A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #2) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,113
human into Faere. It would have killed you because Nimeyah created it that way. Other realms are more lenient.”
At this point, I’m thinking Carrick is about the most badass person I’ve seen since meeting Veda, but one thing doesn’t make sense.
“If you’ve got the power of the gods, and it seems you’re stronger and harder to kill than the strongest fae, how come your protection spell on my house was broken?”
Carrick’s face clouds, and I can tell I’m not the only one bothered by this. “There are a few ways it could have been done. My guess is with pooled magic strengthened with some sort of sacrifice. More unlikely is that whoever brought it down has a stone, but those are virtually nonexistent and haven’t been seen for thousands of years. Lastly, and the most unlikely, is that one of the gods did it.”
“But they’re not supposed to interfere,” I point out.
“Not in the prophecy directly, but you’ve seen for yourself by your visit with Veda that they don’t always keep their noses out of things.”
“But if a god did it, that meant someone wanted to hurt me,” I say, a fearful shiver running up my spine.
“Perhaps,” he muses, but he doesn’t provide any clarity to that hypothetical.
I slouch in my chair, blowing out a breath of frustration. I want to know so much, yet I’m so overwhelmed by it all I can’t think clearly.
Carrick nods over my shoulder at the stacks of books he indicated were his journals. “You are free to read any of my journals if you want. In your free time if there is any.”
My eyebrows rise, and I straighten. “Really?”
He smiles, tipping his head. “It’s mostly boring recollections of battles, but yes… feel free.”
“I can’t imagine how you’ve had to re-invent yourself over the centuries,” I murmur, wondering how someone moves from lifetime to lifetime. Something I find incredibly interesting, but it’s late and we have other things to talk about.
“Let’s talk about Arwen,” I say, getting my head back in the game. I tell him that Arwen said I had a twin who was taken at birth and replaced by a changeling. Plus, there was an angel present, but she couldn’t tell who made the switch.
“Changelings are usually switches made child for child,” Carrick says. “I’ve read about them, but have never known one to actually happen.”
“She said my sister is still alive. In the Underworld.”
He hears my tone, reading the blatant need I have to put finding my sister first, and he shakes his head. “You have to focus on the prophecy, Finley. But I promise I will do everything in my power to help you find her.”
I nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat and trying to dismiss my lost twin from my thoughts. It’s too painful to think of her growing up in such an evil place.
“Arwen thinks the angel that was present gave me some sort of powers through this magical tattoo. She mentioned a light in me, just like Echo did, but she didn’t know what it meant. She has no clue what the prophecy is, but she’s confident the Dark Fae who took over Fallon is the key to it, just as I am. She suggested finding the angel should be our next move.”
“A guardian angel isn’t going to be easy to track,” Carrick says, tapping his finger against his jaw. “I’ve got some resources to tap, though. I agree. That has to be our next mission as he or she might be able to tell us why the changeling was placed.”
“Then we have somewhat of a plan,” I murmur.
“We should get some sleep,” he suggests, starting to rise from the chair.
“I have another question,” I say, one that had been niggling at the back of my thoughts ever since we came down here. It didn’t seem overly important in the grand scheme of things because I decided I could trust Carrick.
Now I just want to know because I’m nosy. “Your reward for helping me is Ascension. Veda said you deserved it. Does that mean you’ll become a god if you’re granted it?”
Deep pain flashes within Carrick’s eyes, and it doesn’t quickly dissipate the way his emotions normally do, so I don’t doubt what I’m seeing. But his voice is strong, and there’s no sadness or regret in his tone. “No, that’s not what Ascension means.”
He says nothing further, so I have to poke him. “Put it all out there for me, Carrick.”