Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 123190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Frowning, I look back and forth between Kendrick’s friends. “Why do you all care about someone killing fae? And what do you know about it?”
“Not enough,” Natan says, turning his horse around. He leads this time, and Kendrick and I follow with Remme and Skylar at our back.
“It’s all connected,” Kendrick says when we’re moving again. “Whether we want to care or not, ties were made between this realm and our own ages ago. Our priority is Elora, but trying to correct the problems there without digging into what’s happening here is like trying to tend to a sick child while continuing to give him rotten food.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that,” I say.
His arm tightens around my waist again, in a brief squeeze that feels equal parts comforting and protective. “That’s because they don’t want you to.”
“My sister isn’t behind these deaths,” I say, my eyes straight ahead but looking at nothing. “If she was killing traitors, she would own up to it.”
“I didn’t think she was,” Kendrick says, nudging our horse to pick up speed.
But why would that male even suspect my sister? “Stop.” I don’t realize I’m speaking until the word’s out of my mouth. A command even Natan hears. His eyes are wide as he looks toward us over his shoulder.
“We should get going,” Kendrick says in my ear, his words only for me. “The last thing we need is palace guards looking too closely at you.”
My sister has hundreds in her guard. None of those stationed inside the palace or assigned to my personal protection would ever be sent here. “Please?”
I twist in the saddle to get a look behind us just as a sentinel steps to the side to speak to another member of his team. My eyes land on the bodies beyond him and my stomach plummets. I recognize those clothes—the brown pants and olive vests, and the crescent moon tattoos. The insurgents from the captain’s house.
I shake my head. “No.” I took care of the proprietor and went back to the inn with Kendrick. I only killed the one, then I slept the rest of the night. Only the one.
And then dreamed of violence all night.
A guard notices us lingering, narrows his eyes, and steps forward. “Is there a problem?”
“Is it contagious?” Skylar asks, her tone so convincing I’m not sure if she’s sincerely worried or just covering for me. “We ate dinner next to them last night.”
I close my eyes and count my breaths the way one of my tutors at the Midnight Palace taught me. Their voices fade into the background as I breathe in for seven, hold for seven, exhale for seven. Breathe in for seven, hold for seven . . .
I don’t open my eyes when we start riding or register the conversation around me when I hear my travel companions discussing the route for the day. I just breathe with my eyes closed and clear my mind of everything else.
When I’m calm enough to look around again, we’re riding right into the morning sun and Kendrick’s arm is tight around my waist.
He loosens his grip at my deep breath. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Sorry.” All those fae are dead. All those fae are dead, and there’s no sign of blood or brutality. Just death. Just like when the Enchanting Lady visits. And I don’t remember touching any of them.
“I’ll admit,” Kendrick says, “it spooked me too—seeing death on their faces now when I was with them so few hours ago—but I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”
I shake my head and try to focus on my surroundings—the low mountains in the distance, the trees on either side of this gravel road, the smell of crisp autumn leaves—pushing my mind to latch on to anything but the pale faces of those dead fae rebels.
“What do we know about this so-called plague?” I ask after we’ve ridden in silence for a long while.
“Not a lot,” Kendrick says. “Enough to be cautious.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and see that little girl clutching her uncle’s leg. I want my daddy.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Slayer. The Mother has bigger plans for both of us.”
I press my hand to my chest and feel the lump of the ring beneath my fingertips. “I’m not worried about that.”
“Then what is it?”
“The ones we saw today were insurgents. Do we know if the others affected were too?”
“It’s impossible to know. Unlike the idiots we encountered last night, most of Mordeus’s loyal followers don’t advertise their allegiance to a dead king.”
I glance over my shoulder and meet Kendrick’s eyes. “Dead? You don’t believe the rumors, then?”
He grimaces. “I don’t think it’s impossible, just improbable. It’s more likely that someone has something to gain from making Mordeus’s followers believe he’s been resurrected, and they started the rumor and are using it to their advantage.”