To Kill a God by C.S. Wilde

Chapter 22

“Fuchst ach!”Bast cursed at the sky as he stepped out into the garden.

He wished he could erase every politician from existence. The shigs demanded respect and decorum, yet did nothing to deserve it.

Wastes of air, all of them!

He’d spent over an hour with Corvus, trying to find a way to approach Colin, but every scenario they played out, every argument they used, it always ended with Bast ready to squeeze the suket’s neck.

Now, Mera watched him from the outdoor porch that led to the garden. She’d woven her hair into a low braid today. The look suited her, but then again, she always looked breathtaking.

“It’s not that bad,” she offered, clearly trying to be supportive.

Bast shoved both hands in his pockets, studying his feet as he tried to find a way to reason with Colin Pompous Baku Asherath. “You’re right. It’s a fucking disaster.”

He had to ensure the shig would vote against Mera’s trial, which seemed impossible considering a trial had been Colin’s idea in the first place. Sure, he’d suggested it to avoid Mera’s banishment, a small ‘thank you’ for holding down the wave and saving half of Tir Na Nog. But now, the councilorprobablyconsidered his debt paid.

Knowing Colin, Bast would get one chance—and even that was a big if, especially since the suket refused to take his calls. Things might have been easier if the councilor didn’t have two chips on his shoulder with Corvus’ and Bast’s names engraved on them. How he wished he could solve this with his fists…

Not knowing what to do, he decided to call Fallon through their mind link. His captain, and closest friend, was much better at handling situations like this. He also happened to be Colin’s cousin.

Last they’d spoken, Fallon was busy helping Tir Na Nog get back on its feet, along with Colin, though Bast doubted the councilor put in any of the effort. The baku wasn’t the type, but he would surely take the credit.

“Hei, Bast,”his captain answered through their link. “I heard Mera is safe, and that Corvus sort of declared independence from Tagrad.”

He chuckled. “Somewhat.”

“About time, if you ask me.”Fallon’s tone rang faint and muffled thanks to the distance. “So, what can I do for you?”

“I need help.”Rubbing his forehead, Bast let out a weary sigh before telling him the whole story.

Once he was done, Fallon whistled. “Kura. I expected more from my cousin, but then again, he has always been a little shig. Look, Colin might be a coward, but he’s not without honor… mostly.” His focus dimmed as he addressed someone next to him. “Thanks, love,” he replied out loud.

Care and warmth emanated from Fallon when he addressed whoever stood next to him, but Bast didn’t think much of it. If his captain had a new affair, he would tell him the next time they went out for an ale.

“Colin hates being wrong,” Fallon continued, “Problem is, you and Corvus disprove him all the time. You actually revel in it.”

“Then he should try making sense for once,” Bast grumbled.

“I agree, but you need Colin more than he needs you. If I know my cousin, he’s well aware of that.”

“He’s a foolish suket!”Bast threw his hands up in the air. “If Tagrad doesn’t unite with Atlantea, Azinor will destroy us all. I have no time to pet his fucking ego!”

“Neither of us do, but the councilors are the Tagradian authority, and you defy them constantly. You went to Atlantea to rescue Mera against their orders, remember? That’s treason.” Before Bast gave him a snarky reply, Fallon added, “It was the right thing to do, but you both defied the council. Now you need to atone for that.”

“I’m not taking her to the mainland. I can’t, Fallon.”

“I wouldn’t do that either, but you have to realize you’re asking a lot of them.”

“Me?” he barked. “Asking for a lot?”

“They hold the power, Bast. You’re the one who has to walk on eggshells, not them. Halle,I know you can be charming when you want to, so put that to use. Calm your nightblood, and you should be fine. Stella says hi, by the way.”

He gasped. “Stella? She was supposed to be safe in a healing convention in Evanora.”

“She was, but she came here to help me.”

Bast narrowed his eyes at nowhere in particular. “Funny, she didn’t tell me.”

“You had a lot on your plate. When all of this is over, let’s go for an ale, shall we?”

Bast knew where this was going. “Fallon, she’s my sister.”

“I know.” A moment of silence followed. “You’ve always trusted me with your life. Do you trust me on this, too?”

Risking his own life was much easier than risking Stella’s happiness. If Fallon hurt her, Bast would pull his heart from his chest, friendship be damned. However, his captain and Stella were adults, and he couldn’t worry about them, especially now.

“We’ll see about that,”he grumbled before shutting down their link.

“Who did you call?” Mera asked from behind, startling him. A soothing smile filled with understanding decorated her lips.

