Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 105164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
As they were falling into line, Caelan caught Rayne’s eye and tilted his head toward the soldiers. Rayne flashed him the tiniest smile and a nod. It was a safe guess that Rayne had noticed the same disgruntled atmosphere. If Emperor Naram Suen wasn’t careful, he was going to have a revolt on his hands.
But those thoughts were shoved aside as they reached Green Spring.
The sun was sending golden shafts of light through the trees as the forest pushed back to reveal a massive stone city spread out before them. It was…enormous. Far larger than anything Caelan would have imagined existing within the Ordas. Everywhere he looked, buildings rose up made of intricately carved stone. Most were domed or rounded rather than being square, and each was topped with multiple statues that were animals or a strange mix of human and animal.
It was awe inspiring. They were stepping into an ancient city lost to all of Thia for hundreds of years. The forest crept close around all the edges, and much of the stones were moss covered or wrapped with creeping vines, as if nature were desperate to reclaim this city as its own territory. Part of him wanted to explore every inch of this place, to understand the people who had lived here at one time.
But that desire shriveled up and perished in his chest when his eyes settled on the creatures moving about the stone city.
They weren’t human. Not entirely. Not any longer.
New Rosanthe soldiers stopped at a crumbling stone wall filled with peaked arches and even more statues. None of them walked along the remains of the stone roads or wandered among the buildings.
No, those creatures walked either hunched over or on all fours. Their bodies were mostly covered in fur, and long talons protruded from their fingers and toes. Not one of them wore clothing of any kind. Their frames were humanlike, but their mannerisms and gait were all animal.
This was the influence of Zyros.
She saw humans as weak and imperfect, so she took those humans who were left in Green Spring after the wars, and even those Lore had sent from Ilon, and remade them into what she saw as the perfect predators, the perfect hunters. This was what she planned to do with all of Thia if she managed to destroy the other gods.
For now, Tula, Kaes, Nyx, and Caris kept her at bay, trapped in her own domain of the Ordas. Had Lore done the same? Instead of allowing her to run freely through his own kingdom, had he fed her a steady stream of victims to keep her occupied?
As they neared the entrance to the city, the column was brought to a halt. There was a clearing to the right of the city filled with dark canvas tents, each emblazoned with the New Rosanthe symbol of the gold eagle. There were stacks of crates and weapons everywhere in the base. The Empire was prepared for this war.
Zyros allowed her allies to remain close, but not within her city. It was probably for their own safety.
The commander of the forest patrol marched through the ranks and stopped in front of Caelan. “You. She wants to see you,” he barked out. He looked past Caelan to his companions for only a second, his upper lip curling. “The others will be held in camp.”
“Absolutely not!” Rayne snapped and Caelan almost laughed. That man could affect an indignant royal tone better than he could. If they survived this, Caelan was going to demand Rayne give him lessons. “We are not going anywhere without His Majesty!”
There was an echo of metallic sounds, and guns were grabbed and aimed at them all at once. They did not need this now. Every one of those soldiers was on edge, exhausted, and terrified. If someone sneezed right now, they were going to end up with extra holes.
Turning toward Rayne, Caelan lifted his rope-bound hands and laid them on his advisor’s chest. “It’s fine.”
“It is not! We are not to be separated.”
“Rayne,” Caelan said with more force. “She wants to talk, and I need you to watch out for each other. Stay safe in the camp.”
Rayne glared at him for an extra second before managing the stiffest nod of his life. He was not pleased, and one look at Eno and Drayce revealed they were feeling the same. Caelan got it. He didn’t want his family out of his sight while they were deep in enemy territory either.
“Stay safe,” he repeated. “I’ll be back for you.”
Hands gripped his shoulders and he was pulled away from his friends. Caelan didn’t dare let his eyes dart over to Drayce, or his heart would splinter. This was not the last time he would see them. This was not the end.
“You owe me a wedding, Caelan Talos!” Drayce’s voice cut over the sounds of the nearby camp and the animals of the forest. “A big fucking wedding!”