Chapter Three
Since the fight was over, I thought about whether or not to make a new savepoint. I didn’t want to have to repeat the battle all over again if something else happened, but I hadn’t laid eyes on my loves yet, and I had to know they were safe before I saved my progress, so I decided against it for the moment since I’d already figured out how to defeat the dragon.
I stomped my foot to activate my griffon feather boots, and then I dashed through the town toward the castle, but I didn’t even slow down when I passed the guards standing watch on either side of the entrance. I ran straight to the audience chamber, and I instantly spotted Elissa and Mahini among the crowd of people.
Mahini’s piercing blue gaze met mine through the throng of people, and her lips parted as though to say my name, but I didn’t slow down.
They were safe, and so was the rest of the populace, so I turned my attention back to the city outside, and I was a blur of motion followed by a gust of wind as I shot through the audience chamber to the exit. I made a new save point as I left the castle, and I returned to the streets of Bullard.
I’d come back and hug them later, but there could be more people in danger, and I wanted to save as many lives as possible.
Then I scanned the aftermath of the dragon’s attack. Several buildings had collapsed beneath the beast’s weight, and the roof of the western tower was in crumbles. The fires had devastated many stores and homes, and when I heard moans of pain, I realized there were still people trapped inside some of the structures.
This was my time to shine. I’d saved the city, and I’d probably saved countless lives in the process, as well. There was some damage, but the duke and his people could always rebuild.
It was my job to save the rest of the people who needed help.
The building in front of me was covered in soot, and the stone walls had saved most of the building, but the roof had fallen under the pressure of the dragon’s claws when it landed briefly.
Would the dragon come back?
I couldn’t worry about that now, not when people needed my help. So, I kicked in the burnt remains of the door to the building where I’d heard the cries of pain, and I coughed in the ash cloud that ensued from the portal’s destruction. The structure was no longer on fire, but heat still radiated from inside.
From what I could see, there were two rooms. The front was the storefront, but another doorway led to a room behind the counter. I couldn’t tell what they sold from the piles of ashes that were once products, and I didn’t see any people, so I stepped over the smoldering floorboards and entered the next space.
The ceiling had collapsed, and the beams of the roof were folded in on themselves, which blocked my path forward.
“Is anyone in here?” I called out through the wreckage.
“Over here!” a man’s faint voice replied in a pained tone. “I’m stuck beneath the beam.”
I tried to lift the wooden log closest to me experimentally, but I could only move it a few inches at a time before my arms screamed out in agony. The screech of wood shifting against wood encouraged me to keep going, though, and a moment later I’d moved the beam enough to fit my body inside the room. Then I shoved a piece of debris under the beam to keep it from shifting back into place.
When I was sure I’d secured the exit, I climbed over the next log, scurried beneath another, and then I stood on the other side of the beam that pinned the man in the corner. I analyzed the situation, and I quickly realized the man’s leg was stuck beneath the wood, and it was obviously broken.
“I’m going to lift the beam,” I explained in a calm voice, “and I want you to pull your leg out from underneath it.”
“I’m ready,” the older man said in a firm tone, and I took a second to get a good look at him. He had curly brown hair that stuck to his sweaty forehead, and the lines around his dark eyes suggested he was in his mid-fifties. He wasn’t freaking out, which was a bonus, but I could tell he was in a huge amount of pain.
I took a deep breath, got a good grip on the beam, and then heaved upward with all the strength I had left in me. The log shifted, and a loud groan echoed around the room as the other poles moved, but the man yanked his leg out from underneath it, and I dropped the log back down.
“Now, we just have to get you out of here,” I said with an encouraging grin.
“I can’t put weight on my leg,” the man pointed out. “You’ll have to help me, if you don’t mind.”
“We’ve come this far,” I replied, and then I reached over the beam and got a firm grasp on the man beneath his arms. “Up and over, easy does it.”
With my help, the man maneuvered his broken leg over the beam, and then the rest of his body followed. Once he was on my side of the log, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, I put mine around his back, and the two of us clambered to safety.
Once we were outside the store, I set the man down on the paving stones, and I caught my breath. I sneezed a couple of times as I dusted the ashes off my armor, but I’d need to clean it again soon.
“How are you feeling?” I asked the man in a friendly tone.
“Alive, thanks to you,” he said as he flashed me a soot-stained but grateful smile. “How can I repay you?”
“There’s no need,” I assured him. “It’s all part of being the God of Time.”
