“I didn’t...”
“He’s still breathing,” Torsten said. He crouched at Redstar’s side with his hand on the man’s throat. “Barely.”
“So, drive that sword into him and be done,” Whitney said.
“I can’t do that. The Queen will want him. If I bring him back, she might restore…” his voice trailed off.
“Restore?”
“Hope in the kingdom. No, he still must be returned alive to answer for these crimes. To show Yarrington that Iam remains with us.”
“So, what happens when our friend wakes up and goes all drunk with power again?” Whitney asked.
“He won’t,” Sora said softly.
“How do you know?”
“His hands,” she strained at first, but her words gained strength as she spoke. “See those little cuts? He’s just like me… a lot stronger, but just like me.”
“By the look of things, there aren’t many stronger than you,” Whitney said.
She blushed. “I got lucky.”
“There’s a word for it. You were like a powder keg.”
“I think... maybe I somehow drew on Bliss' blood.”
“Is that possible?” Whitney asked.
She was able to shrug one shoulder. “Wetzel didn’t know everything.”
“No,” Torsten declared. “It was His light—Iam’s light—that came through her. I know it. That is why we were spared.”
“Now her powers are all fine and dandy?” Whitney said.
“We cannot say why or how he will choose to act through his vessels, but of this fact, I have no doubt. I prayed to him as death closed in around us, and I felt him in my heart when the light arrived. Perhaps your friend has turned toward the Light, but he has not turned from her.”
Sora rolled her head over to face Torsten. Whitney couldn’t quite discern what her expression meant, but he was sure it wasn’t anger. Maybe it was hope. It didn’t last long before her exhaustion returned in full force.
“Whatever you say.” Whitney lifted Sora’s head to keep her from fainting. “So how do we keep him in check?”
“Bind his hands and legs,” she said. “Gag his mouth, too. He shouldn’t be able to perform any spells like that.”
“I don’t know if this is something we want to chance.”
Torsten was already tearing Redstar’s robes to use as makeshift bindings. “It‘s a chance we’ll have to take.”
Whitney laid Sora down, retrieved Wetzel’s dragon engraved knife to tuck into her belt, then went to the knight’s side to help. A long rasp sounded as he tore more fabric. Torsten went to grab hold of Redstar’s hands, but his arms froze. He started to rise into the air again.
Redstar groaned, “You will not—”
Whitney threw a sharp right hook into the side of the Arch Warlock’s head. His eyes closed for good.
“Good punch,” Torsten said.
“Thanks,” Whitney said, shaking his hand.
They finished tying up Redstar, then stood.
“You’re carrying him,” Whitney said.
“There are two of us, Thief,” Torsten replied. “And we have a long road back to Yarrington.”
“Well, someone has to help her!” He pointed at Sora, who had passed out at some point while they were binding Redstar. Torsten’s gaze moved from her, then froze on the gauntlet covering Whitney’s outstretched hand.
“Ah, right.” Whitney went to remove them, but Torsten stopped him.
“I dare not wear them. I doubted Uriah’s faith and I have to live with that forever.”
“Redstar was a good actor.” Whitney rolled his shoulders, then handed the gauntlets over anyway. They barely fit, and even though the armor of a former Wearer was quite the treasure, he had no desire to be reminded of nearly being devoured by a giant spider every time he looked down at them. For all his preaching, Torsten seemed plenty satisfied as he strapped them on.
“So, that was the real Uriah I found down there?” Whitney said.
“Yes.” Torsten bent over and picked up Redstar’s sword—Uriah’s sword—the pommel sculpted into a lion. “The monster stole his sword and everything, all to deceive me.”
“About that. I still don’t really understand what in Elsewhere he wanted.”
“What does any heathen want? Chaos. To blot out the light in this world because there is no light in theirs.”
Whitney looked up and considered making a remark about how little light the woods had, even with the glittering eyeballs hanging all around them and reflecting Celeste’s light, but he decided against it. “Well, if it’s all right with you, I’m ready to get out of this place.”
“Yes. For too long the Webbed Woods have haunted our kingdom thanks to this madman. It’s time to leave for good.”
“Finally.” Whitney patted the Drav Cra doll in his belt. “I’ll hold onto this until we’re back, just in case you decide to go rotten.”
“I gave you my word under Iam’s Vigilant Eye.”
Again, the swinging eyeballs caught Whitney’s gaze, and he stifled a gag. “Please don’t mention eyes… ever again.”
Torsten sighed. “I will stand by my promise.”
Whitney flashed him a grin. “But it’s so much more fun not to.”
Thank You!
Thank you for reading Web of Eyes, book one in The Buried Goddess Saga.
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Thank you so much for reading Web of Eyes by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. We just wanted to take a moment to encourage you to review the book on Amazon and Goodreads. Every review helps further the author’s reach and, ultimately, helps them continue writing fantastic books for us all to enjoy.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jaime lives in Texas with his wife and two kids. He enjoys anything creative, from graphic arts to painting. His office looks like the Avengers threw up on the walls.
Jaime has been writing since elementary school and is a bit of a grammar officer—here to correct and serve.
Rhett is a Sci-fi/Fantasy author currently living in Stamford, Connecticut. His published works include books in the USA Today Bestselling CIRCUIT SERIES (Published by Diversion Books and Podium Audio), THE BURIED GODDESS SAGA and the BASTARDS OF THE RING SERIES (Audible Studios, coming in 2019). He is also one of the founders of the popular science fiction platform, Sci-Fi Bridge.
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