Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
“So…this is basically going to get you killed.”
“I’m aware.”
“And you still want to do this?”
His confident stare was his answer.
“There’s nothing after this for you.” I didn’t know this man, didn’t even know his name, and I pitied him.
“After everything is said and done…I hope I can get my soul back.”
“How?”
“By taking the souls of the Three Kings—and giving them to the Bone Witch.”
I passed the guards at the entrance to the castle and made my way inside. There was a fire in every hearth, warmth in every stone, in every fiber of the rugs that lined the hallways. I made it to the top floor, where Ian occupied the guest quarters.
Asher made me wait for him in the dining room until he was ready to see me.
Ian emerged, in a black tunic and breeches, his clothes and hair a bit disheveled. He dropped into the chair at the head of the table, filling his role as king of HeartHolme perfectly, as if Queen Rolfe had never occupied the throne. “What did he say?”
“How’d you know that’s why I’m here?”
“It’s nine in the evening. Why else would you wake me?”
“You’re asleep before nine?” I asked in disbelief.
His scowl deepened. “I’m up at sunrise, overseeing this Kingdom. I don’t have the luxury to sleep in every morning like you do.”
“Still…nine is pretty lame.”
He gave an aggravated sigh. “Elora, what did he say?”
“It’s quite the story…” I told him everything that transpired in my shop just an hour ago.
Ian listened intently. Didn’t ask any questions. Just sat there with his arms on the armrests, hanging on to every word, his blue eyes focused on a single spot on my face.
“He seeks refuge in HeartHolme in exchange for our help—along with twelve others.”
Ian was quiet, his expression hard, as if I hadn’t told him that wild tale.
“I’ve never been that close to a Necrosis without striking them down…”
“He seeks an alliance—and his request is denied.” He straightened in the chair and shifted his body forward, his arms moving to the surface of the wood.
“Uh…what?”
“We can never trust him.”
“Doesn’t matter. His information is vital. Through him, we can get more Ice for our weapons.”
“No.”
“I’m sure we can keep them isolated to a section of HeartHolme—away from everybody else.”
“That’s not why.”
“Then why?” I asked.
“Because he could be a spy.”
“A spy?” I asked.
“So Necrosis will know everything about us. Did you tell him the dragons have vacated HeartHolme?”
“No. And he didn’t ask.”
He released a quiet sigh. “We’ve got to catch this guy. Next time he contacts you, capture him or kill him. He can’t roam this city freely like he’s one of us. He could be feasting on our people, and we’d have no idea.”
“Why would he tell us Necrosis was coming if he was a spy?”
He gave me a cold look. “So you would trust him—and that’s clearly worked.”
“I don’t trust him, alright? But I think he could be of great use to us.”
Ian looked away.
“He gave us Ice. We never would have known it even existed if he hadn’t told us about it. Maybe warning us about Necrosis could have been a ploy, but not the Ice. There was no reason to give us that information.”
Ian kept his gaze averted. “He wants to betray his own kind, get himself killed, all for what?”
“To get his soul back.”
“Or he could just live forever and not have to worry about it.”
“Maybe. But if it were me, I’d probably do the same.”
“Why did they turn him in the first place?”
I shook my head. “He didn’t say. But he did say he didn’t get a choice in the matter.”
“And what’s so special about him that Necrosis would convert him rather than eat him?”
“Look, I don’t know. But I don’t expect the guy to give me his entire life story during a clandestine meeting. His personal story isn’t any of my business. All that matters is, we have a common enemy. We help him take down Necrosis, and he might have a shot of taking the souls of the Three Kings.”
“Wait,” Ian said. “I thought Necrosis didn’t have souls.”
“I didn’t either, but it looks like these guys do. He gets his soul back, Necrosis is defeated, and he’s free and so are we. It makes sense.”
“You say you don’t trust him…but you’re really in his corner.”
“I just think it makes sense, is all.”
Ian looked away, and quietly, his fingertips started to drum on the surface.
“I think we should try it.”
His fingers continued to drum. “It’s not my decision to make.”
“But we have no idea when Queen Rolfe will return.”
“I’ll send her a missive.”
“And risk it being intercepted?” I exclaimed. “They’re in the process of conquering the Kingdoms. That information could be taken by anybody, including King Rutherford. Too risky.”
“Then we wait until she returns.”
“We don’t have time for that. Ian, you’re king of HeartHolme until she comes back. You have the opportunity to forge an alliance with somebody who can help us defeat Necrosis, and we can’t wait months to take advantage of that offer. You need to run HeartHolme like she’s not coming back.”