Page 220 of Season Warriors & Wolves

Skies raged once again.

The Borough waters boiled from the temperature, tall waves crashing and sizzling against each other, thick steam lifting towards the skies where Volantians hid and waited for the survivors to reappear.

I did not wait this time to see the beasts evaporate from soul killers, I bolted again.

Chapter forty-five

White Pawn takes F5

Malik

Amerie cradled a sleeping Serene in her arms, carefully looking through her curtains outside where Tenebrose city guards had not stopped patrolling about.

Elias paced back and forth enough to annoy the shit out of me. “We should be out there.”

“You’re the only one who knows how to get inside the castle walls without being seen. Follow the plan and Snow won’t skin you. But most importantly,” I said, pulling him away from the window, “My brother won’t rip your blonde soul out.”

The Demon God who had occupied Amerie’s sofa grunted. “I do agree with the yellow-headed human. We shouldn’t be hiding.”

“Unless his excellency can whip about some magical powers to get inside that castle to where Silas has sat his bony arse to enjoy the show, then he should shut up.”

He narrowed his dark eyes on me. “You’re rude, boy. You know I am not allowed to fight your kind and my purpose was to mask your magic. Haven't I done enough? Not one witch has sniffed you out while you offended every deity of death alive when you raised the whole city graveyard to its feet.” He swivelled a look over me. “Godling of death.”

The moment the horns blared through the city of Tenebrose to signal the advance of their troops, Elias tensed.

“That’s my signal,” I said, backing away from them. “Find Silas and help Thora when she comes.”

Elias’s jaw was set tight, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. “If she comes.”

“She will come. Do not die recklessly. Wait for her. My army of the dead will break through the city soon. Do not let any Isjordians get out of their homes. My dead cannot tell the difference on whom to kill or not.” I pointed to Golgotha who was picking out the raisins from Amerie’s biscuits. “Don’t do anything a squid wouldn’t do.”

And then faded right into the front of the Isjordian troops, heavily marching towards our own, kneeling and sinking my fingers in the snow until I was able to feel the soil beneath along with the pulse of death. There was no struggle to find signs of it, because bones of all sorts rose from under the cold blanket of winter.

Dozens.

Hundreds.

Thousands.

Tens of thousands.

All around us for miles along. More approaching from behind them in the mile distance, descending the hill of Tenebrose cemetery to trap the army on all sides.

Human. Aura. Animal. I was the master of all death.

They stood when I stood, their steps matching mine, obeying to my command.

Cold wind blew a cast of frost back and then monsters of another sort prowled along the dead army. Wolves made of frost, taller than I, bigger than a boulder. And there were hundreds of them. Thora appeared through a portal right beside me. Her creatures matching their master’s steps who took my side, her bow strung tight, aimed ahead at the figures that were sharpening and getting closer to us.

Her lips trembled a little and I knew it wasn’t from the cold.

“Aim true, Thora.”

She sucked in a sharp breath and held it, her bow tightening when black tattoos began appearing over her hands. Her arrow pierced through the misty surface hiding Isjordian troops, the whole blanket of frost pulling back entirely, peeling from the gust of powerful wind that blew at her silent command to reveal lines and lines of navy clad soldiers and beasts stretching for miles, marching in our direction.

The anima accissor tipped arrow had etched on the body of a khamir beast, its limbs already melting into dust.

Lightning flashed across the skies, blue blinding light casting strong shadows below—stronger than the darkness did—and they elongated, twisted, grew claws and teeth, wrapping around soldiers.