Total pages in book: 241
Estimated words: 229266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1146(@200wpm)___ 917(@250wpm)___ 764(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 229266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1146(@200wpm)___ 917(@250wpm)___ 764(@300wpm)
“Delano?” Casteel leaned forward. “Can you shift?”
The wolven turned back to Casteel and shuddered again. As the fur thinned, Kieran whipped off his shirt, draping it over Delano’s midsection just as his legs lengthened, claws retracted, and pale skin replaced fur. A moment later, Delano was in his mortal form.
I rocked back. Watching a wolven change forms would never cease to amaze me.
Delano lifted his right arm as he sat up, wiping the blood off to reveal no wound. Just a pinker, ragged patch of skin. He lowered his arm, eyes meeting mine.
“Delano,” Casteel said. “What in the hell happened?”
Tearing his gaze from me, he turned to Casteel, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. “They’re coming. The Ascended.”
Chapter 35
“They’re burning everything,” Delano said between mouthfuls of roasted meat and gulps of water as we sat in a room inside the fortress, off from the dining hall. “All of what was left of Pompay. All of the woods from Pompay to—to Gods, possibly all the way to New Haven. The Dead Bones Clan?” His bare shoulders tensed as he reached for the water. “I don’t see how they could’ve gotten out of there. They have to all be gone.”
My empty stomach churned with nausea. I was no fan of their people-eating and skin-wearing habits, but that didn’t mean I wished they’d all be murdered. Especially after learning that they’d survived the war and the Ascended by hiding out in those woods.
“As soon as we saw Pompay, we knew it wasn’t normal. There weren’t that many there. Maybe two dozen guards. But to create that kind of fire? To the point that the air is nearly black with smoke? We knew there had to be more.” His knuckles bleached white from how tightly he held his glass.
We.
But only he’d returned, and I knew what that meant.
I looked to where Casteel stood on the other side of the table.
His expression was utterly devoid of emotion, but I could feel the vast, icy rage inside him. “Did you see more?”
“We skirted past them, traveling farther west. That’s where we saw them—saw the rest. We got close—as close as we could. To see how many there were.” He downed half the glass of water. “They have camps, Cas. Horses. Wagons pulling supplies.”
Alastir, who’d been standing since we entered the room, sat in a chair, his face pale as Delano lifted his fingers, one by one, from the glass. “There have to be hundreds of them, close to eight hundred or so, I’d guess. A godsdamn army.”
I sat back. From the moment I’d realized that the sky wasn’t actually burning, I had already suspected that the Ascended were behind the fire. My hours on the Rise were spent preparing myself for what I already knew. The knowledge that the Ascended were coming wasn’t what shook me. It was the sheer numbers of them.
“Hell,” Jasper muttered.
“One of them saw us as we left their camp. Arrows. That’s what got me. Got Dante.”
“Was he killed?” Casteel asked.
Delano nodded as he stared at the plate. “Got him in the head.”
Alastir swore, rising once more. “Dante didn’t know when to shut up.” He turned, clasping the back of his chair. “But he was a good man. Honorable.”
“I know.” A muscle flexed in Casteel’s jaw.
“I couldn’t stop to heal,” Delano said. “The moment the arrow hit me, and I saw that Dante was dead, I ran. I would’ve gotten here sooner but I was weakening.”
“It’s okay. You got here.” Casteel unfolded his arms and placed a hand on the wolven’s shoulder. “That is what matters.”
Delano nodded, but I knew he didn’t believe that. I could feel it. The anger—directed at the Ascended and at himself.
“You ran how many miles?” I asked. “With a wound that most likely punctured a lung. You did more than most could ever think to do.”
Delano’s eyes met mine. “And you healed me with the touch of your fingers.”
“And that was nowhere near as difficult or as impressive as what you did.”
The centers of Delano’s cheeks pinkened as Casteel added, “She speaks the truth. And you’re the first person to ever impress her. I’m jealous.”
I rolled my eyes.
Casteel squeezed Delano’s shoulder once more and then asked, “Did you see any sign of Elijah? Or anyone from New Haven?”
With a shake of Delano’s head, a heavy, somber pall settled over the room.
“There are other ways they could’ve traveled—routes that would take significantly longer. But that doesn’t mean Elijah and the people didn’t get out of New Haven,” Kieran said, speaking for the first time. “They could’ve headed north and then come down through the foothills of the Skotos to avoid the Ascended.”
“I know.” Casteel crossed his arms. “Did you see any Ascended? Any knights?”
“No, but there were windowless carriages and wagons with high walls, completely sheltered. It’s possible some are with them.”