AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Manny simply stared at the jug for a few moments before shaking his head and returning to work.
Elyse had watched silently as the men worked. She was still furious. They were all cowards. Didn’t they understand what was at stake? They needed every damn second possible to track down Ymaritis—if the spell to locate angel’s blood even worked.
She sat alone in a rickety chair, simmering and shooting glares at anyone who glanced at her. Luckily, everyone seemed content to leave her be.
“I guess we should set up the tent,” she heard Killian say.
Elyse rolled her eyes. Cowards.
Zubir left them for the night, slipping away into his cabin. Elyse wasn’t sad to see him go. She was, of course, grateful for the angel’s blood, but it was Zubir’s paranoia that had stalled their mission. He was lucky he was a friend, or else she would have flayed him.
They could be halfway through the forest by now. But no, everyone had sided against her. Killian had even taken the angel’s blood from her, as insurance to make sure she didn’t go out on her own.
Jaime lit a small bonfire using the enchanted oil while Manny and Killian erected the tent. They had it up in no time. No doubt as soldiers, they had spent their share of time building tents. However, their years of experience hadn’t prepared them for what was inside.
“Holy gods!” Manny exclaimed as he disappeared through the flap. He immediately came back out, circled the tent, and dipped inside. Poking only his head out, he called to Sera, “You have to come see this.”
Sera looked sideways at Jaime from where she sat before the fire. “He thinks I’ve never seen an enchanted tent before—how precious.” Still, she got up and joined him, letting out a gasp as she entered the tent.
Even Killian seemed amused. He gave the tent a contemplative look, a hint of a satisfied smile on his lips.
Elyse didn’t bother getting up. She could guess what the inside looked like. It probably had a plush rug on the floor, divided sleeping areas, and a table with chairs. And, of course, it was probably much larger than it appeared from the outside.
She caught Jaime looking at her, and she narrowed her eyes. He looked away immediately, turning his attention to the blazing fire.
Now that the sun was gone, the temperature had dropped considerably. Elyse thought the shiver that tickled her spine had nothing to do with the chilly night, though. She’d never seen a walker before. She’d been told they were very tall—towering seven or eight feet—and that they had pointed ears. And yes, the thought of seeing one terrified her, but not as much as the idea of Lazarus being brought to life.
And it would be her fault. Not only in letting Ymaritis succeed, but in helping Lazarus all those years. Even if she didn’t know what she had been doing, it was still something she wasn’t sure she could ever forgive herself for.
Killian, Manny, and Sera came out of the tent, each with a chair. They settled themselves around the fire, quiet among the rustling of grass and the crackle of the fire. Tension still lingered among them.
Finally, Manny broke the silence. “So, this Zubir fellow…”
Elyse glanced over at him.
“Does anyone else think it’s absurd that he brought in this falaya creature… for protection?”
“It’s bloody insane,” Jaime muttered.
“I want to know how someone managed to trap the damn thing,” Sera said, sounding impressed.
Killian stared at the fire. “It seems like a lot of trouble to go through, hiding away out here behind all these wards and protections.”
Elyse knew that Zubir had his reasons for hiding, but she wasn’t about to tell his secrets.
The group fell into conversation, except Elyse, who sat in her chair with her arms folded over her chest. She ignored them, her mind elsewhere.
After a few minutes, she stood and exited the circle.
“Where are you going?” Sera called after her.
Elyse stopped. “To relieve myself,” she drawled. “Is that okay?”
No one replied, but she could feel their wary gazes on her as she stalked away.
There was an outhouse nearby, but Elyse didn’t aim for it. Instead, the moment she was out of sight, she slipped around to the front of Zubir’s house and quietly crept through the front door.
It was nearly pitch black inside, the blaze of the fire outside glowing faintly through the curtained windows. On silent feet, Elyse padded toward the shelf in the corner. She held her breath as she reached for the top shelf and pulled down the chest, the one with the vials of blood.
