Page 188 of A Vow of Wrath and Ruin

“What do you think the Well will look like?” Caiden asked.

“To be honest, I haven’t thought much about it. I just kind of picture the fairy wells from the stories we heard as kids. But since there’s blood involved, I’m sure it’s something much darker.”

“It has to be if it’s in this place,” Caiden replied. “If I had to guess, I bet the people of this court perform their rituals right over the Well and have no idea what they’re doing.”

“I mean, they’d have original blood, wouldn’t that open the Well?”

“They’d have to have all three… allegedly.”

“Perhaps they’ve already opened it, and this pain god thing is just an act to keep people out.” I arched my brow, and Caiden gave me a smirk. His dimples indenting on his cheeks made butterflies flit in my stomach, just as they had ten years ago.

“Only time will tell I guess.”

A whistle echoed through the woods and the hunter appeared. “It’s time to go.”

46THARAN

Branches scratchedTharan’s face as he followed Lucius deeper and deeper into the Court of Screams. The sound of pounding drums echoed through the silent forest, matching pace with his heartbeat. An ominous tension pulled taut in the air.

A light rain began to falldrip,drip,dripuntil it was a steady stream, soaking them.

“Keep up! Not much farther!” Lucius called over the sound of the rain hitting their armor. Their breath turned to mist in the cold spring air as their feet avoided mangled roots marring their path.

They’d been walking for hours and still not seen another soul, but now the drums pounded heavy, reverberating in Tharan’s chest.

Lucius ducked low just as something flashed before them.

“What was that?” Roderick whispered.

“Ancient creatures lurk in these woods. Follow the path and they will not bother us.”

Tharan swallowed past his thickening throat.

They moved swiftly and silently through the ominous woods toward the sound of the drums. The flicker of a massive firepainted the night sky with oranges and reds. The smell of burning wood and an incense Tharan couldn’t quite place wafted through the forest.

“What is that smell?” Tharan whispered.

“It’s part of their ritual. What you smell is what happens when a fresh heart is burned.”

“Trinity…” Tharan’s mouth went dry. “What are we walking into?”

“Nothing you’ve likely seen before.” Lucius ducked low and Tharan noticed they were standing in front of an ancient stone structure. “This way,” Lucius said, ushering them through a crack in the wall.

Tharan climbed in and the others followed behind him.

Through cobwebs and dust, he crawled toward the flickering light of the fire. With each step he took, his heart beat faster. The drums grew louder and the sound of voices chanting in unison echoed through the ancient structure.

They exited onto a balcony overlooking a massive fire. People danced around the flame chanting something Tharan couldn’t quite make out.

They were in what appeared to be the remnants of an ancient temple, but time and the elements had worn away at its once-pristine marble and granite leaving only the bones of something sacred.

Tharan’s eyes fell to the carving around the fire, ancient runes of a language long since dead, stained with what he could only assume was blood. Tharan’s eyes flitted to where six bodies were strewn up on poles. Naked and covered in blood, he gasped when he discovered half of their chests had gaping holes where their hearts had once been.

“Amolie, don’t look,” Tharan warned, but it was too late. Her hazel eyes widened, and she covered her mouth. Roderick put his arms around her, pulling her close.

A tall, sylph man wearing black robes stood at the center of the circle. Tattoos wrapped themselves up his exposed hands. Atop his head he wore the skull of a bull, disguising his face.

“That’s their leader, Cyrus,” Lucius whispered to Tharan. “They call him the Blood Shepard. It’s an honor to be one of the chosen to have your heart cut out and sacrificed to the ancient flame.”

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