How long had it been since we left here? From what Rune told me about the time differences, I couldn’t figure a ballpark roundup because of everything that had happened. It was a miracle I even remembered my birthday when we went back to my realm.
When the cabin was nothing but a shadow and my neck cramped, I faced forward.
“We aren’t far from the city,” Rune said, breaking the silence.
There was a city here?
All the realms I’d been to were all wooded or small villages and towns. I didn’t think any of these realms would have a city. It made me wonder if the city looked like cities from my realm. With skyscrapers, paved roads, and houses that weren’t huts or cabins. Were there cars too?
“Nothing too extreme like your realm, but some people here have more modern essentials from your realm than the other realms you’ve been to,” Rune answered.
Oh sweet Jesus, I hope that meant toilets and running water for baths or showers.
“What types of modern luxuries are we talking about?” Please let it be toilets. I didn’t want to deal with squatting away from others to do my business.
Rune’s lips twitched as he fought back a smile, but lost the battle and grinned with a chuckle.
“Some still want to live in the past with simple things. Others I helped update their homes with running water, heat, air, electricity, and anything else I could make happen. The city had always been beautiful and after your past life’s death, I didn’t change much other than what I updated in their homes. But you will see for yourself again the beauty of this city. It was our home and a place we stayed in when we weren’t traveling. You were quite fond of it here.”
My face flushed, and tears pricked my eyes. I smiled softly at Rune because again he told me something about my last life and didn’t worry about my mind.
He shot me a beautiful smile with his eyes softening toward me.
“It’s better looking than your realm, that’s for damn sure,” Slátra commented, breaking the moment.
Hegnan made a sound in the back of his throat, agreeing with the blond.
“Mortals from Plapidell take things for granted and ruin their environment with their greed and lack of giving a shit. It’s gone downhill since we were last there,” Hegnan commented.
My cheeks warmed, and my stomach dipped, embarrassed that I was grouped in with the mortals. I would give them that though, people back home weren’t so kind to the environment. But now I was doubly curious about the city and why they were saying it was beautiful.
Was it all in gold and diamonds or something?
I wasn’t even sure why that had been my first thought of something beautiful.
Since I was a child, I had always associated beautiful things with lavish royalty accessories and aesthetics.
In my previous life I had been a goddess, so wouldn’t that make me royalty of some sort?
I shook that thought out of my head. I couldn’t have been royalty because there were other gods and goddesses. They would all be royalty then, and I never heard Rune talk about that. He never claimed he was a king of gods or a prince of something. I knew from my limited knowledge about mythologies there was a head of gods—like Zeus or Odin.
Mom and Dad always said God was above all and his Kingdom was Heaven.
Hluti’s words played through my head.
He said God was created, and my realm fell under his jurisdiction. So, was God taking all the credit where it wasn’t due, wanting to be royalty and head of all gods and goddesses?
A low rumbling growl vibrated through the link and then out loud for others to hear. I side-eyed Rune as he scowled because of my thoughts. I cleared them all away, feeling like an idiot.
“Of course he would take the credit. But he is not the head of us. At all,” he growled.
I parted my mouth and bunched my eyebrows together.
Everything I had grown up learning from my parents and the few years I had gone to church as a child wasn’t true? Everyone in my realm was under false impressions abouteverythingthen, about life and death and everything in between.
“Then who is?”
“The Creator is the one who created everything, even God. So the Creator is the head of us all.” Before I could ask another question, he said, “We’re here.”
