Read Online The Iron-Jawed Boy and the Hand of the Moon (Book 2, Sky Guardian Chronicles) by Nikolas Lee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nikolas Lee
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for at least an hour,” Theo whispered, turning to watch the other gods file in.
Vasheer entered, and then Lillian joined the line of Guardians outside. Ion tried his best to contain his troubled thoughts, knowing all too well Lillian would be there to catch them when they fell from his head. Yet another power of the Blood Guardian . He watched one god after the other enter the Sanctum, counting them to avoid thinking about what he didn’t want Lillian to hear.
When everyone had entered, Othum approached. “Fantastic job, Guardians! Now, proceed into the hall after me and stand by the doors until you’re given further orders.”
Inside, a small flight of stairs led down to an oval-shaped room, where the name “Sanctum of the Deep” suddenly made sense. The room was so spectacular it pulled Ion out of his confusion and into a room that looked to be set at the bottom of the ocean. Beyond the domed glass walls of the Sanctum stretched a sprawling sea above plains of water-swept sand. A small plot of coral rose beyond the table in the center of the room, sunlight breaking through the water’s surface and painting the ocean floor in silver and white.
The gods all took their seats at the table in the center, while the Guardians flanked the stairwell.
“I can’t even remember the last time I ate in the Sanctum,” said Othum, unrolling his napkin and tucking it into the high collar of his white tunic.
A monstrous shadow cast over Ion and the other Guardians, and before anyone could react, a shriek as high-pitched as it was powerful filled the Sanctum. Ion turned quicker than lightning, only to find a massive fifty-foot whale leaping through the air and landing with a kra-koom ! on the surface of the water behind the Guardians. Theo screamed, of course. At least until he realized no one else was screaming.
He turned to the weight of all those godly eyes and blushed. “Sorry.”
“Good Triplets, child, you could kill with that scream,” said Lady Borea, hand to her wrinkled neck.
“Some would call it a screech , Grandmother,” said Vasheer.
Esereez, Ezra, and Onyxia all chuckled, while Theo withered beside Ion.
“Say what you wish, I think it’s nice to know one of our Guardians can speak whale,” said Onyxia, before cackling madly.
“My Queen, that’s enough,” Othum said quietly.
Onyxia angrily slammed her goblet down, mead splashing out onto the table. “ Enough ? Don’t you tell me what’s enough, husband . I’m a perfectly good judge of that!”
Lady Borea rolled her eyes and pressed her finger to the table. From underneath it crept a strip of frost that crackled and hissed as it slithered its way over to Onyxia’s goblet, climbing up the side of the cup, and freezing the mead within.
“The majority of your company thinks you should slow down, My Queen,” said Lady Borea flatly, tossing one of the white tendrils of her hair of her shoulder. “At least until you get back to your room. Then, you have my permission to drink yourself to death.”
Onyxia leaned forward, and batted her eyelashes once, the many feathered eyes of her dress following suit. “That’s just silly. Everyone here knows if someone’s going to die, it’ll be you . How old are we now? Ten thousand? Or ten thousand and one? You were born around the same year as pottery, yes?”
“Oh, my dear,” said Lady Borea sweetly, “I was the one who invented it.”
Onyxia scoffed. She placed her hand over her frozen goblet of mead, burning away the frost with a bit of black energy emanating from her palm.
“ Mmm ...warm drink.”
She toasted Lady Borea, who remained solemn, then gulped down her mead.
There came a ding! and the floor at Ion’s feet trembled and shook. He quickly stepped to the side, watching as the blue tiles receded beneath one another, until a hole had formed in their absence. A grand cart, brimming with tiers of trays and bowls—each bright with beautifully colored cakes and cookies and
Vasheer entered, and then Lillian joined the line of Guardians outside. Ion tried his best to contain his troubled thoughts, knowing all too well Lillian would be there to catch them when they fell from his head. Yet another power of the Blood Guardian . He watched one god after the other enter the Sanctum, counting them to avoid thinking about what he didn’t want Lillian to hear.
When everyone had entered, Othum approached. “Fantastic job, Guardians! Now, proceed into the hall after me and stand by the doors until you’re given further orders.”
Inside, a small flight of stairs led down to an oval-shaped room, where the name “Sanctum of the Deep” suddenly made sense. The room was so spectacular it pulled Ion out of his confusion and into a room that looked to be set at the bottom of the ocean. Beyond the domed glass walls of the Sanctum stretched a sprawling sea above plains of water-swept sand. A small plot of coral rose beyond the table in the center of the room, sunlight breaking through the water’s surface and painting the ocean floor in silver and white.
The gods all took their seats at the table in the center, while the Guardians flanked the stairwell.
“I can’t even remember the last time I ate in the Sanctum,” said Othum, unrolling his napkin and tucking it into the high collar of his white tunic.
A monstrous shadow cast over Ion and the other Guardians, and before anyone could react, a shriek as high-pitched as it was powerful filled the Sanctum. Ion turned quicker than lightning, only to find a massive fifty-foot whale leaping through the air and landing with a kra-koom ! on the surface of the water behind the Guardians. Theo screamed, of course. At least until he realized no one else was screaming.
He turned to the weight of all those godly eyes and blushed. “Sorry.”
“Good Triplets, child, you could kill with that scream,” said Lady Borea, hand to her wrinkled neck.
“Some would call it a screech , Grandmother,” said Vasheer.
Esereez, Ezra, and Onyxia all chuckled, while Theo withered beside Ion.
“Say what you wish, I think it’s nice to know one of our Guardians can speak whale,” said Onyxia, before cackling madly.
“My Queen, that’s enough,” Othum said quietly.
Onyxia angrily slammed her goblet down, mead splashing out onto the table. “ Enough ? Don’t you tell me what’s enough, husband . I’m a perfectly good judge of that!”
Lady Borea rolled her eyes and pressed her finger to the table. From underneath it crept a strip of frost that crackled and hissed as it slithered its way over to Onyxia’s goblet, climbing up the side of the cup, and freezing the mead within.
“The majority of your company thinks you should slow down, My Queen,” said Lady Borea flatly, tossing one of the white tendrils of her hair of her shoulder. “At least until you get back to your room. Then, you have my permission to drink yourself to death.”
Onyxia leaned forward, and batted her eyelashes once, the many feathered eyes of her dress following suit. “That’s just silly. Everyone here knows if someone’s going to die, it’ll be you . How old are we now? Ten thousand? Or ten thousand and one? You were born around the same year as pottery, yes?”
“Oh, my dear,” said Lady Borea sweetly, “I was the one who invented it.”
Onyxia scoffed. She placed her hand over her frozen goblet of mead, burning away the frost with a bit of black energy emanating from her palm.
“ Mmm ...warm drink.”
She toasted Lady Borea, who remained solemn, then gulped down her mead.
There came a ding! and the floor at Ion’s feet trembled and shook. He quickly stepped to the side, watching as the blue tiles receded beneath one another, until a hole had formed in their absence. A grand cart, brimming with tiers of trays and bowls—each bright with beautifully colored cakes and cookies and
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