“You certainly arrived just in the nick of time.” The man shook his head in awe. “There’s no telling how many have lost their lives today…”
“Speaking of which,” I said, and I gave the man a smile. “I need to go help the rest of the people. I’ll send some of the guards around to fetch the injured. You’ll get patched up in no time.”
“Of course.” The man inclined his head respectfully. “Thank you again for saving my life, you truly are a god.”
“Don’t mention it.” I grinned and waved goodbye, and then I headed down the street to see who else I could help.
I came across a building with flames still licking at the roof, and I doused the fire with my ice spell before I inspected the inside. I didn’t find anyone trapped, though, so I kept moving.
Then I turned down a street that had been heavily damaged by the dragon, and I ran across some of the guards. They stood in a line down the street as they passed buckets of water from one to the other.
So, they did have systems in place like the firefighters back home.
“There he is!” one of the guards announced when he spotted me.
“The man who fought the dragon!” another called out.
The guards in the front of the line emptied their buckets onto the fire eating a building nearby, and then they all rushed over to me.
“You were amazing out there!” one of the men said as he shook my hand.
“How did you do it?” another asked, and he clapped me on the shoulder.
“I saw you run through the city, but you were so fast I couldn’t keep track of you,” a third said as he jostled for my attention. “How do you do that?”
“Can you teach us to fight like you?”
“You were fearless!”
They continued to talk over each other and fight to touch me, but I made a point to shake all of their hands.
“Just another day in the life of a god,” I laughed.
“You’re a god!” a guard gasped, and then the crowd of men fell into a hushed silence.
“I have been summoned to save your world,” I explained as I lifted my chin with pride. “My name is Sebastian, the God of Time, but you can call me Bash, everyone else does.”
“What an honor to meet you,” a younger man said as he shook my hand for the second time. “My name is Riondale, I’m the lieutenant.”
He had short-cropped black hair, and he held his helmet under his arm. His eyes were pale blue and had an innocence in them I would not have expected from a senior officer, but he held himself tall and met my gaze like a man worthy of respect.
The men all proceeded to introduce themselves and shake my hand again, and I obliged them patiently. It wasn’t every day they met a god, after all.
“Alright, men,” I said in a clipped tone as I clapped my hands together. “There are still people out there in need of our help. Let’s get the rest of these fires put out and then comb the wreckage for survivors. Then we’ll need to round up all the injured and make sure they’re tended to.”
“They’ve already sent for the wagon for the dead,” Riondale informed me in a solemn tone.
“Uhh, good.” I swallowed down the lump in my throat at the thought of anyone in Bullard losing their lives. Even though this wasn’t Bastianville, I felt a sense of protection over all the innocent people of this world. I regained my composure after a moment and nodded curtly to the guards who surrounded me. “Let’s get to work, men.”
They saluted in response, and then they broke off into pairs to comb through the remains of the street. I turned to do the same, and I saw Kane and Burnyolf approaching me through the debris-strewn avenue.
“Young man!” Burnyolf called out as they crossed the distance to me. “We’ve been looking all over the city for you!”
It was odd to see the two together since Burnyolf had given me the impression they were at odds during our first meeting.
“I’ve been trying to tell him you are the Great One of legend, but he would not believe me,” Kane grumbled in a frustrated voice.
“You are the man with the inferno wand, are you not?” the enchanter demanded. “Why did you not tell me you were a god? I wouldn’t have charged you for my service.”
“It was worth a few coins.” I shrugged. “Kane speaks the truth, though. He may have told you of our duel?”
“I did not believe him,” Burnyolf answered with an awed shake of his head and wide eyes. “But then you defeated the dragon single-handedly, so I can only imagine your power.”
“I do what I can,” I laughed a bit self-consciously. After all the praise and adoration I’d received from the guards, the enchanter’s wide-eyed amazement was overkill.
“Thank you for encouraging me to join the fight,” Kane interjected, and the old man bowed his head. “It has been such a long time since I’ve felt the thrill of danger. I was afraid, but you showed me how to use my magic to help people for once.”
“My pleasure,” I replied.
“I concur,” Burnyolf added. “It was exhilarating to know my actions helped save lives.”
“There is still work to be done,” I said as I rested my hands on both of the men’s shoulders. “Many buildings were destroyed, and they need to be searched for survivors. The wounded also need to be tended to.”
