Total pages in book: 201
Estimated words: 191006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 955(@200wpm)___ 764(@250wpm)___ 637(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 191006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 955(@200wpm)___ 764(@250wpm)___ 637(@300wpm)
Elijah brings my hand to his lips again. “We are home, my queen.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
GRACEN
I admire the Hudem moon’s silver glow from my balcony as my three children sleep soundly inside. It bathes the city of Ulysede below—gleaming off the river, kissing the pastures beyond, highlighting the countless empty buildings that wait for inhabitants.
I’ve always thought this moon was beautiful, even if what it represented—more Islorian immortals to enslave us and claim our veins—was not.
But now, according to all the whispers I’ve heard since we arrived in this strange city, our veins will no longer be needed. Definitely not in this magical place, and supposedly not in Islor either. How, or why, no one is saying.
I look down at the emblem on my hand. It’s the same as always. Sabrina’s, though? It stopped glowing the moment we arrived. I have so many questions and no one to answer them.
Did Atticus know about Ulysede? About this place where there is no blood curse, no risk of poison? Did he know this as he was executing all those mortals?
I’m not sure what to think of this new life we’ve found ourselves in so suddenly. When Eden showed us to this grand room high up within the castle, I balked, insisting she’d been given the wrong directions, that there must be a servants’ quarter for us. She smiled and then left us here and told us she’d check on us after she had all of Cirilea’s children settled.
Since then, we’ve been permitted to walk freely about this picturesque castle, no guards to bark at us, no lords and ladies to send us scurrying. And yet no answers to the many questions Corrin and Dagny and I have. I have not even seen Her Highness since she transported us here and vanished into that stone. I heard whispers that she lost someone dear to her in Cirilea, a caster she could not save. I imagine she is mourning her loss in private.
I wish I could talk to her, though. I wish I could ask her about all the things Atticus has told me, so I can truly understand what is truth, and what is fear and anger.
Atticus …
My chest tightens with thoughts of him. What will he say when he returns to Cirilea and finds us gone? Will he be furious? Surely, he will feel betrayed by me. He will think I had been plotting with Romeria against him all along when that is as far from the truth as possible.
I hope I have the chance to explain, but I doubt it will matter.
I mourn the loss of his touch, staring listlessly at Hudem’s moon when it seems to swell, its silver glow intensifying until I have to squint against it. I’ve never seen it do this before, but I’ve also never been in a secret city within a mountain.
A cracking sound cuts into the silent night. It’s followed by countless more. The noise is coming from everywhere—above and below. With trepidation, I venture to the edge of the balcony to get a closer look.
The stone statues … they’re all breaking apart, revealing curled forms within.
My jaw drops as they unfurl, their expansive wings stretching out around them.
With a chorus of unearthly shrieks that paralyzes me, the beings launch into the sky.
Pronunciations
Romeria—row-mair-ee-a
Romy—row-me
Sofie—so-fee
Elijah—uh-lie-jah
Zander—zan-der
Wendeline—wen-de-line
Annika—an-i-ka
Corrin—kor-in
Elisaf—el-i-saf
Boaz—bow-az
Dagny—dag-knee
Bexley—bex-lee
Saoirse—sur-sha
Kaders—kay-ders
Malachi—ma-la-kai
Aoife—ee-fuh
Aminadav—Ami-na-dav
Vin’nyla—vin-ny-la
Ratheus—ra-tay-us
Islor—I-lor
Ybaris—yi-bar-is
Ybarisan—yi-bar-is-an
Cirilea—sir-il-ee-a
Seacadore—see-ka-dor
Skatrana—ska-tran-a
Kier—key-er
Mordain—mor-day-n
Azo’dem—az-oo-dem
Za’hala—za-ha-la
Caster—kas-ter
daaknar—day-knar
caco claws—kay-ko claws
Zorya—zor-eye-a
Jarek—yar-ek
Bodil—bow-dil
Horik—hor-ik
Sapling—sap-ling
Danthrin—dan-thrin
Ambrose Villier—Am-brose Vil-lier
Eden—ee-dun
Drakon—dray-kon
Brawley—bra-lee
Mika—mee-kuh
Iago—ee-aa-gow
Brynn—brin
Theon Rengard—thee-on ren-gard
Sheyda—shay-da
Ocher—ow-kr
Ianca—I-an-kuh
Ulysede—You-li-seed
Tyree—ty-ree
Oswald—oz-wald
Orme—aw-r-m
Fearghal—fer-gull
Golbikc—goal-bik
Isembert—I-sem-bert
Bregen—bre-gun
Eros—eh-rows
Fiach—fee-ock
Darach—dar-ack
Barra—bar-ah
Taillok—tie-lock
Sylx—silks
Bragvam—brag-vam
Gaellar—gay-lar
Baedriya—bae-dree-ya
Cahill—kay-hill