Pulling her into his arms, Bast inhaled the sweet scent at the curve of her neck. “Fallon,” he said quietly.

“Did he give you any insights?”

“Barely.”

She hugged him tighter. “If it comes to it, I’ll have to go to the capitol.”

“No.” He stepped back. “Absolutely not.”

“Bast!” Corvus called from a balcony on the third floor, pointing to his phone. “Colin is inside the line!”

Mera chuckled, since Corvus had used the wrong expression, but she didn’t correct him. Wrapping one arm around her waist, Bast winnowed them into the Night King’s office.

Bookshelves packed with ancient tomes lined the walls. His brother stood by a table in front of a big, arched window. There was a silver screen on top of the wooden surface, and Corvus connected his phone to it—remarkable he even knew how. Then again, he only needed to link both devices with a cable. Hardly flying machine science, really.

Walking around the table, Bast soon faced an enraged Colin on the other side of the screen.

“Will you please stop wasting my time, Sebastian?” the councilor huffed. “Telling your brother to embargo imports to Tir Na Nog until we’ve talked is not exactly legal, is it?”

“He did what?” Frowning, Bast turned to Corvus. “Brilliant idea, really.”

“Thank you.” His chin lifted with pride. “I thought so, too.”

A vein popped in Colin’s forehead. “This conversation is over! Tir Na Nog’s guard will be striking Lunor Insul soon.”

Corvus bared his teeth at him. “I dare you to go ahead with this, you suket!”

“No dare needed, malachai!”

“Both of you, stop.” Closing his arms, Bast stared at the screen. He couldn’t believe what he was about to say next. “Colin, I’m sorry. You have enough on your plate and we pushed you too far. I understand why you weren’t taking our calls, but we had to get your attention somehow. That’s why Corvus embargoed the imports.”

His brother’s jaw dropped. Poking Bast’s shoulder, he whispered, “What are you doing?”

Bast ignored him, his focus fully on the baku on the other side of the screen. “We will lift the embargo. I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience.”

Colin blinked, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.

“I know rebuilding the borough is your number one priority,” Bast continued carefully, “and you’ve done a remarkable job considering you’re also preparing for a war.”

The councilor narrowed his eyes at him, one eyebrow raised—probably trying to figure out Bast’s angle. “Thank you.”

“We must stop Azinor to save not only Tir Na Nog, but the entire country.” Bast watched his hart, who stood ahead with encouragement beaming from her green eyes. “Mera and her people are vital in the fight against the malachai. She stopped his ekrunami on her own. A fucking ekrunami, Colin.”

The councilor shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Harry and Mia mentioned something about an automaton?” Bast nodded, and Colin seemed to ponder for a while. “I’ll attend the meeting and urge for an alliance with Atlantea. Happy?”

How Bast managed to keep his tone calm was beyond himself. Taking a deep breath, he figured he’d had one victory, so maybe, he could snag another. “Mera is the link between land and sea. She cannot be kept in a prison when things go down, do you understand?”

“I won’t go against Harry and Mia to protect your girlfriend, Sebastian. Besides, Lunor Insul isn’t safe ground for an assembly.” With the statement, he sent Corvus a suspicious glance. “She will have to come to the mainland and face trial. There’s no other choice.”

Bast rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Lunor Insul is the safest place for an assembly, as long as the magical shield around it is running. Let us all convey here before deciding to send her to trial. I give you my word Corvus will behave.”

The councilor shook his head. “Not good enough.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “Convince the councilors to come here, and I’ll be in your debt. You know what that means.”

“I won’t accept bribery, Sebastian.”

“Consider it a gift, then.”

Colin’s eyes still narrowed at the Night King with suspicion. If the shig answered to reason, he would have agreed—Mera was their best chance at defeating Azinor—but the councilor had a knack for missing the obvious. “I can’t make any promises.”

With that, he ended the call.

* * *

Silver wisps floatednear the ceiling, drenching Bast’s bedroom in a soft afterlight. Marbled walls and floor surrounded the vast space, contrasting with the purple sheets of his king-sized bed; a bed that felt too big for him. So did the entire room. His quarters in the palace had always felt wrong, like a shoe that didn’t quite fit.

Bast sat hunched on the mattress, looking out the arched windows that led to an outside balcony. The moon’s reflection graced the ocean, casting a silver triangle on the dark surface.

The sea was calm tonight, but it wouldn’t stay calm forever.

“We won’t go to the mainland, no matter what,” he assured without looking away from the landscape. “Agreed?”

Stepping closer, Mera sat next to him, wearing nothing but a thin, nearly see-through blue nightgown. Bast couldn’t help but lose his train of thought for a moment, his attention falling to her chest.

