Page 124 of Bound By Roses

“No!” the Guardian sputters seconds before I drive his own blade into his gut and twist. His death is quick and probably more merciful than he deserves.

“Arabella,” I say as I hastily undress one of the less bloody Guardians. Until she’s out, I need to be able to talk to her, so I’m going to be human for a while. It will draw less attention to myself if I look like a Guardian than I would if I run around naked. “Tell me you’ve seen the end of this war. Tell me we win.”

When she doesn’t answer, I chance a glance at her over my shoulder as I shrug on a Guardian’s shirt. It’s torn open at the front and bloody from my claws, but it’ll have to do. She’s looking down at the scene before her, distracted by the bodies of the five men who thought they were protecting her—even if she was restrained. Her eyes are glazed over, but not with tears or even horror. It’s as if she’s not seeing this at all.

“Arabella?” I say her name again and this time she looks at me.

“We’re on the wrong path.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

ABBY

My hands ache with how tight I’m holding onto the horse’s mane, but it’s better than falling. That’s nearly happened already, and if we survive this, I’m going to have to brush up on my riding skills before Quinn actually makes me give him lessons.

I know that was a distraction from the things I’ve already seen through the wolves’ eyes, and for what I’m about to see through my own when I reach the city. Lunae isn’t far now. Though I can’t see it through the silver mist shrouding the city, I trust the horse to take me there. That’s what they’ve been trained for. To always return home. Lunae could always afford to lose a rider, but never a horse.

At least it isn’t Void’s darkness blanketing these barren fields. This mist is natural, and with the full moon high, it takes on a ghostly hue. Come dawn, the ground will be covered with dew—and in some places, blood.

I can just make out a building ahead of me and know it’ll be the stables. What was once grand enough to house over a hundred steeds has fallen into disarray. I don’t know how many it holds now, but when I left Lunae, there were only ten left. Myhorse slows, so I kick at its sides to keep pushing it forward. It’s breathing hard, and I can hardly blame it. Just like the people, it doesn’t eat enough, and I’m riding it into the ground. But there’s no time to think about that. I can’t chance a glance through one of the many pairs of eyes, but I can hear the chaos echoing over the looming city walls.

We’ll be there in minutes, we just have to—

My horse rears suddenly, and it becomes apparent that my hold wasn’t tight enough. I fall backwards, landing hard on my arm, but at least nothing feels broken. Not bothering to dust myself off, I stand quickly and palm a dagger. Something is spooking the horse. Its heavy breathing morphs into agitated neighs and snorts as it weaves from side to side, as if it can’t decide which way to run. There’s something moving in the mist ahead of us, and by the time I realize what it is, it’s too late.

Six pigs—at least—charge at the terrified animal. It rears again before kicking at one of them and just narrowly missing. The pigs don’t even flinch as one crashes into the horse’s front leg. There’s a sickening snap, and the horse goes down.

My first instinct is to run towards it, but these aren’t just any pigs. They’ve been surviving on meat alone for far too many years and have turned vicious. Even moreso than the boars that roam the forest.

Quinn was right. They’ll kill indiscriminately, and if someone let them out…

The panicked horse tries to stand, but there’s no hope for it now as more pigs move in. I hate myself for leaving it to this fate, but I know how quickly they can clean the bones of a man much larger than myself.

So I run.

I run for Lunae and don’t look back, even after the agonizing cries of the wounded animal cease. The pigs won’t move as aherd, and I’d only seen about ten while there’s at least five times that.

If they reach the city…

I open my connection to the wolves as wide as I can without allowing their visions to overlap with mine.‘Someone let the pigs loose!’

‘Abby? Where are you?’The voice came from Ellis, and I can’t help but be thankful he isn’t the one we lost.

‘That doesn’t matter. The pigs—’

He cuts me off.‘We can handle ourselves. You shouldn’t be anywhere near this.’

I groan because he doesn’t understand and a laugh that could only be Seamus flits through my mind.‘I knew you couldn’t stay out of the fight. I’m afraid there’s not much left for you. Most are already being driven towards the sirens. This will be over soon.’

‘Not if the fucking pigs—’

Someone screams, and I didn’t hear it through the connections with the wolves. The sound came from just ahead. There’s nowhere else for me to go, so I keep running until I reach the city’s outer wall. There’s an entrance to my left and with the chaos still raging inside, I don’t bother looking for a more discreet way in.

I pass under the stone arch, and into the city I once called home. It should be dark, but flames illuminate the dirt road ahead. When did the fire start?

I’d been expecting chaos, but in the form of Guardians and wolves and dragons battling in streets slick with blood. At this rate, the entire city will burn.

I run for the square, needing to shield my face from the intense heat as I pass one of the many burning homes. The smoke is thick in my throat and I choke on it just as I do Void’s shadows in my nightmares.

---