The Tenth Ordeal (Ordeals of the Gods Book 1) by Lilith S. Peartree

Author:Lilith S. Peartree [Peartree, Lilith S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lilith S. Peartree
Published: 2024-02-03T00:00:00+00:00

XVI

Mikael wanted to hold Aura aloft at the top of the Mountain and announce her presence to the world. He wanted to shove the baby in Uilani’s face and cackle with laughter. He wanted Gabriel to know that he had finally done it.

But Cassandra told him not to do any of those things. Worse, she told him that Aura was to be kept a secret.

It was Mikael’s nature to rule. However, he found himself following Cassandra’s requests with little protest. The things she could see were somehow beyond his control, and it felt more comfortable to accept that Cassandra had abilities he didn’t understand than to continually try and fail to thwart her visions.

As Aura grew, Mikael kept a close watch on her, waiting for something miraculous to happen, but nothing did. For all intents and purposes, Aura seemed unexpectedly ordinary. He tried to tease visions out of her with Cassandra’s tools and other objects Wicker was known to use to help with premonition, but Aura failed every task.

“Tell me the truth,” he demanded one day after Aura had gone to bed. “Is she special?”

Cassandra gave him a motherly look of pure defiance, prompting him to calm his tone and rephrase his question. “Does Aura have any skills beyond that of a normal child, like you do?”

Cassandra shrugged. They were sitting in her garden, the sound of their conversation masked by the splash of a nearby fountain. The late evening light made her hair gleam redder than usual. “No,” she replied simply.

Mikael easily kept his temper despite her inflammatory response. He found it surprisingly effortless to control his anger with Cassandra, probably because she was the only person from whom he expected and tolerated disobedience.

“So, she is an immortal demigod, the first child born from Skie, and she has no special skills.” Cassandra’s lips were pressed together firmly, but she nodded, confirming his summary. “Her strength is barely beyond that of a normal mortal,” Mikael grumbled in dismay. “You knew all along that she wouldn’t be special?”

“She is special,” Cassandra snapped. “She is our daughter!”

Mikael pretended to understand, cooing soothingly at her until Cassandra’s expression eased, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

“Will we have any more children together?”

He felt her stiffen against his side. “No,” she finally admitted.

Mikael wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him.

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