Shades of Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #16) - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,75
and the evil banished from this world. Why shouldn’t she get a second chance?
Then her gaze drifted back to the cracked foundation that had once been her home. The place where her family had been savagely murdered.
“Is that why you convinced the druid that you could reach Chaaya with your mind?” she asked with a humorless smile. “Because you think I can turn over a new leaf? Maybe devote the rest of my life to helping others?”
Levet held up his hands. “I believe it is possible.”
“No.” The sharp word rang through the empty village like a death knell.
Levet studied her with a searching gaze. “Then you intend to bury yourself here and wallow in self-regret?”
Brigette held out her hand, revealing the brooch that lay in the center of her palm. “I intend to use this.”
Levet leaned forward, studying the strange jewel at the very center. “A votum stone?”
Brigette frowned. She’d never heard the name before. “Is that what it is?”
Levet sent her a startled glance. “You intend to use a magical artifact without knowing its powers?”
Brigette ground her teeth. “Are you serious? So far I’ve colluded with an evil beast to destroy my pack. I allowed myself to be led from my cell by a treacherous merman. I followed a mystery voice into a portal with absolutely no idea where I was going or who would be waiting for me on the other side. And now you think I should be worried about wishing on a strange stone?”
Levet cleared his throat. “Fair point.”
She pointed toward the brooch. “Tell me about this.”
He shrugged. “It’s a votum stone.”
“Votum.” She tasted the word. She didn’t recognize the name or the language. “I’ve never heard of one.”
“They’re very rare,” Levet told her. “And very expensive. It offers the owner a wish.”
Brigette released the breath she didn’t know she was holding. Deep in her heart she’d assumed this would turn out to be just another trick. Her entire life she’d tried to game the system only to find herself outmaneuvered. She wasn’t clever enough, or maybe just not lucky enough, to avoid a destiny that included getting shit on.
Cautiously, she reached out to touch the stone with the tip of her finger. It felt smooth, and unexpectedly warm. As if there was a living force inside the small gem.
“Why would Greta give it up?”
“No doubt she used her wish,” Levet said in dismissive tones. “A votum stone is like a purple light special.”
Brigette shuffled through her brain. Being around Levet meant constantly attempting to translate his weird gibberish.
“Blue light special?”
He gave an emphatic nod. “Only one wish per customer.”
Hmm. One wish. She would have to be very, very careful to say exactly what she wanted.
“And it will give me anything I desire?” she pressed.
“So it claims.” Levet studied the stone with a sour expression. “Long ago my—”
“Don’t say your aunt Bertha,” she interrupted.
The gargoyle clicked his tongue. “Non. This has nothing to do with my aunt Bertha. It was my friend Tamara. She was a sprite who was granted the votum stone by a witch.”
Brigette heaved a sigh. She didn’t want to hear this story. It was bound to reveal some dire reason she shouldn’t use the stone. But she’d discovered trying to keep Levet silent was like trying to stop the waves from crashing onto a beach. An impossible task.
Conceding the inevitable, Brigette did her best to hurry along the tale of tragedy. “And she used the wish?”
“She did.”
“Well?” Brigette made a sound of impatience. “What did she wish for?”
“The heart of her lover.”
Brigette jerked back, a revolting image searing through her mind. “Don’t tell me, he was killed and she got his bloody heart.”
“Non.” Levet lifted his tail, polishing the dust from the tip. “He proclaimed his love and they were wed in a glorious ceremony that I arranged. There were dew fairies dancing and carpets of flowers—”
“Levet, get to the point,” she snapped.
He sniffed, but thankfully continued with the story. “The evening of their wedding they were killed in a fire.”
Brigette shrugged. “Coincidence.”
“And what of Greta?”
Brigette narrowed her eyes. The gargoyle was just babbling now. “What about her?”
“She still had the votum with her.”
“So?”
Levet heaved a sigh, clearly implying Brigette was impossibly dense. “If Greta still had a wish, she would have used it to get out of the void. But if she had used her wish earlier, then she would have no need to keep the stone. She would have traded it for something of value.”