The Pyre King by Georgina Makalani

Author:Georgina Makalani
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Magic and witchcraft, Older female protagonist, strong female lead fantasy, fantasy witch books, fantasy novels for adults
Publisher: Georgina Makalani
Published: 2023-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The cardinal woke cold, stiff, and sticky, although there was no sign of the blood he had rubbed over his skin. He stretched, regretting the movement as his body protested. He rolled onto his knees and, using the altar for support, climbed slowly to his feet. He shivered as the early morning chill wrapped around his naked skin. The scars he had worn for so long were gone, as were the pains that had accompanied them.

He couldn’t remember at what point he had fallen asleep, nor what might have happened to him after he had applied the blood to his skin. He felt very much the same as he had before and yet very different at the same time. He could still taste the coppery blood on his lips. He rubbed at them as he reached for the rough shift he wore beneath his robes.

The eyes he usually wore at his belt now sat on the altar beside the empty jar, which was leaning to its side as though it might roll away at any point. Not a single drop of the blood he had been given remained. He wondered if he had wasted what he had been given and whether the man he had thought he could trust would give him any more. He took a step back as the silver statue of the God on the altar flashed red, like fire was moving within it. A sign that he had discovered a witch, although there was no one else in the room. He looked about slowly in fear there was someone.

But then, he hadn’t been able to see such a sign without the eyes. He leaned forward and ran his fingers over the statue. It turned red, and he pulled back. He rolled his shoulders, feeling much better than he had moments ago when he had woken. He wondered if it was the blood on his skin that had indicated as much to the device, although he had never been able to see such a sign before.

He dropped to his knees before the altar, looking up at the God who had smiled down on him so often to find he appeared to be somewhat disappointed. Had the cardinal become what he was hunting? Was that not what he had hoped for—an advantage, a way to win?

It wasn’t as though his faith would be corrupted by such power. If indeed he possessed any. He was suddenly tempted to run out into the world and see what he could do.

He searched for something within him other than the strength he felt, the youth. The fire he had felt before, the warmth when he had first held the drop of blood, was something he wondered at. Was he more already? He tried to imagine a flame in his hand. Nothing happened. He concentrated harder, but still nothing. He was sure his hand was warmer than it had been, but no flame appeared.

He stared at the candle on the altar, willing it to light, but again nothing happened.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.