“Is that new?”

She nodded.

Clearing his throat, he turned to the view ahead, forcing himself to ignore the magnificent sight next to him. He had to, otherwise he wouldn’t think straight. “We’re not going to the mainland,” he insisted.

The tip of her nose nudged his cheek, and Bast forgot his own name for a second. “It’s not up to you, min hart.”

As her soulmate, it was partly up to him, and he didn’t care if she agreed or not. He knew he was being unreasonable, that Mera was her own woman, but he couldn’t let her go.

They still hadn’t heard from Colin, or Councilor Adams. It couldn’t be a good sign.

“If facing trial means an alliance with Atlantea, then I’ll gladly do it.” She gave him a soft peck on his lips. “Can we focus on more pleasant things? I missed you. And we’ve been worrying ourselves sick the entire day.”

He took her hand, his heart breaking. “Mera—”

“No, I’m not hearing it.”

There it was, that familiar resolution in her eyes, that unwillingness to bend he so loved.

His stubborn akritana…

She kissed him again, but this time, her tongue danced with his, stealing his breath. Bast’s fingers twirled around her russet hair, bringing her even closer.

She didn’t stop kissing him as she slid over his legs and straddled his lap. Giving him a wicked grin, she began unbuckling his belt. “Be with me,” she breathed against his lips.

“Evil siren,” Bast grumbled, his hands running atop every inch of her warm body. Already, his length hardened, pulsing for her. “I know what you’re doing, kitten.”

Distracting him… and saying goodbye.

“Then let me.” She pulled the belt from his waistband, throwing it aside.

“They won’t take you. I won’t allow it.” He nibbled at her lower lip. “Mera, you’re everything to me.”

“And you’re my life.” With a sweet smile, she unzipped his pants. “But you have to let me go.”

Brushing his thumb on her lips, he tried hard to focus. “Would you do the same if you were in my place?”

She didn’t answer. Instead, she freed his hard shaft from his pants, but she didn’t remove her clothes; didn’t give Bast time to remove his either. Lifting her hips slightly, she lowered onto him.

“Ah, Mera!” Bast clawed at her back as he felt her warm, wet flesh swallowing him.

Closing her eyes, she hissed through her teeth while lowering down to his lap. Bast feared he might be hurting her, but she was ready for him, that much was obvious. When she smiled, he realized she’d hissed in pleasure, not pain.

Kissing the curve of her neck, he wrapped his arms around her as she began rocking atop him.

She picked up the pace quickly, moving faster and faster, a certain desperation in the way she made love to him. An aching need to protect her from anything and anyone grew along the desire inside Bast.

“Kitten.” He kissed her collarbone, then pulled down her night gown, exposing one perfect, full breast. Licking and kissing her nipple as he kneaded her other tit, he lost his train of thought.

“Hmm,” she moaned, caressing the nape of his neck as she rode him; relentless, unstoppable.

When she increased the pace again, he nearly lost his damn mind. Danu, how he loved her. Bast would give her anything she wanted, anything and everything. Halle, he would give her the entire world, and burn it all down on her command. But he couldn’t lose her.

He would go mad if he did.

His tongue continued licking and kissing her breast while she rocked violently against him. Mera pulled his long hair, making him let go of her breast with a loud pop.

Bast stared at her, reveling in the delirium that consumed those green eyes he so loved. He bit her lower lip softly, his rushed breaths matching hers. “I love you, Mera,” he croaked, struggling to hold off his release.

She drowned him in a long kiss, then pressed her forehead against his, all while riding him without mercy.

“You’re my life, and my life is yours.” She winced, her gaze slightly dazed. “Ah, Bast, I’m…” She moaned loudly, the sound akin to a song; a perfect, incredible melody shealways sang before peaking.

Mera never broke eye contact with him as delirium consumed her completely. Her warm body shivered while she drenched his shaft with her release. Seeing her come so hard was too much, too soon, and it only fueled Bast’s own demise.

“Kura, min hart!” he growled before following her, filling her womb with the thick streams of his undoing.

Panting, he stared at Mera as he rode the wave of his bliss. Her warm flesh enclosed his, their heartbeats synchronized, and Bast knew then that he could never let her go. He would kill the entire council if he had to, and he wouldn’t give two shits about it, even if Mera hated him. Even if she stopped loving him.

At least she would be free.

“We have right now.” Cupping his cheeks, she kissed him softly. “That has to be enough.”

“No.” Bast swallowed, catching his breath. “I want forever, kitten.”