I stare down at her, sitting on the stone floor mutely. Her once shining pale blonde locks are greasy and dark with dirtiness. Her red cloak is covered in stains and dirt, cast aside in the corner where she sleeps. She looks up at me, fire in her eyes despite her silence. I pause in front of her cell, anger roiling in my gut.
This woman may as well have taken Verity herself.
“Who are you?” I demand, gripping the torch tighter. Her blue eyes slip away from me and her mouth remains clamped tightly shut. I curl my lip at her. “Your dark god and so-called sister abandoned you here, and yet you still protect them. Pathetic.”
“They can die in the ether,” she spits, eyes blazing. “But I will never betray the Bloodbane.”
“Then you’ll die here,” I say blandly. “Alone, starving, begging for death. What a pity.”
I turn on my heel, stalking away from her. I hear her cackling behind me, as if my words have only fueled her spirit. Scowling, I drop the torch into the wall sconce before I return to the main levels of the castle. Nothing the Bloodbane has ever said has been useful. I had hoped she would realize that they left her behind because Sadal and Maaz are cruel and heartless rulers. But the Bloodbane seems intent on serving them until her death.
I pinch my lips together. Her death with come sooner than she thinks. The Fae and the Bloodbane aren’t immune to starvation, disease, or blades. I shove through the door leading from the dungeon into the castle. The guards start and then rush back down the dungeons to return to their posts.
The castle is quiet these days, almost as quiet as it was during the curse. Now, it’s quiet because they know war is on the horizon. They know the Bloodbane move against us with the force of an ancient god at their backs. I loose a sigh, dragging a hand over my bearded cheeks. I never imagined Alnembra would see a war during my reign, let alone a war as important as this one. If we lose here, there will be nothing and no one to stop Sadal from taking the rest of the continent.
I ease open the door to my council room to plan out my strategy and the position of my forces. “Altair,” Thal says softly.
I glance up from the floor, shoulders slumped with fatigue. Thal is standing beside the table, a finger on the map. His eyes are wide, furrowed with concern. Beside him, Moritz is bundled in a heavy cloak. He studies me over the folds of the cowl, his eyes gleaming.
“Altair,” Haru says. I turn to her. She strides towards me from the window, dressed in a cobalt blue gown. A thin sword is strapped to her waist. She wraps me in a warm hug, and I breathe in the scent of the sea.
“Haru,” I say. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s been many years.” She smiles, pulling back.
When she releases me, Thal is there, clasping my hand. He studies me. “You look like shit.”
I cock a brow. “I’ve been a bit busy.”
Thal drops his head. “I’m sorry about Verity.”
I stiffen and tug my hand back to my side. When her name is spoken by another, I feel a wave of sorrow and fury. I want her back, I think. I want her back more than anything in the world. Without acknowledging Thal’s sympathy, I sidle past him to greet Moritz.
“Moritz.” I take his hand and shake it stiffly. “Good of you to come.”
“What do we know?” Moritz asks, his eyes flashing with intelligence.
“Haru, Thal, Moritz,” I sigh, waving at the leather seats surrounding the table. “Take a seat.”
Haru’s skirts rustle as she settles into her chair, Thal beside her. Moritz eyes the chair at the head of the table, my chair, before selecting the one beside it. I stare wryly at him before turning back to the maps. I lean over the maps, staring into my companion’s eyes.
“This is what we know.”
Chapter 3
Verity
I cringe as I hurry through the muddy paths between the tents towards my own. Bloodbane creep past me, glowering at me and turning their cloaked backs to me. I ignore them, they don’t bother me beyond the occasional shove. It’s the demons that pose the real threat.
I spot the shining scales of one of the creatures in the distance and take a sharp turn. It’s best to avoid them when I can, even if it takes longer to get through the Bloodbane war camp. I saw one last night, through the tent walls, sniffing at the door. I shiver, remembering the fear I felt before it slipped away into the darkness to find other prey. I can only assume that somehow, Sadal has marked me to protect me from the demons’ hunting. But that doesn’t stop them from stalking me from time to time.
Glancing over my shoulder for any sign of one of the creature’s following me, I stumble slightly. Mud splashes over my dress, drenching my shoes. “Shit,” I mutter, swiping at it.
I feel a hot breath of wind caress my head. I freeze, fear lancing through me. Slowly, ever so slowly, I look up. A demon towers over me, panting. Saliva gleams on his yellow teeth, dripping down over crusted lips. I stare at the teeth, unable to drag my eyes away. From the corner of my eye, I can see its unnaturally long arms rising, as if to snatch me. My body tenses, and my veins are as cold as ice.
Frozen, I stare as the creature considers taking me. I feel a wave of sorrow as I realize that these are the creatures the Fae soldiers will face head on. These are the beasts Altair will face. Four heads taller than me, I know these demons will tower over the Fae. They stand almost no chance.
A whimper slips from my lips and suddenly
