sun set in the winter, it would never rise again until spring. Is Under like that?”

That caught Lyon’s attention. He looked at her, sadness in his eyes, but didn’t reply. Maverick was the one who spoke after a pause. “In a matter. Under has no sun that rises. Our moons provide our light and give sustenance to our flora. If you ever do see the sun rise…” He hesitated. Something thick layered onto his voice. It was that strange hatred. “If the sun does rise…be afraid.”

She swallowed. “Okay. I will.” She closed the pocket watch and went to hand it back to him.

Maverick held up his hand to her. “Keep it.”

“What?” She blinked, stunned. “No. You’re joking.”

“I have dozens. People give them to me for every holiday, thinking I need another to add to my collection. Really, it is because they have no other clue what else to give me.” He smirked. “You are doing me a favor.”

“It’s…thank you.” Ember looked down at the watch in her hands. “I have nothing to give you in return. And I have done nothing to earn it.”

“Tell me more of Gioll when we have a moment, and consider the watch as advance payment.” He smiled at her again. This time, and for the first time, it had a shadow of warmth in it. But it faded a second later. He turned his attention to Ini and Lyon. “If you two are quite done mourning your ability to use the fold to rise above the rest of us plebs, I would like to see this new Ancient. This ‘Dread God’ from Gioll. Perhaps we’ll find our new royal along the way.” Maverick struck off toward the exit without another word.

“I should stay here.” Ini floated over the gory mess of bodies and looked down at them, her shoulders falling in dismay. “She should be put to rest.”

“Be wary of more of these creatures, Queen Ini,” Lyon urged. “There will be more.”

“I will warn all in my house,” the elven creature replied.

“What of the Orrery? Will you attempt to repair it?” The King of Blood looked toward the twisted pile of metal and shattered glass with a troubled expression.

“It took me two thousand years to build it the first time.” The floating woman shrugged. “I suppose I have little else to do.”

Lyon chuckled. “Be careful, my queen. I beg you.”

“You worry too much for others, my dear king.” She floated back to the tall man in white and placed the painted blue lips of her porcelain mask to the man’s forehead. “But that is why we love you so.”

Lyon smiled gently. “You are too kind.”

“What are we to do with our mortal friend?” Ini turned to her. Ember shrank back reflexively. “You can stay here with me, my beautiful darling. Or you may return to the cathedral with Lyon. Which do you prefer?”

I don’t trust either of you. It seemed rude to point out the obvious. She looked between the two. A stunning, as-good-as-naked, inhuman woman, or a tall, pale, forlorn statue of a man who drank blood.

Both of them had gone fishing about in her head.

Choices, choices.

“Are you idiots coming?” Maverick called from the foyer. “Truly, no wonder we are all immortal. We would all die before anything was accomplished, otherwise.”

Lyon chuckled. “He has become so bitter as of late. Well.” He paused. “Vocally bitter, perhaps.”

“It is how he…copes.” Ini’s tone grew sad as she placed her hand on Lyon’s shoulder. “Be patient with his grief.”

“I know. Believe me, I know.” Lyon turned his attention back to Ember. “What shall it be, Miss Ember?”

Glancing around the Great Hall, she took stock of her options. “I think I’ll return with you, Lyon, if that’s all right.”

“Of course.” He bowed his head. “I am flattered.”

“Don’t be.” She smirked. “Your building is safer. Smaller windows. Easier to escape.”

The blood-drinker laughed. He didn’t seem offended. “Naturally. Of course.”

Besides. You’re less distracting. I’m not sure I can keep from blushing around Ini. It had been a very long time since Ember had been around anyone, especially someone so beautiful. Nudity hadn’t been a shameful thing in her culture, just an infrequent one.

“Now I’m the flattered one,” Ini replied, her voice sultry. “You needn’t be shy, you know.”

Ember’s face lit up like it was on fire. She coughed and turned to hide her face. “I said to stay out of my head.”

“Sorry! Sorry. Some thoughts are just so very loud. It’s hard to tune out.” Ini giggled.

“Now, please,” Maverick called from the entrance.

Ember was eager to follow the man in gray. “Goodbye, Ini. It was nice to meet you.”

“I look forward to seeing you again soon, my dear Ember,” the woman in blue purred from behind her.

Lyon fell in step beside Ember. He stayed silent until they were well out of hearing range and had caught up to Maverick where he was still waiting