Knight of the Goddess (Blood of a Fae, #4)

by Briar Boleyn

A tinkling sound that reminded me of Orcades’s melodic laughter.

Is she the only one without a melodic voice?

“With Orcades gone, a place opened up by our father’s side. Lorion and I won’t fail him as Daegen did.” “Really? But Lorion already has,” I informed her.

Would have been better to say, “But Lorion is already dead.” But that would make too much sense and be less cryptic. “Has what, failed? Failed how?” Instead of being directly to the point.

Lancelet and I ducked aside just in time.

But Guinevere is not watching as she is doing important things like trying to stop Hawl from bleeding and Hawl is liking not looking trying to fight through the pain and anger… but, you and Lance just keep watching and ducking…

“I am not dead,” Tempest screamed. “You believe it is so easy to destroy the daughter of a god?”

Orcades died easily at child birth… but it sounds like she gave up her soul willingly for Medra. And do the sons not hold as much power or something because Daegen and Lorion both went quickly. And why exactly are you shocked at hearing that Gorlois is a god when you’ve had that thought many times before yourself?

“What are you talking about?” I breathed. “A fae high king is not a god.”

Of course she would ask the dumb question…

“You don’t know everything, Sister.” The look of triumph on her face made me gasp.

She meant to say, “You don’t know ANYTHING, sister.” Because she doesn’t. Even when she had a glimpse inside her father’s mind she didn’t try to retain or decipher anything she saw, only thinking about him seeing Medra. Not any power he could wield or things he’s done or anything… idiot.

“Not him, you fool.” A cunning smile crossed her face. “The baby. Your baby.”

Oh, so he doesn’t realize she’s Orcades’. Well, at least they have that advantage. That storm must have been him, though I thought Medra was doing it by accident…

And how happy she will be to see you have already taken up your place with us, Medra.”

Oh no… See, this is why the child should have been told about her family… Smdh.

I thought of Odessa and her burned arm. “No. I wouldn’t.”

Where the hell is Odessa now anyway! Argh!

Only he is worthy of our full devotion. Soon, he’ll rule over all of the world. Just as he did once before.” I was impressed. What child wouldn’t have been? “Truly?”

One that had been told their aunt and uncle had left to protect them, and the world, from something..

I looked between her and the guards in their black masks and shining black metal armor. I wanted to ask her what she needed protection from.

Shouldn’t it be obvious. If she was welcomed there, she wouldn’t need protection.

“Step away from her, Medra,” a hard voice said. “Quickly now.”

Finally!

“They won’t return.” Sarrasine sneered, and instantly, her elegant face was transformed into something cruel and spiteful.

Was waiting on that…

“Odessa will never be a slave,” I shouted, my eyes flaring to life.

Damn right!

I gripped the floor, digging my heels in with everything I had,

How did she grip the floor with her feet and heels? Does she have an invisible claw in the heel? Claw like toe nails?

The two blades swept across the air. She had started to lower them slightly when I screamed out but they still sliced through flesh, cutting across her chest.

So, not her throat then? She’d better live you Saccharine bish!

“I’ll go for a healer. Stay here.” “No.” Her voice was surprisingly strong. “No, Medra. Come. Sit with me.”

No, let her call for a healer! Wake up the whole damn castle, I don’t give a damn! Heal Odessa!

She nodded. “I should have told you sooner. But no one expected you to grow so fast, Medra. You’re a miracle.”

“There is a prophecy, Medra. One that Morgan would have told you about when she returned. But she’s not here now. I am. And... I don’t know. Perhaps it’s time you knew all of it.”

Yes, hurry before you die! I don’t know why y’all thought to wait for Morgan’s return knowing what she left to do and also knowing it was a high chance she wouldn’t return. As soon as you got there and saw her growth and intelligence and power, she should have been told everything to prepare herself. Her mother bred her to destroy her father, the same grandfather that almost lured her into his grasp because she was not told anything.

“But your aunt refused to accept that it was the reason you existed,” Odessa went on. “She refused to let the prophecy determine your fate, your future.” “And you?” I demanded, suddenly furious at my mother, furious at my aunt.

Why furious at her aunt? She was trying to shield her and let her live life as an innocent child should, no heavy responsibilities.🙄

Then her hand fell. She did not lift it again.

What a bunch of bs! All the warriors we’ve been so proud of and loved are just dropping like flies. The author just threw this last book together with a bunch of bs.

Was it the fact I had dozed off while Guinevere was sleeping? Or was it because of the grail? I had touched it with my bleeding hand after the bandit attack.

Good question…

“I’m surprised they want our help,” Lancelet said quietly.

Exactly…

“Madoc understands that we didn’t intend to...” Draven began. He stopped. “He understands. We did what we could to stop it. As soon as we had the chance.” We had killed the wolves, Draven meant. We had killed Lorion and Tempest. But not before they had slain refugees.

That part… instead of killing the wolves who were many and could attack many, you went for the enemies that were doing one on one combat. And on top of that, only one of you actively participated in the fighting while the other just stood there and watched instead of sending shadows out to subdue the wolves… I wouldn’t want your help. Your priorities are all messed up.

“They know who you are, Morgan.

And who is it that they know she is? Which title?

But it was not your fault. And you are doing what you can to make up for what’s happened.” He meant by providing a letter. Madoc and his wife, Amara, the healer, would carry it with them all the way to Pendrath. When they reached the border, they would give it to the first soldiers they found who would then escort them and the rest of the refugees to Camelot where they would be put in Dame Halyna’s capable hands. The letter ensured they would not be turned away when they reached our border, that they would be accepted and provided for.

