The God & The Shadow

Chapter 32

VERONICA

I entered the dining hall to see the men (save Lore and Cassian, who were not in the room) in a frantic. They were all debating over something that was too inaudible for me to understand.

I sat down next to Florens, who was poking at her chicken and listening to the ruckus. "What's going on?" I asked.

The goddess didn't look up. "Don't know. It's just amusing to watch the male gender and their shit egos."

I quietly laughed and grabbed a roll of bread as Taylor chastised the men to quiet down.

"No! I'm not shutting up about this." Warren pointed at Wilton. "His majesty," He mocked. "thinks their realm is more superior than ours. I mean, we have technology and are definitely more evolved than this medieval place. Are you serious right now?"

The prince shifted in his seat and rested his arms on the table. "You forget, warlock, that evolution in each realm comes at a different pace, but is inevitable nonetheless. My realm is ruled by kingdoms with kings from valiant and powerful bloodlines; yours is full of corruption and pathetic mortal men you call your leaders. Need I say more?"

Warren nearly shot out of his seat and Gideon and Nixon, gods bless them, were able to placate him before he could throw the piece of bread he held at the prince.

"Honestly, both realms suck. The ninth realm though..." Hermes pursed his lips and kissed it with a bundle of fingers, a chef's kiss.

"That's the best realm, gents." He continued.

Taylor grabbed Matt's lone piece of bread on his plate. "It's too early for any of us to listen to your sexual stories and fantasies, Hermes." She bit into the bread and refilled her glass with juice.

The god scoffed. "I do not favor that realm particularly because of the sex. Partly, maybe. But, the ninth realm worships me. They see me as the one and absolute god."

Hermes leaned back in his seat and smiled haughtily while the men continued arguing. I smiled a bit before biting into my croissant, a cup before me slowly filling with coffee as if someone were pouring it in.

The large wooden doors suddenly opened to reveal Cassian and Lore. The prince walked over to his husband and sat next to him, while Lore took the seat across from mine.

I immediately tore my eyes away from him and reached over to the waffles Olivia had placed in front of her.

I couldn't see much from here, but he still smiled when he realized I was avoiding him. I felt his leg brush over mine, causing me to widen my eyes a bit and take a big bite of the waffle.

"We have received word from our spies from the west— the neighboring kingdom of Kottra, Laiynth." The prince announced at the head of the table.

"It seems," he added. "That The Blacksmith was right."

"What do you mean?" Florens asked.

If the prince was surprised at the goddess' sudden interest, he did not show it. He held up a paper and suspended it in the air. The paper, as if it were taken away by the wind, landed in front of Florens.

She slowly opened it, and raised a brow while reading. I leaned towards her, careful to not make any skin contact with her to read it, and I mirrored her reaction.

"They're throwing a celebration? For what?" Taylor asked.

"Another village was burnt down while you were gone. But instead of a letter from your enemies, it was a letter from our own." Wilton solemnly said, his head tilted downwards.