Page 94 of Seized to Sacrifice
‘But there were hundreds in the Camp,’ Lily said from behind him, sounding as horrified as Elle felt.
‘They killed everyone,’ another Brother Elle didn’t know said.
‘There was a small contingent elsewhere—’ Quin started.
‘They haven't been attacked as far as I know,’ Eve said.
‘Most of the Dark Army is gone. They knew exactly where to hit us, when, and how.’
‘They've been watching us,’ Rye said quietly, and Quin nodded.
‘Come,’ one of the Brothers who stood with Eve said to the few who’d made it safely through. ‘The First Scholar has said that you can stay in the Great Library itself. You'll have to keep out of sight so there won't be any awkward questions though. No one in the city is to know that the Dark Army was attacked.’
Quin inclined his head. ‘I’ll ensure everyone knows.’
Elle watched as he turned to find Lily. He looked her over. ‘Are you hurt?’ he asked. She shook her head.
‘Your necklace.’
‘I still have it,’ she said, ‘but it's broken. It won't stay on.’
He kissed her lips gently. ‘Try not to touch anyone,’ he muttered.
She gave him a hug, tears in her eyes. ‘That was a massacre. There were so many. Gods, how were there so many of them there so quickly?’
‘Their attack was well planned,’ Quin said quietly.
Nyx took Elle’s hand and led her away from the exchange.
‘Come,’ he said. ‘You’re shivering. Let's get somewhere warm.’
Elle nodded. It was colder up here in the north. The air had more of a winter bite to it.
They made their way slowly down the hill towards the enormous city that was silhouetted in the moonlight along with the other few survivors, the hardened Brothers appearing to be as dazed as the soldiers after what had just happened.
‘At least we're in the right place,’ Thorne said in a biting tone.
CHAPTER12
NYX
Nyx looked around the room that he would share with the others. It might be small, but they had a space for themselves, and he knew some of the other units didn’t.
The Library was large enough to accommodate all of the survivors even if some were now housed in what had once been the dungeons. He and his unit were above ground at least. Elle would have hated going down to the cellars to sleep.
But they had to stay out of sight as much as possible. If the city knew that the Dark Army was practically no more when they were the only thing standing between their families and the Dark Realms, there would be chaos and panic in the streets.
Nyx took another long pull of his wine. He was reading … and he was getting drunk. Not ideal, but his current state of mind didn’t lend itself to sobriety.
Heaving a sigh, he took the book and went to the main Library floor, glancing up at the mezzanine where Elle was currently sitting with Eve and Vie, the other Fourths who resided in the city. They were the ones who had helped get them out of the Camp before they were slaughtered as well.
Hundreds of people gone in an instant.
He thought back to his time with the Horde, something he rarely did without the repercussion of imbibing too much wine. The memories were fresh and vivid still, even with the passage of time and the magicks that had been used to keep him in line and make him fight for them. The Horde was full of Dark Realm creatures forced to fight. If it hadn't been for Elle, he would have been just another casualty of their constant wars.
He went back to their small room and found Rye in the corner alone, a book open in front of him while he stared into the ether, and he could guess where his Brother’s mind was. Rye had been a captive of the Horde for many years before Elle had freed him.
Rye was drinking heavily as well.
