Shards: Book One of the Anderian Series

Chapter 22: A Look Inside

"Come again?" I blinked rapidly as if that might somehow help my hearing because certainly this little creature—while vicious looking—couldn't create an entire world.

Cian snorted. "Amaya is full of herself sometimes. Andarie existed when she arrived with her siblings. She merely contributed to its development."

"Semantics darling."

"You're one of the gods of old," I whispered, recalling Cian's story in the motel and scooting closer to him. My feelings toward Amaya shifted from neutral to distaste quickly. How could she have done such terrible things to innocent people?

Cian stiffened when he felt me lean into him, but then his arm curled around my waist, his fingers settling on the front of my hip and creating a comforting warmth. "Amaya is not like the others, Bria. It's why she's trapped over here with us."

She spat on the floor. "My siblings grew tired of doing things the old-fashioned way. They felt their powers were growing stagnant, and they were disappointed in their offspring." Amaya grimaced. "That's on them for choosing weak partners and having no imagination. I chose only the boldest and bravest demons and erosi and vampyrs to breed with. The children of the night know no equals because of me."

I looked up and caught Cian studying me. Seeing the question in my expression, he said, "Amaya is our goddess of the Night."

"So you're one of her descendants?"

"He's my—" Amaya began, then bit off whatever she'd been about to say and nodded. "He's related to me somehow."

"Smooth," I replied, wishing I cared enough to pry further. No doubt there was a very interesting story there, but considering my primary concern were the dwindling hours between me and death, I focused on the matter at hand. "So you joined the rebellion and ended up here. Are you affected by our world the way the others are?"

"No," she admitted. "I have lived in many dimensions over many millennia, and I'm sure when Andarie fades to nothing like all the other worlds, I will move on, but for now, it is my home. I wish to return and punish whoever thought it was wise to lock that door behind us."

Revenge. I could get behind that motivation for returning to Andarie a lot faster than I could for Cian's reasons—whatever they were.

"So why won't you hide me?" I asked.

Amaya stretched her legs out in front of her and wiggled her toes, looking more like a toothy toddler than a goddess of the night. Lacing her fingers together, she rested them on her stomach and replied, "Because you can do it yourself."

"Beg your pardon?"

"What do you mean?"

Cian and I looked at each other with wide eyes. Only his narrowed in suspicion a second later. "What haven't you told me?"

Amaya saved me from answering. Tapping my knee to draw my attention, she whispered, "There's something strange about this house, at least to you. What have you noticed?"

I didn't see a way out of answering, but this was the only secret I had left. If I admitted this, Cian would know all my tricks, and I would have to accept there was no getting away from him. Not that I was sure it was going to come in handy any time soon, but I enjoyed believing it was an option.

"Bria." My name was a silken wrapped rumble from his lips.

"There are no... no echoes here." Amaya nodded, encouraging me to continue. "And there should be. This place is old. Like really old, not just made to look old. Even in this living space, there is nothing."

"Echoes..." Cian appeared confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Interesting." Amaya stood and went to the fireplace. Poking a log and sending sparks into the air, she didn't speak for nearly a minute. Finally, she turned to face us. "I've never seen it manifest this way before, but I'm sure there is something that triggered it."