They’d already lost one family when their gift caused them to be sent away from their homes for training, and then they’d lost another with Agnes’ death and the subsequent chaos it had brought to the court. They hadn’t known what to do or where to go, and bad men had been trying to kill them, and the very people supposed to be protecting them—the acolytes—had sided with their enemies!
The acolytes had fallen, one by one, as the gods used threats and promises of power and immortality to lure them away, while their Pythia lay dying, too weak to oppose them. The war had started a long time before the first shot had been fired, inside the Pythian Court itself. And Agnes had fought it, all alone.
Yet while she couldn’t save her acolytes, she had saved the court by locating me, a new successor far from the gods’ influence. One whose mother had been one of them, and who was therefore not so susceptible to their lies. She had thereafter died defending her court, as a Pythia should, her last act being to get rid of Myra, her former heir, buying me some much-needed time to grow into my office.
She’d been my hero for a long time, the shining example of what a Pythia should be. But, as I’d recently learned, she’d also been a flawed human woman who’d made mistakes. Maybe that was why I liked her so much: I could relate.
But Rhea didn’t seem to see it that way.
“My mother did not complete that bond,” she said quietly, looking at the picture on the mantel. “She wasn’t a coven witch, but it wouldn’t have mattered if she had been. She didn’t win her court as you did; it was gifted to her. A true coven bond requires blood, not that of others but of yours. Or at least the willingness to spill yours, to sacrifice everything, for the coven you represent. You did that! Not her!”
“Rhea—”
“I saw you that night,” she said, looking back at me, her voice shaking. “The night they came for the court, for the children. You held them off while we escaped. You had nothing left; you knew you didn’t. You’d die if you stayed, yet you stayed anyway! While I ran with the others, while I ran—”
“I told you to,” I said, because I didn’t know where all this had come from. “You couldn’t have helped me—”
She laughed suddenly, and it was bitter. “Oh, I know that! I knew it then. Like my mother, I could never—” She broke off, biting her lip, and then looked at me seriously. “I’m sorry for what happened on the drag. Another battle, and I was as useless as before—worse, because I didn’t listen to you. You told me not to do anything, to let you handle it, but I was so afraid—”
“It’s all right—”
“It’s not all right! I should have listened. You’re my Pythia, and I should have listened! Like I should have stayed with you in London; I should have stayed to help you get out.”
“There was nothing you could have done. And the demon council pulled me out.”
As much as they’d hated and feared my mother, who had decimated their population, hunting them for sport and for the power boost they gave her, they’d also realized that a new war was coming, and that I was the closest thing to a goddess they had left. And while that wasn’t really all that close at all, they’d proven to be remarkably pragmatic beings who would take what they could get.
So I’d been rescued at the last second, with a burning bolt of magical energy literally inches away from my face.
“But you didn’t know they would,” Rhea said vehemently. “You didn’t know they’d been watching you, and neither did I! Yet I ran . . .”
I stared at her. I’d never known that Rhea had been this bothered about that night in London. We’d won; the kids had gotten away, with the coven leaders and Rhea hurrying them from the building while I used what power I had left to slow down our attackers. It had been a close shave, but it had worked. I counted that as a victory.
But clearly, Rhea didn’t.
She’d also said something else I didn’t understand, something about Agnes. “What did you mean, you’re like your mother?” I asked now, even while worrying that maybe I didn’t have the right. But it had almost sounded like Rhea blamed her mother for the
Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 1 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 2 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 3 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 4 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 5 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 6 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 7 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 8 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 9 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 10 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 11 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 12 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 13 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 14 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 15 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 16 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 17 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 18 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 19 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 20 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 21 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 22 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 23 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 24 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 25 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 26 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 27 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 28 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 29 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 30 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 31 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 32 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 33 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 34 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 35 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 36 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 37 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 38 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 39 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 40 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 41 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 42 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 43 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 44 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 45 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 46 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 47 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 48 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 49 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 50 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 51 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 52 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 53 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 54 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 55 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 56 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 57 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 58 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 59 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 60 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 61 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 62 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 63 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 64 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 65 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 66 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 67 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 68 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 69 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 70 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 71 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 72 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 73 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 74 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 75 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 76 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 77 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 78 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 79 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 80 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 81 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 82 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 83 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 84 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 85 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 86 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 87 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 88 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 89 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 90 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 91 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 92 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 93 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 94 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 95 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 96 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 97 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 98 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 99 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 100 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 101 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 102 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 103 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 104 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 105 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 106 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 107 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 108 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 109 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 110 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 111 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 112 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 113 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 114 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 115 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 116 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 117 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 118 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 119 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 120 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 121 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 122 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 123 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 124 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 125 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 126 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 127 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 128 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 129 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 130 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 131 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 132 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 133 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 134 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 135 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 136 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 137 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 138 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 139 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 140 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 141 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 142 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 143 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 144 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 145 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 146 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 147 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 148 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 149 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 150 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 151 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 152 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 153 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 154 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 155 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 156 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 157 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 158 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 159 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 160 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 161 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 162 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 163 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 164 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 165 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 166 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 167 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 168 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 169 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 170 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 171 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 172 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 173 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 174 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 175 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 176 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 177 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 178 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 179 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 180 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 181 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 182 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 183 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 184 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 185 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 186 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 187 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 188 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 189 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 190 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 191 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 192 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 193 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 194 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 195 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 196 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 197 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 198 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 199 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 200 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 201 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 202 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 203 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 204 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 205 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 206 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 207 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 208 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 209 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 210 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 211 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 212 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 213 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 214 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 215 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 216 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 217 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 218 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 219 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 220 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 221 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 222 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 223 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 224 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 225 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 226 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 227 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 228 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 229 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 230 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 231 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 232 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 233 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 234 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 235 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 236 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 237 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 238 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 239 Brave the Tempest (Cassie Palme) - Karen Chance - Page 240