She stands defiantly. “I’m staying, my dear.”
“What?” Skar and I hiss in unison.
Jinneth tilts her chin. “Keffa will understand. This is too important a task, and I’d only slow you down.”
“Keffa willkill us,” I reply. When I see she won’t be persuaded, since she’s as stubborn as I am, my body deflates with a sigh. “How long do you think you’ll need?”
“A few days to run our tests,” Old Endolf answers for her. “Should not be long. Though one can never be certain where alchemy is involved.”
“Don’tleave this place,” I demand, jabbing a finger toward my mother.
To my side, Skar smirks, and I know it’s because I sound a lot like him when I scold my mother like this.He’s rubbed off on me in more ways than I can count.Arroganceis not the shining quality I hoped to steal from him.
I hate the idea of leaving her. I promised Keffa I’d bring her back without harm, but Palacia has put a twist in the operation. And Jinneth is right: She will slow us down. We’re in a rush against time and she is likely safer here than anywhere else. At least here, no one knows where she is. She can reminisce her fonder days with Old Endolf and try to complete the experiment they’re planning.
I turn toward the door, my hands falling to the hilts of my swords. “We’ll be back soon.” I take one step before a cleared throat and a gravelly voice stops me cold.
“Forgetting something?” Old Endolf says.
I blink over my shoulder, confused.
He holds an empty vial and wags it in the air. “Your blood. I’ll need a sample of it for my tests.”
Chapter 37
Sephania
Truehearts save me, I wish we had Vallan and Garroway with us.Just where in Damnation did they go, and why did they have to take the carriage?!
It’s dark and dreary on the Floorboards—the surface of Nuhav above the underground. A thin fog has swept in from the mountains beyond, which may be helpful.
I still have a bad feeling about this.
A normal walk through the southeast district of Nuhav to the northern gates leading up to Olhav takes around two hours. I fear it’ll take longer now, having to avoid the militia we call the Bronzes and whatever crazed citizens have taken to the streets.
The sky is stained dark purple, telling me we have hours left until sunlight. Barring any catastrophes, we should make it to Olhav before the sun rises and burns Skartovius to a crisp.
After carrying Palacia up the ladder to the ground level, he tries to hand her off to me. It’s not that I worry she’s heavy—even as dead weight, she’s not—butsomeonehas to stay alert with their weapons drawn while we travel.
“It should be me,” Skar debates. “I’m stronger and faster.”
“You’ll also kill anything that moves.”
“I don’t see the problem here.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re avampirewith marble-white skin in the pitch-black night. It’ll draw the torches of this witch hunt to us. Keep your hood down and keep Palacia close. I’ll make sure we stay out of trouble.”
His frown deepens. “I don’t like it.”
“What, are you saying I’m not good enough to protectyoufor a change?” My hands white-knuckle on the pommels of my longsword and shortsword.
“I said nothing of the sort, brat princess. I simply—”
“Your reticence has been duly noted. Thank you, Lord Ashfen. Now get your stronger, faster ass behind me and let’s go.”
With that out of the way, and a seed of satisfaction growing inside me for putting Skar in his place, we take off down the road.
After rounding a few corners hesitantly, noticing many houses and windows shuttered, I feel like I haven’t been entirely fair. “I want this to be bloodless, Skar. I don’t want to kill my kind. Slavers are fine. Rebels are not.”
