The Rising (The Rising #4) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,167
it, flipped it open and then shuffled pages aside until it was lying flat, pages to either side half and half.
One side held carefully calligraphied words, the first letter in each paragraph much larger than the rest, surrounded by a square, in which, around the letter, lovely vines had been painted.
“That’s rather beautiful,” I murmured.
“We’ve got a tome, Farah,” he mostly repeated.
I looked to him. “This troubles you because…?”
“It troubles me because it isn’t just about you and me,” he declared.
I stared up at him.
“Men died. Pixies died. Fairies died. Gnomes died. Alfie lost his legs. My mother lost her life. If a book has green leather, it should be about Wodell, not about—”
He stopped speaking when I put my fingers to his lips.
And then I spoke.
“There are so many words written in so many books in their library that share about vile things. And tragic things. And unpleasant things. And unjust things. Give them this, True. Give Triton this. Give us a book about nothing but good…nothing but good…and true.” I slid my fingers across his cheek, into his soft, thick hair, to wrap them around the back of his head. “And help me fill the rest of that book with the same so our children can read it. And their children. And onward forever.”
He looked down at the book.
“Though I don’t have to ask you to do that,” I said, and he looked back to me. “You’d do it anyway.”
That was when he kissed me.
It became heated, as such between us was wont to do, and thus it took a knock on the door to interrupt it.
“Yes!” True called.
The door opened and Aelia danced in, followed by Dora, then Cass and Ellie.
“What do you think of my frock?” Aelia demanded of True as greeting.
“You’re never anything but beautiful,” True answered.
“Huzzah!” she cried. Then she asked cheekily, “Will you escort me to the wedding, Uncle True?”
He glanced my way, and when I dipped my chin, he looked to the girl, offering his arm, “It would be my honor.”
“Will you accept me as an escort?” I asked Dora.
She grinned at me and linked arms, saying, “Of course.”
I gave Cass and Ellie a smile, they returned them, and we moved out into the hall. Down it. Out of the building, mounted our horses, and rode down the avenue.
Our horses were taken at the base of the steps. We entered the temple, and with great fanfare, the royals were seated in a front pew.
But we would have been given that regardless.
Or Elena would.
For we were there to watch the first-ever official marriage of a priest of the Go’Doan.
And with it, the end to the position of acolyte.
Witnessing it, it made me happy to see how happy Liam and Saira were.
They were glowing.
Faunus of the Trusted
His New Manor, Fire City
FIRENZE
He had no idea what woke him.
But it did.
Thus, he untangled himself from the bodies sleeping in their bed, drew on some silk ante pants, and moved silently through the house.
When his feet hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs, he saw the mantles on the hooks by the door.
He’d refused his king’s request to become a Trusted.
Saturn had as well.
They explained to their king they did this, for they would not be unfaithful to their lovers.
Mars had then surprised them by stating that, due to their explanation, that requirement would not need to be filled.
They’d performed the other rituals.
And earned their mantles.
He heard a whistling wind, like a whisper, come from the back of the house and his mind was turned.
As was his body.
He moved down the hall and out the back door to the courtyard.
The house was much more grand than he was used to, big rooms, and a lot of them.
They would need them, he hoped.
One day.
But the largest room was the kitchen, for she enjoyed cooking.
The courtyard, however, was small and intimate with a twinkling fountain tiled in green and peach and red and black, the ground covered in a stunning mosaic of cream and peach intermingled with shapes in bold colors. Yellow and red and pink flowers. Green swirls. An undulating black border broken with groupings of colorful pieces.
And here and there, small but not unnoticed…
There was an acorn.
The fountain was faced with one single, but large and deep-seated daybed covered in colorful blankets and pillows.
And this was what Faunus stood behind, halted by an overwhelming scent of honeysuckle.
That happened, even when those vines were nowhere around him.