Alien god

“Right,” I said, nodding and trying to refocus. If I was that caught up in this trio of Shadowlands people, I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to stay standing among all the foreign gods. I clutched Wylf’s arm for support as we walked through fruit trees and flowers into the centre of the dome.

I was glad I was holding onto him. Otherwise, there was a very good chance I could have toppled over at what I saw.

Stone sky gods, dozens of them, filled the space. As Maerwy

Heads were begi

“Come, beloved,” Wylf said softly against my ear. “I want to make them all even more jealous of my beautiful mate.”

Before I could respond, he’d pulled me into the centre of the dome, into the crowd of whirling dancers.

“I don’t know how!” I stammered, panic rising at the thought of getting trampled among the much more skilled dancers.

“I do,” was all Wylf said. He grasped my hand in his, then looped a strong arm around my back, hitching me up until I stood atop his feet. I barely had a chance to grasp his shoulder with my other hand before he was off, spi

A smile split my face, and I started to laugh, overwhelmed by the giddy beauty of the moment. Of dancing with Wylfrael, the husband I never should have had, in a room that shouldn’t have been su

My eyes opened when I felt Wylfrael kissing me. He never missed a beat – his feet moving endlessly, carrying me through the dance, even while his mouth worked over mine. Sighing into the kiss, I opened to him, loving the way his hands tightened on me in response.

I could have stayed here in Wylfrael’s arms all night. I had a feeling Wylfrael could have, too. He seemed in no hurry to stop dancing or kissing to talk to the other gods, which was the whole reason we had come here in the first place. But I decided I didn’t care. I’d dance and kiss and feel the sun on my skin for as long as I could.

It wasn’t nearly long enough, it turned out. A strange, dark voice cut through the music and chatter, silk and shadow, stealing the warmth from my skin even though the sun still shone.

“Well, well, well, Wylfrael. You’ve found your bride, I see.”

Wylf immediately broke away from the kiss, his face tightening. He stopped dancing, too, and put me down at the edge of the dancing crowd in order to turn and greet whoever had just spoken to us.

As soon as I set eyes on him, I knew who he was.

Sceadulyr.

He had to be. Though he wasn’t any taller than Wylfrael, hovering in that seven-foot range, he exuded authority and control that no other god here could mimic. Though he did not say so, the lift of his chin, the knowing glint of his dark eyes, told me without words that we were entirely in his domain. I remembered what Wylfrael had told me, and held fast to his arm.

“Greetings, Sceadulyr,” Wylf said blandly. “Yes, I have married. This is my mate, Torrance.”

“Torrance,” Sceadulyr said, as if tasting the sound. I shivered and moved in closer to Wylfrael. “And where do you hail from, Torrance? Who are your people?”

I looked at Wylf for guidance, but he didn’t seem to be telling me to stay quiet with his expression. Maerwy

“I’m... I’m human.”

“Human! Ah, one of the new star travellers,” Sceadulyr replied. His words seemed cordial on the surface, but his tone didn’t truly feel that way. He gri

“Um, yes,” I confirmed, feeling flustered. For some reason, it u

“I have a gift for you, human.”

I looked down, frowning. In Sceadulyr’s hands was a fruit like the ones that hung from some of the trees in this dome. It was perfectly round and shiny, so deep red in colour it was almost black.

Every instinct told me not to take it. Stories of gardens and apples and underworlds and pomegranates spun through my head, whirling like the dancers, warning me.

But I didn’t want to do something wrong. I didn’t know the customs and didn’t want to offend the host and master here.

I let go of Wylfrael’s arm.

In an instant, the fruit was gone. Wylf was gone. Everyone was gone. Sceadulyr’s hands were on mine, viciously cold as he tugged me to him. He forced me into movement, leading me with restrained aggression through the steps of the dance I’d just done with Wylf. But where my husband had lifted me, supporting me, Sceadulyr pushed and pulled me until I was stumbling and dizzy.

“Tell me about your machines,” he hissed against my ear. “Tell me how you travel.”

“I... I don’t know. I’m not an engineer. I can’t give you any information about the ships.” I gasped. “Where’s Wylfrael?”

Panic made my heart pound. I twisted my head in Sceadulyr’s arms but couldn’t make anything out. Everything was shadow but him and me.

“Humans,” Sceadulyr said, venom dripping from his voice, spi

“Skalla?” I choked out, trying to keep up with Sceadulyr’s words while also doing everything in my power not to lose my footing, not to let him have total control of my body. “Skalla has a human mate?”