Blood Moon Born

Chapter Five

In her rooms, Loae took a quick bath, scrubbing the blood and dirt out off her skin and out of her hair. The dress she'd worn was utterly destroyed, good for nothing more than added fuel to her bedroom's hearth. She used another rune to heal the vampire bite at her throat and a couple of other scratches and cuts on her body. Once the healing magic was at work Loae changed into more comfortable clothes, knotted her hair up, and headed to the library.

To her surprise, Kanai wasn't alone.

"Really?" Roan asked, hopping onto the table to sit looking down at Kanai. They were near the forefront of the library, away from the dozens of floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with books. There wasn't anyone else in the library tonight. A glowing chandelier hung above the two of them, causing their shadows to stretch and flicker in the light.

"Can you imagine a world where there are twenty-two gods equal in power?" Kanai asked. "Impossible."

"Not impossible. We live in a world where there are dozens of different rulers at one time. And we're just a handful of countries. Imagine not having enough gods to manage the entire universe," Roan insisted.

Kanai shook out his sleeves. "Look. There are innumerable factors that make our governance systems work the way they do. We don't have the same rulers reigning for hundreds of years. If that were to happen, don't you think there'd be even more unrest and grappling for rule?"

"Sure, maybe, but the gods don't reign over a group of people. They reign over...well, realms and ideas."

"Ideas? If you're a god who reigns over an idea, I think you're inherently less-powerful than a god who reigns over a realm."

"So, an avid collector and lover of art like yourself think the goddess of culture has less influence than the god of..."

"Time," Kanai offered.

"Sure, the god of time," Roan said.

"Of course! I'm not saying she isn't influential, I'm just saying she's not more powerful than the god of time."

"Depends on how you quantify god-power," Roan started.

Loae entered, feeling the conversation was about to dive into depths she wouldn't be able to drag them out of. "Enjoying yourselves, gentlemen?" she asked.

Roan threw his arms open. "Just trying to enlighten your old, sacrilegious friend."

"Oh I wouldn't consider your sister and I friends," Kanai said, turning to face her with a smirk. "More like...unfortunate acquaintances."

"Cute." Loae nodded to Roan. "I'm going to escort my unfortunate acquaintance to the road so he doesn't get eaten alive by drunken hunters. Unless the two of you have more boring philosophies to discuss?"

"Not tonight," Roan said, hopping down from the table. "I promised Kojo I'd stay up to taste-test his latest round of pastries." He clapped Kanai on the back. "Next time you want to chat about the rulers of the universe, let's do so over a glass of wine, so I don't have to listen to your nonsense sober."

"I look forward to it," Kanai grinned.

"Kojo and I are going into Main Eoibrun tomorrow if you want to tag along," Roan offered to Loae. "Alba wants some updates on where we are with the dead girl. Seems his son has taken a particular interest in her case."

"Sounds fine with me," Loae agreed.

Roan brushed past her with a nod and a quick kiss on her cheek. She watched him as he left, surprised. Her fingers impulsively touched her cheek. Jessa seemed to think her siblings would hold back their displays of affection, but both Askan and Roan did the opposite. It put her in a strange position. She wasn't sure how to reciprocate.