by JoAnna Grace
This had to be the Divine Grace Ryse spoke of. From her sure footsteps to her high-held chin, she emanated confidence and power. Seeing as how Avery was caught spying, she didn’t think it wise to argue.
Avery was led through the halls and into a room that was decorated so feminine it had to be personal space. The large bed in an adjoining room informed her that she was in the private master suite. The walls were a warm vanilla cream color with a rose pattern that was so faint it looked antiqued. It seemed to be the theme of the room. Thick cream and pink colored curtains framed the windows. A couch and two wingback chairs were in the middle of the room facing the white rock fireplace.
“Please sit,” a melodic voice whispered to her. The words were not cold, but not overly warm, either. “Would you care for tea?”
“P—please.” She took a seat by the fire, suddenly feeling a chill. At her acceptance, another lady began serving them. “You’re a Divine Grace.”
The angel sat and accepted a delicate china cup on a saucer. “I am. My name is Dynasty, you may call me Dyna.” Those lavender eyes looked at Avery for a long minute before she spoke. “Salina is a snake, Avery.” She let the full force of her words sink in before she continued. “The child practically slithers when she walks. It is such a shame that my eldest and dearest friend had to produce such a reptile for a daughter. But her mother, Filene, and I have been close as sisters since we were girls. That has been many centuries ago. I can promise you, the apple fell quite far from the tree. Charles, Deity of Europe, is a good man with a good heart. Ashton, their son, will make a fine Deity one day.” She took a deep breath.
“Why are you telling me this?” Avery set down the cup before her shaking hands spilled the hot tea.
“Because you are not the only one who witnessed that exchange and I can feel your anxiety, Avery darling.”
“They have history,” Avery said, gazing at the fire.
“Yes. She beds men for sport. I’m afraid to say the girl had her fangs in him at one point, many decades ago.”
The tone of her voice made Avery look into those interesting eyes. Dyna was clenching her jaw. Her back was straight as a board with perfect posture.
“How deep?”
Without even a thought she replied, “Not deep enough to keep him interested when the morning sun came up.”
Avery flinched and closed her eyes, trapping the tears that wanted to escape. How could Avery ever compete with a woman as gorgeous as Salina, reptile or not? Ryse might have seemed upset with her today, but at some point those seductive curves Salina wielded as a sharp blade had appealed to him.
It hurt more to realize it wasn’t her right to be jealous. Avery wasn’t intended for a Thracian Master. She was intended for a Deity Prince. That didn’t stop her from caring.
“He seemed very angry with her.” If she focused on his anger, Avery might not cry.
“Salina is out for power. That is why she seeks my friendship, why she seeks my sons’ beds.” She casually laughed. “It’s a shame, really. Salina is such a pretty girl.” Dyna tilted her head and looked at Avery, who was suddenly self-conscious. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. All you need to understand is that Ryse detests her and you shouldn’t be upset about their altercation.”
Avery found herself absently rubbing her own neck. Dyna was the mother of the man she was supposed to be mated to. It probably looked terrible that Avery held such an interest in Ryse.
Dyna stood and went to gaze out a large window. “My husband and I are very blessed. Never in the history of our people has a Deity couple been gifted with two sons.” She looked over her shoulder but Avery said nothing. So there were two men in the running for her hand? “Typically there is only one son to take his father’s place and there is never any question about the inheritance. All other children are female. My second born son, Hayden, is a miracle. He has gifts the like I have never seen in my centuries of life. Nothing is forgotten from his brain. Hayden documents everything and has become a remarkable historian. Our race is lucky to have someone who knows our traditions as he does.”
“You’re very proud of him,” Avery said, wondering where this conversation was going. Was Dyna trying to sell her on Hayden?
“I am proud of both my sons. I have one whose skills are of the mind and one whose skills are of brute strength. That’s not to say one lacks where the other prevails.” She paused for a moment.
