City Of The Damned (Darkly Devoted Series, Book 5)

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

-Grismal The Reaper-

Grismal hadn't given the Blood Star to Melody and allowed her to reunite with her red-headed friend out of the goodness of his heart. He did it because the Blood Star had started dissociating itself from him long before the girl entered Mearnox. The Blood Star had grown weary of him, and it searched for a new owner, one with the will to rule the City of the Damned.

Over the centuries, as Orienne turned away from her firstborn son, the Blood Star, too, started to flicker and dim. It no longer answered Grismal's commands, back when he could find the energy to give commands. Grismal had long since felt like a brittle late autumn leaf, shriveled and drained, unable to hang onto the branch that once gave him life.

Now that Orienne's second child, her replacement for Grismal, had arrived, the Blood Star came to life as well. The damned rock had been plotting its escape for decades now. It would answer his brother's call and that would be it. Grismal would fade like a shade inside his kingdom. It was a fate worse than death. The exiled king would linger on the edge of existence, wishing for the sweet embrace of oblivion.

No.

NO!

Grismal stood up and heaved his muscular, barrel-like chest once more. He had once commanded the fear of all the Kings of Men. Now, would he simply give in and hand over power to his mortal brother?

Not without a fight.

Grismal heard the Blood Star's conversation with his brother. For these last few precious seconds, he still heard all that had taken place in his kingdom. Yes, even as he listened, the power started to fade from his veins. His brother's mortal body would die and the Blood Star would lend him a new body, one much like Grismal's. This mortal man, Grismal's lowly half-brother, wasn't born a god, but he had the will of an immortal.

It made Grismal want to laugh.

Brother, you would do all this for the love of one woman? To save her, you would make a pact to rule Mearnox for all the rest of eternity? Can you even grasp how long an eternity can be?

Grismal closed his eyes and focused on the voices he overheard. This was still his palace, after all, and for the next few minutes or however it would take the Blood Star to transfer power to its new owner, this was still his domain.

"Star of the Ancient Gods, I, too, have a request," Grismal growled to the Blood Star. "Grant me this in payment for the centuries I have served you and ruled this tainted kingdom."

Speak your request, Fallen God.

It answered. Perhaps there was time yet to drive one more bargain.

"Give me my brother's body, and I'll give him mine. You will not need to fashion a new body out of the ether for him. My request is simple. Let me live out the rest of his mortal life."

There was a pause and then Grismal received an answer. Perhaps all his toil over these centuries had not been in vain.

Your wish is granted, Nerazu.

The full force of the Blood Star's power hit him. Grismal only knew then how eager the heavens were to be rid of him. His soul was ripped from his body with more ease than a puff of air scattered dandelion seeds to the wind. It was as though every particle inside his body had been waiting breathlessly for this moment of release. Grismal only felt the faintest iota of sadness at leaving his godly form behind.

He had long since tired of this role a thousand years ago.

Even though Grismal had wished to be free of his task for as long as he could remember, he wasn't prepared for what it was like to be mortal. Before he could react, he realized the Blood Star was still resting on the floor beside Blake's mortal form.