AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay, okay, okay.” I bounced on the balls of my toes, liking the plan more and more. “This makes sense. It’s not ideal to get there at the same time as they do, but it’d be infinitely worse to get there two weeksafter. And I know Lumenfell better than anyone in Lyrica. I know I can get to Alisdair first and warn him. Save him.”
I halted mid-turn. “But wait— What about you, guys? Mama, how long can you give magic to the protection runes? At some point you have to sleep. And Meli,” I cried. “The curse has already taken you. I can’t leave you to face the change alone. And—”
“Calli, stop.” Mama rose up and grasped my shoulders. “My love, hear me and hear me well, you’re officially relieved of the position of borrowed mother. I will take care of everything,” she said gently, kissing my forehead. “So you go. Go and save your one true love and mate. You both have waited long enough.”
“I...” My eyes filled. “I will. Thank you, Mama. I love you. All of you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“We love you too, now go.”
I didn’t waste another minute.
Racing upstairs, I rescued all the weapons Alisdair gave me on the way out, slung the bow and quiver on my back, and then I ran back downstairs to the kitchen to get some more. Only when I positively clinked and jingle did I kiss Savia and the twins goodbye, then head out the door.
The streets were no better than they were before, but I kept low and out of the way of the chaos, racing to the square with one thought in mind—saving Alisdair.
I’m coming, my love. You’ve waited hundreds of years for someone to finally see the truth. Just wait a little longer.
The newly born faeriken ignored me. They were all too busy fucking, fighting, or unleashing pent-up rage on their enemies. Most of the people out on the street were women, and most of the bellowing victims they were chasing with rage in their eyes were men.
I rounded a corner, turning down an alley that was a shortcut to the square, and I saw the bloodied, clawed-up mass that used to be Mykel Starsinger. I didn’t know if Shadi caught up to him, or if the other women he forced himself on did. Either way... he wouldn’t be forcing himself on anyone else in the Burning Plains.
I backed away and went down another alley.
Up ahead the statue of King Salman loomed high over the darkened horizon, lit up by the fires burning in the square. He loomed, but not as high as he should—thanks to the stone head I skirted tripping out of the alley.
Someone knocked the thing clean off his inaccurately broad shoulders, and then they vented on the rest of him, blowing chunks of stone off his legs, arms, and abdomen. As angry as those gathered here were at Alisdair, it seemed a few of them knew who the true enemy was. Part of me wondered if any of them got their hands on the real thing.
But I couldn’t ask... because the square was empty.
“No!” I whipped around, eyes huge in disbelief. “Already? How have they found a way to Lumenfell already!”
“Did you say Lumenfell?”
I jumped, backing away. A figure had appeared before me—a woman, I assumed, from her light, musical voice. But assumewas all I could do. Something was wrong, I couldn’t quite... look at her.
My gaze traveled in her direction then flicked away, flicking on Salman’s head or piles of tattered, bloodied clothes that would come with a horrible explanation. The most I could make out were the leather tip of her boots, and a flash of auburn hair. But truthfully, her hair color could’ve been a trick of the fire light.
“That’s an impressive concealment spell,” I stated, blunt as ever. “Those are supposed to be rendered useless when the caster draws attention to themselves. Hmm, just like in reality, I suppose.”
She laughed. “One’s magic is only as limited as the books they read and runes they know. Thankfully, I have never been limited.”
I tried to study her as much as the corner of my eye would let me. “There were people here. They were planning to go to Wind and Wild. Where are they?”
“Wind and Wild of course.”
I tensed, chest tightening around my thumping heart.No! Alisdair!
“But you didn’t say Wind and Wild.” She circled me, forcing my eyes to spin wildly in my head until I squeezed them shut. “You said Lumenfell. You’ve been there before.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Yes, I’ve been, and I’m trying to get back. Were you here when they left?” I asked. “Can you tell me how they did it?”
“I was here when they left, and I’m how they did it.”
Alarms chimed in my head, clenching my teeth. Mama was very clear when she said the person whipping the mob into a frenzy was ashe.
“The better question is who are you?” Her voice whispered into my ear, making my skin crawl. “There is no rage or revengein your soul, so what business do you have in Lumenfell? And don’t lie. I do so hate being lied to.”