“Consider the task completed,” Kane said with another bow of his head. “Come, Burnyolf, let us work as a team. We can combine our powers to be of the best use to the people.”
“Bullard is counting on you,” I said, and then I shook their hands.
“I will do my part,” Kane vowed in a solemn tone.
“Come visit my shop any time,” Burnyolf insisted as he returned the shake enthusiastically.
“Thank you,” I said with a grateful smile, and then I jerked my chin down the street. “I’m going to circle the edges of the city to check for anything the guards missed.”
“Make sure you check in with the duke soon,” Kane suggested over his shoulder. “He will be anxious to hear the first-hand tale of the dragon’s defeat.”
I tucked that thought away for later, and I turned to head in the opposite direction of the two older men. I continued my work of searching through the burned down buildings for survivors, but I only found a few people.
I passed by some guards as they pulled dead bodies from the structures and lined them up in the street so the wagon could collect them, and I wondered where they would all go.
Did Bullard have a cemetery?
They’d found a total of five people who had passed away, but then I turned my attention back to the empty streets to look for any injured stragglers.
A short while later, I discovered a small child hidden in an alleyway. The poor thing was shivering, and his green eyes were open wide with fear.
“Where’s your mom and dad?” I asked in a gentle voice so I didn’t scare him.
“We… Were… Running…” the kid panted out between sobs. “The d-d-dragon was after us, and I hid in here.”
“They probably are at the castle and worried sick about you,” I informed him as I rubbed his back in a reassuring manner. “You should head up there and find them.”
“You really think so?” The kid’s eyes lit up with hope, but then a glimmer of fear returned to darken them, and he rubbed the back of his dirty hand against his snotty nose. “Is the dragon gone?”
“He sure is.” I grinned, and I pulled the kid to his feet. “What’s your name?”
“Bartholomew, sir,” the kid replied with a sniff. “You can call me Bart, though.”
“Like the Simpsons?” I laughed.
“No, sir, like me.” The kid’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“Never mind.” I shook my head to dispel the image of the smart-mouthed cartoon character, and I stuck out my hand to the kid. “I’m Sebastian, but you can call me Bash.”
“Will you take me to the castle, Bash?” Bart asked in a hopeful tone.
“You want to go fast?” I asked as I wiggled my eyebrows teasingly.
“Yes, sir,” Bart replied with a serious nod, but his green eyes were wide with curiosity as I hunched over and situated him on my back.
Then I stomped my foot and zoomed through the streets to the castle.
“Woohoo!” Bart screamed into my ear, and then he broke off into peals of laughter. The dragon attack was forgotten at that moment, and nothing else existed except the wind in our faces.
I deposited the kid at the steps to the castle, and I ruffled his hair as I gave him a broad smile.
“Go find your parents, kid.” I jerked my chin toward the castle door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you, sir, that was amazing!” Bart waved, and then he turned and trotted inside the castle at a quick pace.
I chuckled to myself as I turned and headed back out to the city to continue the work of cleaning up the aftermath of the dragon attack. It felt good to bring a little light into a traumatized kid’s day, but I still wanted to make sure there weren’t any people still trapped in the wreckage.
By the time I returned to the most damaged part of the town, however, the guards had finished most of the task of searching through the rubble for survivors and bodies. The wagon brought to carry the dead was loaded with the corpses of the five people who had passed away, and the flies gathered overhead, eager for their feast.
“Let’s get them buried as soon as possible,” I said as I remembered how previously the post-battle smell of death had attracted a griffon.
“We will want the families to identify them for the grave markers,” Riondale pointed out. “We will take them to the cemetery, though, and start to dig the graves.”
“Very good, thank you,” I replied.
The guards all looked at me, and I realized they wanted me to say something more. This was the culmination of the day, the worst of it was over, and they were tired. So, I took a deep breath while I gathered my thoughts, and then I cleared my throat to ensure I had their attention.
“Some people lost their lives today,” I began in a solemn voice. “Treasured lives, all of them, and their absence will be felt for years to come, but we, the survivors, have lived through a great tragedy, and it will make us stronger. We will come out on the other side with thicker skin, stronger spines, and straighter shoulders. Peace be with the dead, and hope be with the living.”
I bowed my head for a moment of silence, and the men who watched me did the same. I didn’t know how long was an appropriate amount of time, so I waited until the men began to stir with discomfort.
“It is done,” I announced once I decided to break the silence.
“Gods be praised,” a guard murmured as he nodded in agreement with my words.