“I knew your parents. Did you know that?” Avery shook her head at Dyna. “It was a short time but I do remember your father and his visions. It’s a shame about them. My heart breaks for you. I wish they had lived to see the woman you are and the Grace you shall become.” Avery couldn’t reply, her mouth felt cemented shut. Dyna met her eyes in an intense gaze. “Would you like for me to set your aura free, my child?”
“I—I don’t know.” Avery hated the way she stuttered when she got nervous. “Will it hurt?”
“Only a smidgen. I want to do it gradually over a series of sessions with you. If I free an aura as strong as yours without warning, we would be flooded with Thracian warriors trying to mate you!” She laughed, a carefree sound like orchestra music.
“Mate me?” Avery sat up straighter. “I’m supposed to be with a Deity. Why would a Thracian want to mate me?”
“Legends say the gods created the desire between Thracians and Graces to solidify their loyalty. What begins as a physical attraction to an unmated Grace turns into respect and allegiance upon her union with a Deity. It is not uncommon for Thracian soldiers to be somewhat obsessive with an unmated Grace. It is in their blood, you could say.”
Avery slumped back in her chair. Well, didn’t that put the last few days into perspective? Ryse was not simply a Thracian warrior, he was the Master of the race. Of course his attraction to an unmated Grace would be far more potent. Every kiss, every touch was based off a biological response programmed in his brain to guarantee his loyalty. She was right. None of it had been real.
She rubbed a hand over her aching chest. Aware that her future mother-in-law was still there, she held back the ocean of grief that threatened to drown her.
“Letting a fraction of your aura loose at a time, while teaching you how to shield it, is much safer.” Dyna’s voice snapped her back to the moment. As much as she wanted to bury herself in feelings of Ryse, she had to focus. “Do you feel comfortable with that, darling?”
“Yes. I just, um, I need some time to think. That’s all.”
“Of course, my child. Forgive my impatience.” Dyna smiled warmly and reached out to pull Avery to her feet. They held hands as Dyna’s lavender eyes connected with hers. “We are so happy to have you here, darling. I’ve always wanted a daughter and my heart rejoices in your arrival. You are beloved already.” Dyna leaned in to kiss each of Avery’s cheeks. “If you need anything or desire to learn more about what we are, I am always available to you. My excitement over another young Grace is consuming.” Dyna laughed and Avery swore she heard bells. “Whenever you are ready, my child, we shall set your mind and your aura free. Then you will truly experience all this life has to offer.”
Even while Avery accepted Dyna’s motherly hug, her heart was breaking. Being a Grace didn’t scare her nearly as much as the thought of telling this woman she couldn’t marry one of her sons. And it didn’t erase the pain of knowing Ryse did not truly want her. He said it was real for him, and perhaps it was. But now Avery knew the truth. And she wished she had never met Ryse.
AVERY MET A very quiet Nikki outside Dyna’s rooms. Nikki followed Avery outside before directing her to the gardens. Castor and Pollux had been playing with some of the staff’s children but came running when they saw her. Avery felt terrible for not giving them any thought since this morning, but it had been an eventful day so far.
Feeling guilty, Avery found a walking path that ringed the lake and wandered off into the forest around the Palace. It seemed the kind of path that would take a while to walk and give her time to
think and let the boys run. Little did she know that she would not be walking alone. Coming down the path in her direction were two men.
It was obvious that one was a man of power. Even the dogs lowered their heads the closer he came. He had black hair highlighted with gray around his temples. The gait of his walk suggested purpose even in such a casual setting. His features were hard but strikingly handsome. Brown eyes locked on her and her heart stopped. She had seen those eyes before.
“Lady Avery,” he said in an accent she couldn’t place. The man with him, a subordinate, bowed to her. “Finally we meet. I am Troy Castille, the Grand Deity. I apologize for neglecting to come to you sooner. The time of your arrival was late and I did not want to intrude on your settling in. I hope your accommodations are satisfactory?” He absently petted the dogs that sniffed him.
