Page 78 of A Kingdom so Crimson

I lost my voice, remembering this very dagger—the same one wielded by the man who saved me from those men at the tavern where Calum had taken me forfun. Realization struck as I shot my eyes back up to Kaizen, taking in his stature, his hair, and his hand. Memories of that night flooded back—how his thumb hadgently rubbed over my knuckles, the way he took out all those men with lethal grace. He was…worried, so unlike his brooding self now.

I knitted my brows together. "It was you," I muttered, looking back down at the dagger and then up at him, struggling to believe it myself. He cocked his head to the side, puzzled. "You were the one who saved me from those men at the tavern."

He maintained his usual stony expression, only blinking before shoving the dagger and its sheath into my hands. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, opening the carriage door and forcing me inside. I didn't resist as confusion clouded my mind.

Why was he there?Thatwasn't a coincidence.

I continued to examine the dagger, its tip so sharp that it drew a small trickle of blood from my finger as I pricked myself. I set the dagger in my lap and clutched my hand.

Just then, the door swung open, revealing Levon's bright smile and snapping me back to the present.

"Ready?" Levon's voice broke through the tension, and I swallowed hard, offering him a nod, not believing I was. "I'll be up top until after the Gap," he informed me before closing the door and sealing me inside the carriage.

With a jolt, we set off, the wheels rolling along the towering gray wall until we found the Gap's opening where the fog lingered, swirling around the wheels as we ventured in. The carriage grew colder as the day faded into a watery light, eventually succumbing to a murky darkness. The echo of the wheels on gravel reverberated off the walls, creating a deafening hum. In the distance, the end of the Gap appeared as a mere sliver of light, teasingly close yet seemingly unreachable.

I watched intently out of both windows, feeling as if oily, dark eyes were watching our every move, counting each second and every breath. My heart thudded loudly inside my head,drowning out the hum of the wheels as fear tightened its grip on my heart.

Control it.

Inhale.

I gripped the radiant dagger, running my fingers over the pommel repeatedly when a spike of anger scorched my insides with a sudden intensity as I thought back to Kaizen's broad back, bumping the disgusting liquid Calum got me onto my back. To his stealthy silhouette slamming into those grimy men like a moth attracted to light.

Why was Kaizen there?

I gritted my teeth with anger when a piercing screech suddenly tore through the echoing thrum of our carriage's wheels, bringing us to a staggering halt. Kaizen and Levon muttered something that echoed off the Gap's walls as I tightened my grip on the dagger.

"Eliah."

I whipped my head towards the other door, exhaling a jagged breath. The carriage lurched forward faster than before, and Levon's voice shouted from above, accompanied by banging against the roof. Kaizen hissed something too faint for me to hear over the ruckus of the carriage against the echoing Gap.

The carriage surged ahead again, throwing me back into the seat as another screech pierced the air close to my left. I braced for impact, clutching the dagger tightly as arrows whizzed past, followed by a roaring shriek that froze my soul. I pressed my hands to my ears, trying to drown out the cacophony as the carriage tossed me around, hurling forward faster. The thunderous beat of hooves against the wall drowned out all other sounds, blurring my surroundings into a chaotic blur and leaving me feeling helpless. Kaizen and Levon's voices were lost in the chaos as more screams echoed behind us.

"Eliah."The voice hissed again, dreadful and menacing.

"NO!" I shouted as a clawed paw, black as death, struck the side of the carriage, sending the carriage careening to the side before hitting back down. Another arrow whizzed by, finding its mark with a scream.

I pressed my face against the window, witnessing the black creature crumple with an arrow embedded in its eye. A Miehja.

"Faster!" Levon's voice pierced through the chaos, accompanied by the sharp crack of reins against the front mast. The fog began to disperse as several arrows flew past, their watery light casting eerie reflections from the Gap's end. "We're almost there."

The vibrations from the wheels rattled my body as we propelled forward in eerie silence, broken only by the clamor of the carriage wheels. The light dispelled the oily, dark feeling as swiftly as it had come.

A patting sound came from the roof. "We're safe," Levon gasped out, his voice tinged with lingering fear. "We're here."

The carriage gradually slowed as we reached the Gap's end, basking in the bright light. I released a long breath, still clutching the dagger as I leaned closer to the window, trying to get a glimpse at the court Jesri never stopped talking about, and hoping another black paw wouldn't appear.

Navy and gold flags billowed in the soft wind as several guards clad in the same color formed a protective barrier at the entrance, standing stoic with large shields and swords strapped to their hips. A few held extended poles blocking the long billowing road northward toward the city, which was breathtaking.

Towering, glimmering buildings sparkled in the sun's rays, casting a rainbow of hues across the rolling, clipped-to-perfection landscape. The sky seemed to mirror the vibrant scene below, swirling with clouds that danced in response. Icould see the castle far in the distance, looming like a pointed mountain.

The carriage halted, and I felt it sway as Levon emerged into view, clapping some men on the back with a wide grin, continuing to converse.

Two guards approached the carriage, one casting me an unsettling grin that sickened my stomach, remembering the men at the tavern. Remembering Kaizen being my rescuer once again.

I swiftly averted my gaze, feeling exposed and praying they would let us pass before whatever animal attacked us in the Gap came stalking, unsure why it hadn't already.

With a creak, the door swung open, and Levon's smile wavered as he settled into the carriage, taking a seat across from me. My eyes implored him for answers, but he simply shook his head, holding the door ajar. "Go up top. A change of scenery might help clear your mind."

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