Wow… that’s… why is this even here?

“A temple.”

For who?

It was Madoc. The gray-haired patriarch of the displaced.

Don’t we already know who he is? Why the identification needed here?

Crude signs for thunder and lightning carved into the stone.

Reminds me of Gorlois and his storm. Maybe he is essentially Perun. Now I wish I remembered the story of the gods and goddesses. Weren’t they sisters and brother?

She was the daughter of a god, Tempest had claimed.

Her name is fitting for the daughter of a god of thunder and lightning. Unfortunately her power and abilities were not.

I glanced around. We’d finished setting up our tents. Draven had gone to tether the horses. Guinevere was resting. Lancelet had gone to the stream to see if she could catch some trout. Hawl, as usual, was about to make dinner. We were spoiled, having the Bearkin with us.

So just leave Guinevere alone in the tents at the foot of the mountain then huh…? You just essentially said that no one would be aware of you being gone or whom you left with… Smdh.

“It’s all right,” Amara said soothingly. “We aren’t the ones who wish to see you. Here, step inside. Someone has been asking for you and your husband.”

And if that’s not suspicious as hell after what just happened… 🙄🙄

On the road, as we had met up with the refugees. I had looked down to see this same woman walking with a young girl. The same girl who now sat beside the old woman’s bedside.

And why would she be suddenly be with a different young girl than the one you saw her walking with?

The healer had already lifted the tent flap to wait outside. Now she paused. “I believe she said Rachel, but I may have misheard her.” My heart began to hammer. No. It wasn’t possible. “Do you mean Rychel?” I said slowly.

Omg!

Though a few streaks of black remained, her hair was mostly white. Her face bore the marks of countless years, with fine wrinkles tracing her features. She appeared ancient, her frail form seeming almost translucent against the bed.

How in the hell was her life force drained! Is this child one that she saved, brought back at the cost of her own life? OMG! That damn grail!

But the dainty, heart-shaped face. The sun-kissed, golden-brown skin. Those were the same. The more I looked at her, the more that was familiar.

And Draven just lost Gawain…

“Think of her as my daughter.” Rychel’s eyes were passionate and pleading,

Just got nieces popping up all over the continent…

“I took the grail,” she continued, her voice strained. “I went... to your father.”

Was Rychel aware that Gorlois was Morgan’s father when she left? It doesn’t make sense considering how long it took him to find her after taking Rychel…

Glancing at Draven again, I wondered how much Amara had told him. Did he understand this was the end?

I’m pretty sure Rychel just now saying she’s dying tonight kinda takes the guesswork out of him knowing if this is the end or not… 🙄🙄

“Kept some?” A shiver ran down my spine. “Why?”

Why is her breath being wasted on something Orcades has already told her, that he used those children for power…

Not a dead specimen like the one she had been dissecting back in the Court of Umbral Flames. But one with unnatural life still flowing through its veins. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know how she had done that. How she had managed it without coming out looking like Lancelet.

Well, that would be stupid, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t you actually WANT to know how they both managed to be alive after an encounter that would normally leave one looking like Lancelet had or worse, dead? But you should be able to assume from Rachel’s state that whatever it was cost her a lot to achieve…

“But it took something from you, didn’t it?” Draven demanded, his voice grim.

Well, obviously. 🙄🙄 Wasted breaths, useless chatter…

“What’s her name?” I asked eventually. “What do you call her?” “She has no name. None that I knew. I call her Lynette.”

So… then she has a name. Lynette. Why wasted breath saying she hasn’t one? 🙄🙄 This author really does not know how to get into the scenes in her story and feel them, make them realistic…

Draven stroked Rychel’s arm. “Stop. Don’t strain yourself. We can speak more tomorrow.”

After wasting much of her breath asking dumb questions… And I guess her previous words didn’t take the guesswork out of how long she has… I don’t even see why the author has dialogue. No one heeds anything anyone else says anyway or grasps it.

“My only regret was not being able to save them all. He wouldn’t let me.”

You only had one life to give up in exchange so even if he had let you, you wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it according to the cost that was just laid out… 🙄🙄

I supposed we would never know exactly how Rychel had escaped or managed to get that far.

Nope, because you wasted time, as usual, asking useless and unnecessary questions.

“They had different mothers,” was all I said. Which was true. “Amara, I want to ask you something.”

Instead of just saying “magic did this to her”… What she said could lead to meaning Rychel’s mom robbed was a pedo and got pregnant by a very young man who, decades to half a century later, got Draven’s mom pregnant. Smdh. Shit just makes no damn sense.

“You would do that?” I said slowly. “Take in a strange child as your own?”

So much for the promise you just made Rychel on her deathbed about taking care of her… 🙄🙄 Like a just said, the dialogue is or nothing in this series because no one takes heed to anything said previously…

It was true. I nodded. “Fine. yes. But I would like to know where you’ll be staying so that I may visit when I return to Camelot with my husband, if we wish to.”

Might want to tell the human that the child is far though. They are different and she will probably exhibit power at some point? Maybe…

“Neither. None of those. But I have seen strange things before.” Amara met my eyes. “Something is draining her life force away.” “What exactly does that mean?” “It means that what happened to your husband’s sister, the woman in the tent—”

Well, at least SHE was smart enough to acknowledge that something magical had happened and cause Rychel to become that way instead of believing them having “different mothers” was the cause in the age disparity…