Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 96(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 64(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 96(@200wpm)___ 77(@250wpm)___ 64(@300wpm)
“Ansel,” she replied in a sweet, melodious voice. My heart pounded with pride; she knew me by name. “Please rise.”
I tried to stand, but my legs could not support my weight. My body was broken. “Forgive me Goddess, but I cannot.”
“You’re injured,” she surmised. “Gravely.”
“Is that not why you’re here?” It was arrogant of me to think that she had come to personally escort me into the afterlife.
She didn’t answer; instead, she placed a hand over the wound on my back. But her touch didn’t hurt; it was warm and comforting. The longer she touched me, the less pain I experienced. I looked down and my jaw dropped in shock when I saw my abdominal laceration closing. Within moments, I was completely healed.
I quickly rose to my feet, feeling better than ever before. “Thank you, Goddess.” The words were insufficient for the gift she had granted me. “But…” I did not know how to ask her intentions beyond, “Why?” Why had she spared me?
She smiled and she was almost too lovely to look at. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled and there was not a blemish on her fair face. “Ansel, I have watched you fight in my name many times over many years. You are my bravest and most loyal follower. You have sacrificed so much to honor me and protect my people. I have come to bestow gifts upon you.”
“Goddess, you owe me nothing,” I argued. “It is my privilege to fight for you.”
“Your humble spirit makes you worthy of my gifts.” I was dumbstruck by her reply; I was but a man who could wield a sword. There were surely men more worthy than I. But I dared not argue with her again; her eyes were kind but stern, and I knew it was time to hold my tongue.
“Your large stature makes you an easy target,” Thayla began. It was true; my broad, thick frame was a source of my strength, but it could be a hindrance on the battlefield. I had many scars as proof. “This will provide you with cover.”
She waved her hand, and a brown, hooded cloak appeared around my shoulders. Though the fabric was thick, it did not make me hot. It was lightweight and comfortable upon my skin.
“When the garment is closed, you will be undetectable by human eyes,” Thayla explained. I wrapped the cloth around my body and looked down, finding that I camouflaged perfectly with my surroundings.
“A soldier like you does not come along often,” she continued. “I need your exceptional skills and fortitude far longer than a human lifetime allows. So for my second gift, I am granting you an everlasting life. You shall not perish so that you may continue to fight for what is right. I will call upon you when you are needed.”
“Yes, Goddess,” I answered, bowing my head. I didn't mean to be ungrateful, but this gift didn’t excite me as the cloak had. I was honored to fight for her will, but the idea of immortality made me uneasy. I had no family or friends, and I watched my fellow soldiers die often. It would be a difficult road, but I would do what was asked of me.
Warmth spread across my face when Thayla touched my chin and lifted my head so that our eyes met. As if she heard my internal struggle, she spoke, “But what good is an immortal life if it is lived alone? For my final offering, I am granting you a mate to spend eternity with; someone to love and to cherish. He will be your perfect match, and he will need your protection and strength.”
My breath caught in my throat, but I managed to ask, “He?” in a strained voice. It was forbidden for a man to love another man, yet I couldn’t deny the secret trysts I’d had, just to experience the touch of a masculine hand. I couldn’t deny the longing that lived inside me, or the way my heart raced with hope.
Thayla’s grin spread. “Yes, Ansel; he. I know the desires of your heart. Do not worry about man’s laws or what they believe is right, for I know that all love is beautiful and pure. It is with my blessing that you will wed, and one day, many others will follow.”
“When will I meet him?” I asked desperately. “How will I know him?”
Thayla gave a gentle laugh. “I will appear to you again when it is time to meet with your fated one. Be patient and know that he is worth the wait. For now, we must part. Remain vigilant and use these gifts granted to you to retain peace and protect your king.” She reached out to touch my scruffy cheek once more, warming my skin, and in an instant, she was gone.
I ran a shaking hand through my long hair, trying to wrap my mind around everything that had just happened; both the great responsibilities I had gained, along with the great rewards. But did it really happen? Perhaps it was the delusion of a dying man. Perhaps it was a hallucination as I bled out from my wounds.