Page 193 of Red Ruin

The feeling leaves me light-headed, and a suspicious tightness sneaks down my throat.

“What’s this?” Remy murmurs, smoothing my tensed muscles.

“Nothing,” I answer, pulling away. “We’ve wasted too much time. Let’s head to the keep and?—”

I stumble as a pulse of necromancy shakes the earth beneath my toes.

The deep bass note drags a shiver from my soul.

Vhex and Remy flash between me and the mountains, but they can’t shield me from the call.

It echoes up from my feet and rattles my bones.

ARISE.

My body tilts toward the source of the power. A few Sentinels break formation and take shaky steps toward the horizon. Luca swoons.

Kevan doesn’t notice.

Empty-eyed, he swivels to face the mountains.

“Too late,” I whisper without meaning to lower my voice.

The king is here.

CHAPTER46

IRIS

Power pulses from the horizon.

The lich king’s summons is meant for the dead, but the call is so strong that it does more than raise soldiers.

The living aren’t spared.

A cold, overbearing will hammers into me. My right boot lifts before I even register that I’m being forced to move.

I stomp.

Our mental tug-of-war only lasts a few intense breaths, but as I buck free, I sense the callbehindthe call.

The first and strongest command says to move, forcing me and everyone else to walk into the mountains.

Come to me.

The worse command is hidden underneath.

Die.

Only the dead can join the king’s army.

For a sickening second, I’m willing to be recruited.

Gasping and shivering, I shake the last of the lich king’s thrall.

Guides won’t struggle to resist.

We’re trained to manage mental energies.

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