“Countless more would have died today if it weren’t for your bravery,” one of the guards said with an earnest expression. “Bullard cannot thank you enough for what you have done here today.”
“You’re right,” I said as I gave the man a grateful smile. “Let us look forward to a brighter future, and I hope we can prevent this tragedy from happening again.”
The other guards muttered similar phrases, and then they dispersed to perform the next task.
I sighed and watched them go, my heart heavy with the loss of so many lives, but it lifted my spirits to think about the impact I’d made on the city, and I was happy to see the guards smile as they finished their assignments.
Being a god was a full-time job. My body was sore and tired, but the day was far from over. The sun was still high in the sky, and it looked like we still had several hours of daylight left.
Plenty of time to check the city for rogue fires one more time.
I grinned to myself as I stomped my foot to activate the fleetness of my boots, and then I zipped through the empty streets of Bullard in search of any flames that remained. The guards had done a good job of putting out most of the fires, but I still stopped a few times to help with some spots they missed. I quickly doused these fires with my ice spell, and I’d circled the city three times when the sun began to set on the western horizon.
I made my way back to the castle exhausted and sweaty from the day’s work, but the thought of seeing Mahini and Elissa alive and well pushed me forward. Elissa’s floral scent was a pleasant memory in comparison to the smoky fumes I’d inhaled throughout the day, and I fantasized about holding them both in my arms while I staggered down the hallway toward the audience chamber.
The room was packed with people when I arrived, and I made my way through the crowd to the dais where the duke’s throne-like chair sat on the raised platform. Then I spotted Bart being cuddled by a man and a woman who I assumed were his parents, and the sight made me grin with pride.
“Bash!” Elissa’s excited voice rang out through the din of people. “Over here!”
I turned toward the sound, and the tiny redheaded goddess launched herself into my arms. Her petite body felt as light as a feather in comparison to the heavy lifting I’d been doing, and I picked her up and twirled her around with a laugh.
“There you are, my beautiful wife,” I murmured in her ear as I nibbled on her lobe.
“I missed you terribly,” the tiny beauty whined, and then she decorated my face with a multitude of kisses. “I’m so happy you’re safe now!”
“Great One!” Mahini said from behind me, and her melodic laugh was music to my ears as I scooped her up into my arms as well. “I have heard rumors of your exploits! Please, tell me all about it.”
“Soon, my love,” I promised. “I need to check in with the duke first, and he will probably want to hear the tale from my lips, too.”
“Very well.” Mahini nodded, but I could see a flicker of disappointment in her piercing blue eyes. She was stoic, but not impossible to read.
I wrapped my arms around both of my women’s shoulders, and we walked together the rest of the way to the dais. The people parted before me like I was Moses and they were the red sea, and the rotund duke came into view. His face was red, and his tiny eyes flitted across my face expectantly.
“Sebastian, you have returned at last!” the duke greeted before I could open my mouth. “We have been waiting to hear your report.”
He nodded toward the man who stood beside the dais, and I realized it was the captain of the guard. The captain’s men were outside burying the dead and cleaning up the city, but their leader was inside chatting with the duke.
I supposed that’s the way it was with the men in charge.
“Yes, I have returned,” I said. “Sorry if I took too long, I was helping your people.”
“O-Oh, well, that is j-just fine,” the duke blubbered. “Thank you for your service.”
“You’re welcome.” I cocked one eyebrow and folded my arms across my chest. “The dead still need to be identified, but the worst is over.”
“The gods rest their souls,” the duke replied with a solemn waggle of his chins. “Such a tragedy. Still, to be up against a dragon, we are all lucky to have our lives.”
“That’s true,” I said, and I furrowed my eyebrows. “Why weren’t you prepared for such an attack? The men protecting the city acted like noobs.”
“What is a noob?” the duke asked with a confused frown.
“Never mind,” I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. “Answer the question. Why weren’t you prepared for a dragon attack?”
“You must understand, Great One,” the duke countered with a shake of his head. “The dragons have faded into legend, I didn’t even think they existed in real life. Why would we prepare for a myth?”
“So, this isn’t a common occurrence?” I scratched my chin thoughtfully. “Why now? And where have the dragons been?”
“That I cannot say,” Duke Bullard answered. “All I know are the tales I was told as a boy. Many ages ago, the dragons ruled over the land. Fire and blood flowed through the rivers instead of water, and the sky was full of smoke. Nothing could survive. Then a hero arrived and drove the dragons away.”
