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

eyes. “Ember is curious and bright, as you said. There is a kindness in her. She was worried for you.”

“Me?” Maverick snorted. “You’re playing false sympathies on the wrong man.”

“I do not lie. She asked about your wellbeing once we left you in the sanctuary. She saw you in distress, and I believe wished to help you.”

“No one can help me.”

“Yes, so I’ve noticed. I’ll be sure to warn her not to waste her time.”

Maverick huffed in a half-laugh. Companionable silence reigned for a long time before the Elder of Words broke it. “I will be all right, Lyon. But this nonsense…it raises old grudges for me.”

“I know. If I were truly concerned, I would have said something.” He opened his eyes to study his friend. Maverick was staring into the flames. “We will survive. We always have.”

“But at what cost?” The elder finished his brandy in one gulp. “There is always a cost.” Maverick stood, placing his glass on the table beside him. “I will stay here for the night, if you do not mind. The ride back to the library is long, and it is late.”

“You are always welcome. Until the morrow, old friend.”

Maverick left with a simple nod. He was already consumed in his thoughts. Kamira always complained when Lyon and the elder spent too much time together in silence. She said it reminded her of a mausoleum.

Lyon turned his attention back to the flames. Kamira was hunting with Dtu and would be some time before she could make it back to the city, especially if Dtu could no longer travel through the fold. All things considered, he wasn’t concerned. His wife could handle any trouble thrown at her, and then some.

But Maverick’s words troubled him.

Survival, but at what cost?

He hadn’t replied, for he had not wanted to agree with the man. Nor could he summon the lie to argue.

Yes. At what cost, indeed…

9

Dtu walked alongside the pack of frightened humans. They were more likely to stay in line on the road if he was present. His shape was larger and far more frightening than the others. They might not know or understand why he was the King of Moons—but humans were instinctual animals, deep down. They could sense the power in him. They knew, even if he were in his human form, that he was terrifying. That he was something to be feared and avoided.

Well.

Except one human, anyway.

Dtu looked down at the curious little creature named Jakob as the young man jogged out of the crowd to walk at his side. Jakob was young, perhaps in his twenties, with long blond hair that was shaved close to the scalp on both sides. The remainder was braided and ran down his back. Dtu could have almost mistaken him for one of the warriors in the House of Flames. But Jakob didn’t look like a warrior. He wasn’t built like one, and his expression was too open, too friendly, and too trusting. But neither did he look too soft for the road. They had been marching for six hours along the dirt packed road leading to Yej from their hunting grounds, and the human did not seem any the worse for wear.

Many of the other humans didn’t seem so enthusiastic and looked weary. They would have to stop and make camp soon.

“Hello, little Jakob,” he greeted the young man.

The young man smiled back. “Hello, Dtu. Where are we going?”

“The capitol city of our world. It is named Yej. There I hope we may find more answers about what has happened.”

“What will happen to us?”

“I can’t say as I know. Some will wish to put you before the Ancients and see if they will accept you into our world.”

“The Ancients?”

“Our gods.”

“I hope the Dread God has not killed them, too.”

“It has not. If our Ancients were consumed, I do not know what would come of our world. It is through their dreams that our very existence was made possible. I would know if they fell.”

“Oh. That’s good.” Jakob smiled. He was such an odd little human. He did not cower in fear from Dtu’s skulled face or rotted body. Dtu did not know if that was a good or a bad thing. It may not be a mark in favor of the man’s intelligence. “What do you think happened?”

“I do not theorize. I’m always wrong. I hunt. That is my lot in life.”

Jakob paused. He furrowed his brow in confusion. “But…what do you think happened?”

Dtu chuckled and shook his skull. No one asked his opinion on these things. Not even Kamira. He was not consulted in matters of politics or strategy. It was likely for good reason. He was a hothead—he acted first, thought later. He was prone to emotional outbursts, and that was not the way to make level-headed choices. But he was who he was. At his age, he had grown tired of apologizing for his behavior.

“I think,” he began and then paused to form his thoughts. “I think your Dread God found creatures of a similar mindset…and I think it has joined our Ancients.”

“Oh. Oh…that’s…that’s very bad. That means your world has the drengil now.” Jakob shuddered. “I’m so sorry.”

“We are more capable of dealing with such threats than your kind, I think.” Dtu raised his head to look out into the woods. It was filled with creatures the dreamers had summoned. Lydia’s leadership had brought forth strange and bizarre things that he could barely fathom. She was…creative, he gave her that. Far more than Qta had been, and his former mate had dreamed up fantastical monsters.

His heart cinched at the memory of Qta. Dtu missed him. The original snake god of Under had always been a jovial source of laughter. He was a good and kind king.

Lydia was not…a bad queen. Not by any means. She was more merciful than even Queen Ini, but she was fierce and, although Dtu loathed to admit it, proudly independent.

Even from the man who shared her heart and