Chapter 423: A Giant’s Shadow
The long walk to the Silver Keep castle was filled with the cheering cries of the crowds that lined the streets. Stryg had never seen so many goblins in one place before. He thought there were a lot of goblins in the city the first time he had arrived, but now that felt small. It reminded him of the crowds in Hollow Shade during the Festival of the Gods.
He marveled at the dozens of banners held high above the crowds, waving in the wind. Then he heard the voices cheering his mother’s name and all sense of marvel and wonderment were snuffed out. A painful pit formed in the bottom of his stomach. He stared at his mother’s back as she walked with her cloak over her head.
The throng of goblins couldn’t see her face, yet they knew her. They actually knew her. For over twenty years he thought he had known her too. How foolish of him to presume.
The crowds cheered her name, they called her by titles he had only heard of recently. The Blooded. The Favored of the Moon. Ebon Lady Aurelia.
Stryg froze at the final title. It wasn’t possible. Yet the lack of surprise on Tauri and Plum’s faces told him otherwise. In fact, their uncomfortable expressions and refusal to meet his gaze made it seem as if they were all too familiar with the title.
He suddenly remembered Tauri’s words last night when he had awoken from his coma. When he had asked how they had escaped Grimstone Mountain.
First Mother took care of it.
It suddenly all made sense. His magical talents, his friends’ refusal to elaborate on the events of Grimstone, and how First Mother had insisted they stay within the confines of the Celestial Shrine during their stay in the city. They had known. They had all known.
Stryg had never felt such a fool. The voices of the crowds faded away as he tried his best to hold himself together. He kept his head down and focused on taking one step at a time.