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)
“And the Ascended don’t often send people out here,” Delano added. “That may change once they realize you’re missing, but only the gods know the last time anyone sent by them came this far or went beyond.”
Something about his voice caused me to look at him. In the fading light, I could see the hard, unyielding lines of his face. “Why is that?”
“You’ll see,” Casteel answered.
And that was all he said—all anyone said as night descended, and the moon rose, casting silvery light over the hills the forest had given way to.
With my mind occupied with everything that had happened and what I’d learned before the first arrow had shot across the road, I didn’t think it was at all possible that I would find myself dozing. But that was exactly what happened as I felt myself easing into the space between Casteel’s arms. At some point, I ended up leaning back against him, and when I realized that, I jerked upright.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, muscles weary as I forced myself to sit straight. I saw that we were spaced out again, Delano and Naill several feet ahead with Kieran keeping pace beside us.
“For what?”
“You were shot.” I smothered a yawn. “At least three times.”
“I’m already healed. You’re fine.” When I didn’t move, he used his arm around my waist to tug me back.
The gods help me, but I didn’t resist.
“Relax,” he whispered atop of my head. “We should reach Spessa’s End soon.”
I stared up at the twinkling stars, wondering how there could be so many. I didn’t know why I asked what I did. “Does it bother you?”
“What, Princess?”
“Having to be so close to someone who represents the Ascended,” I asked. “After they took so much from you.”
A moment passed. “I would do anything for my brother.”
Yes, I truly realized that he would.
“And you’re part Atlantian,” he tacked on. “That helps.”
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but then Kieran spoke about the increasing clouds. The subject changed, I drifted and drifted…
We camped in the meadows we came upon, and in the morning, the first thing I realized was that we didn’t need our cloaks once the sun rose. I knew that meant we had to be getting close. The day was a blur of open fields and unending blue skies, and when the sun fell, we didn’t stop. We continued on.
Then the horses slowed. The first thing I saw was an endless pool of the deepest onyx. It was like the sky had kissed the ground.
“Stygian Bay,” I whispered,
“The rumored gateway to the Temples of Eternity, Rhain’s land,” Casteel answered.
“Are they true? The rumors?”
“Would you believe me if I said yes, Princess?” He tugged me back so I leaned into him once more. “You’re warm,” he offered in way of explanation.
“Thought Atlantians didn’t get cold.”
“Don’t point out my inconsistencies.”
Maybe it was because I was tired. Perhaps it was the stillness and the beauty of the Bay. I didn’t know what it was, but I laughed. “It’s not even that cold now.”
He made a sound, a soft rumble that I felt more than heard. “You don’t do that enough. You never have.”
I felt a twist in my chest, one I forced myself to breathe through. “Is the Bay the actual gateway to the real Temples of Rhain?” I asked instead.
His breath was warm against my cheek as he said, “Stygian Bay is where Rhain sleeps, deep below. It borders Pompay, and its southern coast reaches Spessa’s End.”
A jolt of surprise widened my eyes. The god really slept there?
“Are we in Spessa’s End?”
“No,” Kieran answered. “We’re about a day’s ride from there. We’ve reached Pompay.”
Pompay—the last Atlantian stronghold.
What I saw taking shape out of the darkness of night stole whatever I was about to say.
First, it was the Rise or what was left of the crumbling walls. Only sections by the entry stood, where no gate existed, stretching dizzying heights into the sky. The rest couldn’t be more than five feet, and most of that was the piles of broken stone.
We rode into a town that no longer existed. Burnt-out homes lined the road, most missing entire walls or were destroyed down to their foundations. No people were about, no candlelight from any windows of the homes that at least had four walls and a roof. Only the sound of the horses’ hooves clattering off the cobblestones could be heard as we traveled farther, past larger buildings with toppled pillars—structures I imagined once held meetings or offered entertainment. Trees were nothing more than skeletons, dead and decaying, and there was no sign of life anywhere. Whatever had happened here hadn’t occurred during the war. The land would have reclaimed the buildings and streets by now if that were the case.
“What happened here?” I winced at the sound of my voice. It felt wrong to speak, to shatter the silence of what appeared to be a graveyard of a town.