the ramp leading to the gate.
The raider had disappeared without even a ripple in the water.
“Would you look at that?” Timber came up behind him. “I cannot even make out the road.”
“Must have been a snowy winter up there.” Nathaniel gestured toward the darkened peaks. He kicked a rock into the water, and the muck swallowed it with a clump. “He couldn’t have gone far.”
“That’s the problem. You don’t have to.” Timber crouched and scanned the surface of the water. Reeds and tall marsh grasses blew in the cold wind. “He wouldn’t be the first one lost in the depths.”
The wind changed direction. Was the howling from a man? He tried not to imagine rowing out there with only a lantern for a light. “We’ll need a boat to continue the search.”
Timber placed a heavy hand on Nathaniel’s shoulder. “Wait until morning.”
“I’ll have to inform Brax.”
“Either way, he’s going to know.”
Nathaniel nodded, promising himself to cover for Kent when he reported back to Brax. Timber spoke with the wisdom and patience of his age. The boy wouldn’t get far. That was if he survived at all.
Only the gods knew why Nathaniel longed to save him, even if it meant crossing the moors.
Just as he turned back to the gate, movement from the dark peaks drew him back. A black mass spread from the highest mountain, thinning into dark specks as it widened over the valley below. A chorus of caws filled the air.
“Crows.” Nathaniel squinted at the sky. “Thousands of them.”
The birds flew in strange patterns, coalescing into spiral shapes and breaking at the top, like tornadoes unleashing darkness upon the land.
Timber pulled his bow from his back along with an arrow. He aimed as the birds flew over their heads.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure.” He fired, and the arrow pierced a bird, felling it over the gate. They ran back to the city.
The beast lay in the middle of the shambled cobblestone road with the arrow through its heart.
Nathaniel bent over it, as a current of sorrow drifted through his chest. He knew what it felt to be aloft, soaring triumphant and free and to be hit with an arrow through the heart, ending the dream that life once was. “Why did you fell it?”
“Don’t touch it!” Timber crouched beside him and used the tip of his bow to move the wing. He cocked its head to the side. A milky, cataract-covered eye glanced up at them. Bald spots covered its body where the feathers had been plucked, or had fallen out. The blood that oozed from the arrowhead was a black, gelatinous goo.
Nathaniel had never seen anything like this in his lifetime, but he’d heard enough stories. “An undead bird?”
Timber nodded, then watched the sky with suspicion.
None of the crows had settled in the city. They’d come and gone so quickly they wouldn’t have noticed if they hadn’t been standing at the back gate.
Timber glanced over his shoulder at the open gate and the moors that lay beyond. “Spies.”
Chapter 7
Dismissal
“I do not understand why they’ll deny the future princess of Ebonvale entrance to her own council chambers.” Valoria collapsed into a velvet seat, staring down the guards on duty as they stood with their spears crossed over the doorway. The one on the right glanced down with a small amount of guilt pulling at the corners of his mouth, but the one on the left stared straight ahead as if the future queen of Ebonvale were not even present.
“Calm down. I’m sure there’s an explanation.” Cadence sat beside her and took her hand. “Perhaps they are planning the wedding and wish to keep it a surprise.”
“I highly doubt it.” If they were planning the wedding, Brax wouldn’t even bother to be there at all. “Everyone who’s important is in there. Everyone except for me.” She’d gone down to breakfast hoping to make headway with her new family only to find the room empty. A servant had tipped her off to where they all
The raider had disappeared without even a ripple in the water.
“Would you look at that?” Timber came up behind him. “I cannot even make out the road.”
“Must have been a snowy winter up there.” Nathaniel gestured toward the darkened peaks. He kicked a rock into the water, and the muck swallowed it with a clump. “He couldn’t have gone far.”
“That’s the problem. You don’t have to.” Timber crouched and scanned the surface of the water. Reeds and tall marsh grasses blew in the cold wind. “He wouldn’t be the first one lost in the depths.”
The wind changed direction. Was the howling from a man? He tried not to imagine rowing out there with only a lantern for a light. “We’ll need a boat to continue the search.”
Timber placed a heavy hand on Nathaniel’s shoulder. “Wait until morning.”
“I’ll have to inform Brax.”
“Either way, he’s going to know.”
Nathaniel nodded, promising himself to cover for Kent when he reported back to Brax. Timber spoke with the wisdom and patience of his age. The boy wouldn’t get far. That was if he survived at all.
Only the gods knew why Nathaniel longed to save him, even if it meant crossing the moors.
Just as he turned back to the gate, movement from the dark peaks drew him back. A black mass spread from the highest mountain, thinning into dark specks as it widened over the valley below. A chorus of caws filled the air.
“Crows.” Nathaniel squinted at the sky. “Thousands of them.”
The birds flew in strange patterns, coalescing into spiral shapes and breaking at the top, like tornadoes unleashing darkness upon the land.
Timber pulled his bow from his back along with an arrow. He aimed as the birds flew over their heads.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure.” He fired, and the arrow pierced a bird, felling it over the gate. They ran back to the city.
The beast lay in the middle of the shambled cobblestone road with the arrow through its heart.
Nathaniel bent over it, as a current of sorrow drifted through his chest. He knew what it felt to be aloft, soaring triumphant and free and to be hit with an arrow through the heart, ending the dream that life once was. “Why did you fell it?”
“Don’t touch it!” Timber crouched beside him and used the tip of his bow to move the wing. He cocked its head to the side. A milky, cataract-covered eye glanced up at them. Bald spots covered its body where the feathers had been plucked, or had fallen out. The blood that oozed from the arrowhead was a black, gelatinous goo.
Nathaniel had never seen anything like this in his lifetime, but he’d heard enough stories. “An undead bird?”
Timber nodded, then watched the sky with suspicion.
None of the crows had settled in the city. They’d come and gone so quickly they wouldn’t have noticed if they hadn’t been standing at the back gate.
Timber glanced over his shoulder at the open gate and the moors that lay beyond. “Spies.”
Chapter 7
Dismissal
“I do not understand why they’ll deny the future princess of Ebonvale entrance to her own council chambers.” Valoria collapsed into a velvet seat, staring down the guards on duty as they stood with their spears crossed over the doorway. The one on the right glanced down with a small amount of guilt pulling at the corners of his mouth, but the one on the left stared straight ahead as if the future queen of Ebonvale were not even present.
“Calm down. I’m sure there’s an explanation.” Cadence sat beside her and took her hand. “Perhaps they are planning the wedding and wish to keep it a surprise.”
“I highly doubt it.” If they were planning the wedding, Brax wouldn’t even bother to be there at all. “Everyone who’s important is in there. Everyone except for me.” She’d gone down to breakfast hoping to make headway with her new family only to find the room empty. A servant had tipped her off to where they all
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