“Who was the hero?”
“I’ve heard that story,” Elissa murmured, and her emerald eyes lit up like a light bulb had gone off inside her head. “The hero was named something long and hard to pronounce, though, so I don’t remember what it was.”
“Trofulgar the Great,” a woman’s voice rang out as sweet as honey. “He conquered the king of the dragons, and the rest vanished shortly after. Some legends say they are sleeping in nests hidden from mortal sight. Others say they are frozen in time, and that the world grew around them. No one knows the truth.”
The woman stepped forward from the crowd, and my breath caught inside my throat. She was wearing black, finely made leather armor that clung to her body like it was painted on. Silver throwing stars were strapped to her legs, and a long sword hung across her back. She was thin and muscular, but her hips sloped out in just the right places, and she had short, jagged blonde hair. Her smoky-gray eyes swept over me, and the corners of her full lips twitched up into a smile.
“Sebastian, let me introduce you to my daughter,” the duke interjected in a formal tone. “This is Evangeline.”
“Please, call me Eva,” the woman said with a soft laugh that soothed my aching body.
“Call me Bash,” I countered with my most charming smile.
“Toby is around here somewhere,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes, and then she raised her voice to call out over the crowded audience chamber. “Tobias, catch up.”
“I’m here,” a man’s voice said from behind the captivating beauty, and then a muscular man in shining gold-plated armor stepped forward. He had thin brown hair, but he seemed like he was only a few years older than me. He made eye contact with me, and then he stuck out his hand to shake mine. “Nice to finally meet you, Great One, I am Tobias, the duke’s eldest son.”
He didn’t look threatening even though he seemed like he could hold his own, so I took the offered hand willingly, and I shook it with a firm grasp that showed my strength.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Tobias.” I gave him a friendly smile, but my eyes were pulled over his shoulder to his younger sister. “I’ve heard good things about you.”
“Thank you for the kind words,” the duke’s son replied as he tilted his head. “Likewise.”
“I wish father would have allowed me to leave the castle,” Eva said as she crossed her arms over her perky breasts. “He wouldn’t even let me leave this room.”
“You wanted to fight the dragon?” I asked as I blinked at the woman in shock. “I wouldn’t expect a noble to jump into battle.”
“I may be noble by birth,” Eva huffed, “but I am a warrior in my bones. If I can ever get away from my father, that is. I’ve trained for this moment my entire life!”
“You must stop this foolish nonsense,” the duke interjected in a firm tone. “You were safe with me, and that’s the last I’ll hear of it. Now, take off that ridiculous costume, and go put on a dress like a real lady.”
“Yes, Father,” Eva replied, but she bit her bottom lip as a fiery look lit up her gray eyes.
I bit back a chuckle, and I worked the muscle in my jaw as I regained my composure.
“I like her,” Elissa whispered in a conspiratorial tone as if she’d just read my thoughts.
“Me, too,” I whispered back with a grin.
The duke fastened us with a sharp look, but then his expression softened.
“You must be weary after the battle,” he said in a sympathetic tone. “Please, tell me your firsthand account, and then I will let you retire to your room if you wish.”
“Sure.” I shrugged my shoulders and let out a yawn. “Like I said before, your guards were not prepared for the kind of fight they were up against, so I redirected them to clearing the citizens out from the town. Then I rounded up your court wizard and the enchanter, and I had them work together to douse the flames caused by the dragon’s breath. Then, when the beast landed, I threw a spear into its eye. It flew off after it was injured, so the battle didn’t last long. I spent most of the day digging through the rubble to find survivors.”
There was a moment of hushed silence after my story, and then the duke clapped his hands together.
“I cannot thank you enough, Great One,” the Duke of Bullard said in a loud voice that echoed around the audience chamber. “You have saved the city, and you have earned a reward for your efforts.”
The gathered crowd fell silent once more, and all faces turned toward the dais.
“What sort of reward?” I grinned as excitement coursed through my blood. Being rewarded was one of my favorite parts of being a god.
“You may help yourself to any item from my treasury,” the duke replied with a flourish of his hands. “Consider it my gift to honor your bravery.”
“Thank you,” I said, and I inclined my head. “I am looking forward to it.”
“It is the least I can do,” the duke replied.
“However, if the dragon attacked once,” I said, and I changed the subject back to the matter at hand, “then it could return.”
A worried hush swept through the people gathered around us, and I caught several terrified glances.
