Page 57 of The Blood Crown

Heat flared across her spine and thunder rumbled in the distance, but she barely noticed as rage burned through her.

“You owe me nothing,” she said flatly, “and my life debt to you is paid.”

She turned away, his deep red eyes gleaming with some emotion she couldn’t place as she left tracks through the fresh drifts. She'd only made it a few steps before she glanced over her shoulder, unable to stop herself. Ven's large silhouette was illuminated against the backdrop of falling snow, broad shoulders curved in against the chill, dark hair flecked with white.

His eyes raised to hers, and she hated how fucking beautiful he looked.

“Is it such a curse?” she asked, her voice finally breaking, “being Bound to me?”

“No—” The word was ragged. He reached for her, dropping his hand as she recoiled. “Iam the curse.Iam the burden.” His fingers found the copper coin at his throat—the actions unconscious, habitual, as if he’d reached for it hundreds of times. “Ari—” he pleaded.

Every word he spoke was a contradiction, tying her into knots. But she’d had enough of other people hiding the truth from her to protect her—to do whattheythought best for her future.

“Ideserved to know,” she raged, “so thatIcould decide my own path.” Fury unfurled in her chest, driving away the tears that stung her eyes. “Do not martyr yourself and pretend it was anything more than deception!”

Her words were drowned out as a blast of white struck the trees surrounding them. Ven threw himself over her, taking them both to the snow-covered ground as the resounding boom of thunder shook the mountainside.

Chapter 29

Lightning cracked open the sky overhead as Ven pulled her to her feet.

His face was so clear that for a moment Aurelia wondered if daylight was already upon them, until her eyes rose to the pines above—engulfed in flames that lit up the entire mountainside.

“We need to go,” Ven ordered.

Karro was already helping Tanis to her feet as Valea looked up into the grey pines that were now beacons in the darkened, snow-covered forest.

“Now!” Ven’s voice rang out and they were all sprinting away from the scene. Not only to escape the fire that burned high above them, but whatever it might draw.

Aurelia glanced behind them, stumbling over a root as Ven caught her arm and pulled her along. “Did I—”

Understanding sunk in. The rumble of thunder, the lightning she’d called forth . . .

Somehow her magick had cut through the spell in the in-between.

A flicker of green in the distance was the only warning before the darkened forest filled with shrieking and growling.

Pairs of glowing eyes peered out from the pitch black of night where the light from the fire couldn’t reach.

Ven’s hand was still wrapped around hers as he pulled her in the opposite direction, the others following, but they only made it a few steps before another wall of phosphorescent orbs glowed back at them from every direction.

Aurelia grounded her feet, searching for her lightning. If it had answered her moments ago, maybe there was a chance it would respond to her again.

Heat crackled and simmered along her veins, smothered just as quickly.

The sounds drew closer as the first of the demons emerged into the firelight, its leathery hide black against the freshly fallen snow. Its head was angular, walking on three stilt-like legs. Large fangs dripped venom, burning a trail through the snow as it prowled closer to where the five of them huddled.

Karro unsheathed Flamecleaver with a rasp of metal as Valea swung the bow from around her shoulder, nocking a ravenstone tipped arrow in a single graceful movement. Ven stepped in front of Aurelia as the demons crept closer, removing the curved blade at his hip.

Green eyes glowed brightly as the demon lunged.

Ven swung his sword, a perfect arc that cut deeply into the underbelly of the creature. Black ash rained down on their heads in a suffocating cloud of sulfur. Shrieks resounded through the pines in answer as a line of bodies crawled closer.

Valea loosed an arrow, nocking and firing off one after the other—the air whipping Aurelia’s face as the shafts shot past her. She took down three of them before Karro stepped forward, swinging his heavy blade and slicing through another body.

It was all Aurelia could do to see through the grey haze of ash to make sure that Ven was still beside her. Her blade was heavy in her hand as a drugar shambled forward, and with more instinct than sense, she plunged her dagger into its emaciated ribcage.

“Move to the western edge,” Ven shouted over the din.

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