Read Online Drake of Tanith (Chosen Soul) by Heather Killough-Walden - Free Book Online Page B

Astriel, which is to say nothing . For the past thirty days, you’ve stood idly by and pathetically hoped against hope that she would choose you over the bounty hunter.” She laughed harshly, the sound filling the chamber’s air with a nearly palpable static. “ Not likely ,” she hissed nastily. “And what’s more, you’ve no business wedding her anyway.” Her eyes shot daggers now, narrowed into cold blue slits. “She is an Abaddonian . She’s not one of us, and she never will be-”
    “That’s enough .” Oberon’s command echoed off of the throne room walls. Zeta stuttered to silence, blinked rapidly, and turned to face her father. Astriel merely watched her. He’d felt himself grow colder, harder, and more silent as she’d spoken. The wheels in his head were spinning like mad, the flames in the hearth were tinged with a thoughtful blue, and it felt as if the world had stopped in its tracks to watch.
    Just now, revelations had been made. Zeta’s words were a yank on a curtain cord, and Astriel had a view of the broader picture now. Raven’s escape angered Astriel in a way little else ever had. But there were more urgent matters to attend to. Bigger problems. And one of them had been right in front of Astriel for thousands of years.
    Astriel barely heard his father’s next words.
    “Zeta, you have crossed a line.” Oberon stood slowly and magnificently. The antlers on his head cast bizarre shadows on the walls. He turned to his son. “You may name the punishment,” he told him stonily. “Within reason.”
    Astriel continued to stare through Zeta. He only partly saw the sister he’d known and cared about for century after century. There was another woman there now – a woman who had officially made plain her desire for the throne.
    He waited several long beats before replying, allowing the silence to stretch until Zeta’s edging nervousness was palpable. “No punishment,” he finally said softly. And then, as if it were an afterthought, he added, “There is no need.”
    Both Oberon and Zeta were surprised enough by this that they remained silent. Zeta’s eyes widened a bit more, and then narrowed suspiciously. Astriel took a deep breath and felt his eyes return to normal. The air around them lightened, becoming more breathable.
    Astriel turned to the side, his gaze on the marble floor as he clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace away. He took the steps down from the dais one at a time and his boot falls echoed through the chamber. “Father, if you’ll permit a change of subject, I would give some consideration to what happened a month ago when the Chosen Soul destroyed the Death Mage,” he said as he slowly made his way toward the double doors that were the exit to the throne room. Silence followed him.
    Once he was at the exit, the guards who waited on the outside of the room and had clearly heard his approach, opened the doors for him. He stopped and turned to face his father and sister one last time. Both stared at him, completely nonplussed. “There is a space to fill now amongst the gods,” he continued, allowing double meaning to heavily lace each and every one of his words.
    And then, seeing the sudden spark of understanding in his father’s eyes that he was looking for and, satisfied that he’d sown the seed he’d intended, prince Astriel turned and left the throne room.

Chapter Seven
    They left the forest surrounding Trimontium and started on a lesser used trail that would eventually lead them to the front doorstep of Sarah and Alastair Grey’s cottage. Aster Hollow was approximately a day’s walk away.
    As if their thoughts consumed them all, Raven, Loki and Grolsch followed the trail in relative silence. As far as Raven was concerned, the silence was welcome. She thought of her parents and everything they’d been through. Was it wise for her and her brother to be returning to Aster Hollow now? Would it bring her parents more trouble? Worse yet, would it