“I won’t sit back on my hands while my city is in danger,” Evangeline protested. “Father, you have to let me help protect our people.”
“Eva, I have told you a thousand times, no,” the duke sighed. “You are a lady. I will not have you risking your life!”
I felt a little awkward being in the middle of the family feud, and I was sure the rest of the citizens of Bullard who stood in the audience chamber felt the same, but I was hesitant to intervene too much. I admired the duke’s daughter’s passion, though, and I couldn’t deny how hot she was.
“I know how to protect myself. I have been training my whole life to protect this duchy.” Evangeline’s eyes were filled with fire, but she lowered her gaze respectfully to the floor.
“And all I wanted was a proper daughter,” the duke sighed. “One who would rather knit then throw her daggers all day and sneak around the castle pretending to be a mercenary.”
“I have no wish to--”
“That’s enough,” the duke sighed as he looked to his son. “I suppose you’ll want to go?”
“I will do my part,” Tobias said, and he nodded to both me and his father. “I will make sure our people are safe. Lucian was a capable warrior, but everyone in this room, save for the God of Time, know that I was the superior fighter.”
“I have already lost your mother and Lucian,” the duke countered with a shake of his head, and he ignored his oldest son’s words. “Neither you nor your sister will leave here until I’m sure it is safe.”
“I don’t see the harm in letting your daughter fight,” I said. “I encourage anyone who wants to follow the warrior’s path to do so.”
“You question my parenting?” The duke’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“She just wants to help your people,” I pointed out with a shrug.
“I was a member of the Golden Sword mercenaries,” Mahini offered in a helpful tone. “It has brought me great pride to be a warrior woman.”
“Even I am learning how to fight,” Elissa chimed in with a cheerful smile. “They call me Skullcrusher.”
“I wish I could earn a title as fierce as that,” Eva murmured as she cast an appreciative glance at my wife. Then the duke’s daughter licked her lips, and her smoky-gray eyes flicked to my face. “I would love to follow the God of Time into battle someday. I would love to learn from you.”
“I have had enough talk of fighting for a lifetime,” the duke announced with another sigh. “There are too many dangers in the world already, not to mention the new threat of dragons! I cannot bear the thought of anything happening to my precious daughter. You must understand, Great One.”
“I understand.” I nodded, but then my voice turned hard. “I also understand that your city is in dire need of repairs, as well as enhanced defenses to protect against any future dragon attacks.”
“What sort of defenses would you suggest?” The duke seemed intrigued by the notion, and he leaned forward in his chair to give me an eager look. “I am open to any advice you can give me, Great One.”
“I would recommend you have more sources of water available around the city,” I began. “Then I would make sure you used non-flammable products on the roofs. The thatching was the city’s biggest weakness, and I’d hate to have the same thing happen again.”
“Sage counsel,” the duke replied as he nodded thoughtfully. “I will make sure it is done. I will need assistance, though. Perhaps the king should hear of our tragedy.”
“The king must know of the possible danger.” Mahini nodded.
“Tobias should go,” the duke said as he stroked his fat chins.
“I am ready, father,” the other man said with a nod.
“But now that your brother is gone…” the duke sighed. “It is as I said before… I cannot bear to lose either of you, but--”
“Father, let me do it,” Eva interjected with a hopeful expression. “Or let us both go. We will protect each other. Please?”
“Absolutely not!” the duke huffed, and his fat chins wobbled.
“Let me be your champion. I could be a greater swordswoman than even Lucian was a swordsman.” Eva lifted her chin and gazed steadily up at her father.
The duke raised his hand to silence his daughter and shook his head solemnly. “I have spoken, and my word is final. You are not leaving this castle, Evangeline. Nor will you, Tobias.”
“What if I went?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. I just wanted to stop the family feud going down in front of all the citizens of Bullard, but the idea of meeting the king was appealing.
“You?” The duke blinked at me for a moment, and then his eyes lit up with excitement. “Yes, of course, Great One! You would be the perfect emissary to the king. You can plead our case and ask him to send aid to Bullard to help with our reconstruction.”
“Oooh, fuck, yes!” Elissa squealed with delight. “I want to meet the king.”
“I’ll pack our bags,” Mahini said, and she gifted me with one of her melodic laughs.
It looked like I was about to start another adventure, and this time, I was off to see the king.
All I had to do was convince the most powerful man in this kingdom that I was the God of Time, and then everything would be fine.
Easy.