“Wonderful. Thank you.” Avery’s throat dried up. She didn’t need to be a genius to figure out this man was the closest thing to a god she would ever behold. As a Master Thracian, Ryse had been overwhelming. This man, this demigod, made her knees weak and her eyes lower to the ground.
Troy looked around and saw only Nikki a few paces behind her. “Nikki.”
“My lord?” She curtsied. Avery wondered if she should have done the same. Damn.
“Do you walk alone?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Troy took in a deep breath, rubbed his short beard and focused on Avery again. “Even in my refuge, you should have an escort. An unclaimed Grace is a commodity that causes Thracian males to lose their faculties.”
“I only wanted some time to think. I’ll go back inside.” Avery sighed, needing the sunshine and fresh air. The dogs would have to run without her.
“Nonsense. I shall walk with you. Perhaps I might shine some light on the dark thoughts in your mind.” He offered his arm to her and she took it with a shy smile. “Gabrele can keep Nikki company while we walk.”
The other man nodded and dropped back to walk by the Shadow Lady. They gave Avery and Troy a large berth before setting off on the path behind them.
“Something troubles you?” Troy asked softly.
Avery huffed indignantly then she remembered she was talking to a man one step below the gods. “At this point it would be easier to talk about what doesn’t trouble me. The list is shorter.”
“Speak your mind, child.” Troy’s voice was not commanding, but pleading.
“It’s like I’ve fallen asleep and can’t wake up. But I don’t know if I’m having a great dream or a nightmare of epic proportions.” Avery felt a compulsion to bare her soul to Troy. It made her wonder if this was part of his powers. “I look back and I think, none of this can be real. I was attacked by a man that had been my close friend for two years. I knew Jerry. I cooked for him and watched movies with him. We went bowling together and he fixed my leaking sink. He was Frank’s partner. They spent hours upon hours together and Frank never doubted his act. Neither did I. I think of all the times he could have killed me and it boggles my mind. He never once let on, never gave himself away as anything more than a good old country boy.”
“You gave him no reason,” Troy said, patting her arm. “If Ryse hadn’t come to collect you, Jerry might have lived the rest of his life in your town watching you for signs of your powers.”
“That’s a nauseating thought.”
“There is no telling how long they would have had him assigned to you. But we will never know.”
“I guess I should be grateful Master Ryse showed up.” Avery felt the need to use Ryse’s formal title with the Deity.
“But?” Troy asked with raised brows.
Avery waved off his inquiry. “Nothing.” Avery didn’t want to tell Troy that she had foolishly fallen for a man she couldn’t be with. “I’m still learning the aspects of auras.”
Troy took this opportunity to school her. Avery was drawn to his voice and watched his face as he spoke. “Auras are but ripples of our emotions and powers that emit from our souls. They indicate the strength of an Olympian. Peoples of diluted blood have diluted powers resulting in weak auras. A Grace such as you should rival Dynasty’s aura.”
“Magic and auras creating physical responses.” Avery shook her head and pulled away to cross her arms over her chest. “That’s not exactly what I want my marriage to be based on.” This might not have been the smartest thing to say to Troy. But he needed to know Avery didn’t want to enter into any kind of relationship if it wasn’t built on a foundation of love and trust.
Troy spelled it out for her, “Initially, every relationship is based on physical attraction, Avery. Think logically. Would you want to sleep with someone who physically repulsed you?” Avery reluctantly shook her head. She knew were this was going. “Humans call it lust. They base their version of love on what they feel in the moment. This person makes me happy, this person is behaving how I want them to, so I feel love for them. But they are selfish creatures and many do not understand the real meaning of the word.”
“Do you mean that you don’t feel love for your wife?”
Troy’s head jerked back. “On the contrary. I feel a great amount of love for my wife. Among all the gifts the gods have bestowed upon me, my mate is the greatest. Dyna makes every breath worth taking. She is the reason I am the man I am. I would do anything to please her.” Troy looked down at Avery, who had stopped walking and was gawking at him.
