Broni tried to push the dead body off her, but the deadweight held her pinned underneath. Finally, the body was pulled off of her, and she was gently lifted into strong arms, her head falling back, unable to support its weight.
“Broni?” Adam’s hoarse voice was the last thing she heard before the darkness enveloped her, giving her an escape from the pain.
* * *
Fate appeared before Mother, kneeling before her creator and friend.
“Rise, Fate.”
Fate’s expression was closed as she made her request.“Centuries ago, you made me a promise to grant a request.”
Mother’s face was pale, filled with compassion.“I cannot take back my judgment.”
“I know you cannot. That is not what I ask.”
“Then tell me, Fate, and it’s yours.”
Chapter 22
Rhys appeared in Odin’s Hall, having returned from a summons. Within seconds, he had Allia and Delia bringing him a goblet of wine. He took a seat at the table, relaxing with a woman on each side.
“That didn’t take long.” Balder leaned sideways, burying his hand in Allia’s lap.
Rhys shrugged. He never discussed with Odin’s warriors where the summons would take him. At first, when the summonses had begun, he had expected Broni to show up, but she hadn’t. In fact, he hadn’t seen or heard from her the entire time he had been at Odin’s castle.
Rhys lifted his goblet to his mouth, taking a long drink and enjoying the taste. There wasn’t much he hadn’t enjoyed the last two months. His every request had been filled, many times before he even asked.
When Fate had left him behind, Odin had explained that his past lives as a warrior entitled him to spend his eternity in his Hall. As Allia placed a large piece of beef on his plate, Rhys glanced at the throne to see Odin staring at him. His usually unreadable expression showed disappointment before Odin looked away, taking his own goblet from Athena. Odin was generally served by one of the many Goddesses while the men were served by beautiful women of various descents.
Delia’s silky gown gaped away from her rosy tipped breasts as she leaned forward, licking a droplet of wine that lingered on his lip.
The sky darkened then, lightning flashing outside the massive glass doors that led outside to Odin’s balcony.In the next moment, Fate appeared there, blowing the massive doors open. Wind rushed through the room, knocking men from their seats and sending the women running and screaming from the room. The warriors stayed behind, but there wasn’t a man among them that wasn’t afraid of the fury directed at him.
Rhys’s hands gripped the table as he got to his feet.
“You always liked to make an entrance.” Rhys saw that while Odin was seemingly unaffected by Fate’s appearance in his hall, there was a trace of sorrow on his face.
“You bastard, if not for your Mother’s protection, I would seek your destruction, Odin.”
“Fate, I’m sorry.” Odin rose to his feet. Rhys didn’t think those words passed his lips often. “You know that I’m not allowed to influence matters on Earth. I would have stopped it had I been able.”
“You could have stopped it!” Rhys was confused when she waved her hand toward him. “You wanted to hurt me. Well, be happy, Odin, you succeeded.”
At that point, a large goblet flew across the room, aimed for Odin’s head. The huge God managed to deftly avoid the goblet. Rhys could see where Cara had inherited the temper Jericho said she’d exhibited when they had fought.
Fate strode across the room toward him. The men had resumed their seats at the long table, but Rhys stood still.
“You whoring mongrel, if it was up to me, I would destroy you and every memory of your existence.” She spit in his face.
Rhys’s head jerked back when she struck his cheek. He gripped the table to restrain himself from leaving the room. The only reason he stayed was the sick feeling in his gut that, for a woman like Fate to lose her temper, it would involve something to do with her children.
“Did something happen to Broni?”
“You don’t deserve to have her name on your lips.” She spat at him again.
“Tell me what happened!” Rhys said, taking a threatening step forward.
“What do you care? You’re unable to care for anyone but yourself. Not those sluts that you bury yourself in each night and certainly not my daughter who didn’t deserve that deplorable treatment at your hands.”