Infernal Ties by Holly Evans Read Free Book Online Page B

only friend, and I was grateful for a familiar face.  
    She pulled me tight against her small frame. I felt as though I was going to crush her, but I knew that she was far stronger than she looked. The moon goddess required much from her ladies, and Elise had never failed her. She held me at arm’s length and looked at me, worry lines formed around her eyes and her mouth tightened.  
    “Oh, Evie.”
    Her soft voice carried all of the meaning the two words lacked. I tried to give her a smile, to hold back the flood of emotion but it crashed against my defences. She cupped my cheek in her hand.  
    “When did you last see him?”
    I didn’t know if she could read minds, or if she just knew me that well, but I’d never been able to hide anything from her.  
    I sighed heavily. “I’m not entirely sure. Two nights… He was just putting down a rogue lycan.”
    Her face darkened at that; she had a tense relationship with the lycans. They were her goddess’ creation, but they had never truly knelt to her and accepted her guidance. They had clung onto foolish pride and turned from her, and that resulted in their partial banishment and lack of control. Only two lycans had even knelt before the goddess that I’d ever known. She led me through into her private quarters at the back of the church. Our footsteps echoed around us on the dark tile.  
    She practically pulled me down onto the small heather grey sofa, her hand remaining fixed to my lower arm. “Tell me everything you know.”
    Her voice remained quiet, soft, but there was the clear edge of a command there.  

CHAPTER TWELVE

    I told her everything I knew. She smiled at my brief description of the alchemist; I felt the warm rush spread over my cheeks. She squeezed my hand before she stood slowly.  
    “Everything is fine in the city. There are neither angels nor demons wandering the streets, although I will see if my lady will shine some light on things.”
    “Thank you, Elise.” My voice sounded small and strangled.  
    She nodded and whispered something to herself as she glided out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more. I knew better than to follow her. I had tried to once many years ago, when she was freshly anointed as a priestess. The fire in her eyes burnt through me; I had barely stepped foot over the threshold. Her voice had been icy as she sent me away. I caught a glimpse of what she’d become, and it scared me. She had come to me a little while after and explained in her quiet soothing tones that the room is sacred. I should have known better, but I was curious. She didn’t blame me, and somehow that was worse.  
    The room was small and comfortable. The grey sofa was large enough for two people to sit on comfortably, and the low table before us had a number of coasters with varying maps printed onto them. On the far side, a triptych of paintings from Prague’s famous landmarks sat on the off-white wall. They stood bare and exposed under the pale white light that hung beneath the brushed steel fixture. I had to smile when I caught sight of a romance novel on the narrow bookshelf that was tucked up in the far corner near the kitchenette.  
    Elise had confided in me that that was her only regret at becoming a priestess: she wouldn’t be able to choose her life-partner. The goddess would send one when they were both ready; she didn’t even know what gender they would be.  
    A crash came from outside. I leapt out of the chair and ran through the narrow passageway out to the back entrance. Elise was there before me, a pair of silver daggers in her hands and fire in her eyes. The dark wooden door shuddered before it burst open to reveal the creature I’d seen that morning near the castle. I drew my own blades and went to put myself in front of Elise, to protect her. Her mouth tightened and she gave me a dark look; the goddess had trained her in many arts.  
    The creature stood and stared at us, wide-eyed. Its dark hair clung to