“Most men don’t talk like that.” Avery went mushy inside hearing such a masculine man admitting such profound things.
“Most men are fools.” He chuckled and tapped her on the nose. Troy took her hand and placed it back in the crook of his arm. “And to be honest, I would not voice such things to others. You, however, need to understand the type of commitment and devotion a Deity gives to his Grace. It is the same devotion you should expect. You see Avery, love is a verb, not a noun. It is an action, a daily choice made between two people. It is not a state of mind that one can float in and out of. It is not a destination to be traveled to. It is stone thrown into a pond, the effects rippling out. You do not have to know every detail about a person to love them. Compatibility is vital; do not misunderstand. A cow and a whale should not mate. A person must decide if they are compatible with another, then make the daily decision to love that person no matter their faults and quirks. Dyna has often frustrated me and I, her. But never once have I decided I didn’t love her because we didn’t see eye to eye.”
Avery thought it was a shame Troy was already married. If there were a way to clone him, she would have done it. If the gods had truly created a mate just for her, he would be like Troy in many ways. “But the gods created her to match you, right? Doesn’t that take some of your choice out of the matter?”
“Perhaps, if you want to see it that way.” He shrugged casually.
Avery crinkled her forehead. What other way could it be seen? If the gods create two pieces to a puzzle that interlock, those puzzle pieces can’t fit together any other way. Where is the free will in that?
“I feel blessed that the gods created Dyna for me. Unlike my sons, I did not have to search for her. My lovely Grace was all but handed to me. And the moment we met, I was caught in her beauty, her strong heart, and her fierce dedication to serving the gods with all she is. I praise the gods still for every day she is by my side.” Troy leaned in to whisper, “…and in my bed.”
Avery blushed and giggled. “Men, you’re all the same.”
Troy’s laughter billowed into the air. “Just you wait, sweet Princess. You will thank the gods one day, for they make a Deity and Grace compatible in every aspect.”
Avery and Troy talked until they had circled the lake. He was wise and kind. Their conversation touched on everything from her parents to his duties as Grand Deity. Avery learned much about royalty and the responsibilities of the title. It helped her understand how very special being a Divine Grace was. It made her feel good to know that even though Troy ruled the Olympian world, he still made time for her—ju
st like her own father used to do. No matter what work needed to be done, no matter how busy he was, Avery’s father had always set aside a time of the day for his daughter. Oh, how she missed that man.
“Well my child, it seems we have come full circle. Shall we go again?” Troy put his arm on her shoulder.
“No, I know you have stuff to do. I’m sure I’ve kept you long enough. You have a country to rule after all.”
Troy smiled, which softened his bearded face. “I will always have time for you. Even a throne is no greater legacy than one’s children.” He touched her shoulders affectionately. Avery couldn’t resist, she leaned in and allowed Troy to hug her. “If ever you need me, I am here.”
“Thank you, Troy.”
“Go, have some time to yourself. Stay in the gardens and I will make sure none bother you.” He left her to the morning air. Though Troy had helped her feel better about everything, she was still overwhelmed. Peace was found in a tunnel made of arched stones and wood supporting a thick wall of purple blooming wisteria. Castor and Pollux found their young playmates and ran off. Avery smiled, sat on an iron bench, and put her elbows on her knees. Dissecting the newest information she received, she let her mind sift through the morning’s conversations.
THERE WAS NO telling how long she sat there—long enough to notice a change in the sun’s position. It now was straight overhead. Only part of her brain was aware of Nikki being discreetly hidden in different places around the gardens. Her stomach rumbled, so she took it as a sign to get her mind together and go back to face Ryse. She stood up and turned back the way she came.
A familiar blond was leaning against one of the stone pillars holding up the pergola of purple vines. He was talking to Nikki, who gave him a bashful smile before she bowed her head and disappeared again. Then he turned to Avery, looked at her with those bright blue eyes and a thin smile on his face. He was wearing jeans and a black leather bomber style jacket.
