Read Fratricide, Werewolf Wars, and the Many Lies of Andrea Paddington Page 34

  Chapter Twenty: Spoilers

  “I’m boooored,” said Themis.

  “Quiet,” growled Leander. Could the girl not be silent for a few minutes?

  “But this is dumb,” agreed Clytemnestra. “We’re just sitting in the dark, waiting for them to attack us.”

  Leander suppressed a sigh. Centuries of soft living had left his sisters unable to hold in their heads any idea they didn’t want there or perform any action which didn’t instantly gratify them. Currently they didn’t want to be squatting in the castle’s bailey holding heavy rifles with long scopes and waiting for the werewolves or the Mainlanders to attack them.

  “Yeah. How does this help the prophecies?” asked Phaedra.

  “It doesn’t,” said Themis. “The demon needs to kill his brother, not us.”

  “This is divine justice,” said Leander. “For defying the Gods and denying the Browns their ascendance. Now he pays for his arrogance.”

  That silenced them.

  Not for long enough, however.

  “But the prophecy required the demon to kill the Browns,” said Phaedra. “Would that not make it obedience rather than defiance?”

  “He defied us! Archi! Father! And at the first opportunity to harm us since, Ianthe lies dead.” Leander cast his eye down the long row of iron beds. “Do not forget, either, that as we retrieved her body, he broke the truce and had his pack tear Erato to pieces. Are you so quick to forget two of our sisters?”

  “How can you even ask that?” said Niamh. She looked like she was about to cry.

  How long had father prepared for this night? And all might come undone because his daughters lacked focus.

  “Because you dishonour their memories with this prattle! The chief has destroyed our family. Even now his wolves seek to kill us all. We allow him no reprieve, no moment’s rest, because father says that such stresses will press the demon into fulfilling the will of the Gods. He will kill his brother to save his friends. By this cruel mechanism, the prophecies shall come to pass. First, however, sacrifice is required of us. We must wait, here, in the dark… even though it may not be ‘fun’.”

  Leander returned his eye to the rifle’s scope. Where were they? Did they not lust for revenge? Why did they cower rather than fight?

  “What if they don’t come?” asked Phaedra. “Do we let them be?”

  “The prophecy will be fulfilled regardless,” said Themis, who had studied the Books intimately. Only father knew them better than she did, for only he had read the Book of Idryo.

  “Then why are we doing this?” wailed Clytemnestra, like a bawling infant. “Why can’t we just go home?”

  “For the world to be renewed, the prophecy must be fulfilled,” said Themis. “The time has come that it can be: the Mother of Creation is almost ready. Would you leave the world as it is or do you, with father, rush to usher in something better?”

  “We sacrifice for many,” said Melanthios. A man of few words, Three-God bless him. Would that his sisters followed their little brother’s example.

  The girls muttered acceptance at the idea of being emissaries of the Gods and heralding a new era. “So why don’t we attack them?” asked Niamh. “Get it over with?”

  “By fighting here, we retain the advantage,” said Leander. “Father allowed the demon an hour to do the honourable thing. Fear not; by the dawn, the prophecy will be fulfilled.”