Page 61 of A Spell of Bones and Madness
“You know, Ember’s right. You really are an insufferable ass.” Ander laughed right back. Ember simply shrugged her shoulders as if to sayI told you so.
“Perhaps, but we really should move. Do you think you’ll be able to shroud the remnants of the skiff, Ander?” The splintered pile of wood shouldn’t even be called a skiff any longer.
Waving his hand over the broken pieces, that same misty glow radiated out, pouring over what bits of the boat remained before they disappeared from sight completely. “It will hold, for a while at least,” Ander said.
“And how exactly do we plan on getting off this wretched isle?” Ember still stood with a scowl, but no one replied. The answer was clear. They weren’t planning to.
Thick trees lined the forest as the two men attempted to hack through the brush and vines before them. If Katrin thought the humid air on the shore was brutal, this was simply unbearable. Tunic now tied tightly around her waist, she tried to not accumulate more tiny scrapes from the greenery they tread through. Unfamiliar plant life always left an uneasy feeling in her gut. Were they harmless? Poisonous? Sentient? She had heard myths from the times of the Olympi where gods could shift into creatures,plant life, simple objects—and sometimes sent their spies to do the same. The only advantage they had was the element of surprise—if they failed at even that, what chance would they have?
Sweat clung to every inch of Katrin, dripping from her elbows, seeping between her thighs. She kicked herself for not changing on the ship. Every crunch of her boots was met with an equal squeak of the tight leather trousers she wore. As soon as they made it out of this gods-forsaken jungle, she would slip into her cotton pair, hopefully relieving some of the discomfort and letting her limbs breathe once more. Ember had similarly stripped down to a simple undershirt, though she had somehow been fortunate enough to not amass the same thin cuts along her skin. Her sister’s moves through the forest were more delicate, graceful like a waltz, whereas Katrin plowed through the vines like a brute. Katrin knew she wouldn’t scar—not now, not unless she encountered the venom that still remained in the markings on her back.
They continued on in silence for what seemed like hours, only the low snapping of dried vines below boots and a humming of birds in the sky to keep their sanity intact. The humid air began to disperse, replacing itself slowly with a crisper breeze, one similar to a dry summer day on Alentus. They must have been nearing the edge of the never-ending forest.
“How long are we—” Ajax’s hand whipped out and covered Ember’s mouth, pinning her back against his chest. He held up his hand and they each froze.
Katrin’s eyes widened as she listened carefully. There was a steady marching and clanging of metal. She knew that sound all too well from her time training at the barracks—the in-syncpattern of left, right, left. The low bellow of a horn. The thrumming of sword, of shield.
Can you hide us? The way you did the ship?She reached out to Ander. Still getting used to how he slid into her thoughts—how she could hear his replies.
Not more than myself—even that would drain me quickly in a place like this.A place like this—one with such stores of energy, where the line between living and dead grew to its thinnest—much like that of the kingdom her father ruled over.
Ander signaled them to crouch down, brow furrowing as he scanned what little they could see of their surroundings. They were still hidden for now by the brush, but they would need to stay low, bide their time until whatever legion passed. His eyes kept flaring deep silver, dark as the fog that wrapped itself around his fingers and wrists. Katrin’s gaze stayed glued to him. She could not fire up her own power in fear that the light might break through the greenery that shielded them.
To Katrin’s left, her sister’s hand trembled, gripping the leather strap that held their father’s curious artifact to her back so hard that her knuckles were as white as snow. Her face paled to match as she mouthed the words,“Breathe in, breathe out,”to herself over and over. Ajax kept one palm on Ember’s thigh, the other equally as tight on the hilt of his short sword by his waist. It was comical to think they all were ready to fight if they were discovered when they were but four against a legion of gods know how many.
Fifteen.Katrin glanced over as Ander sent the number crashing into her mind.
How do you know?she fired back.
Ajax can scent fifteen distinct scents. He’s usually accurate.
Nose wrinkling, Katrin tried not to look surprised.He can scent people? Tell them apart?
He can tell more than just that, Starling.Ander winked at her.
This is a serious moment, Ander. You shouldn’t be making inappropriate remarks.
He shrugged.You asked.
Silence brought Katrin out of her head and back to the world around her. Silence—the marching had stopped. Ander brought his finger to his lips, shaking his head. The legion was still there. The patter of a single horse riding in filled the air.
“Your Highness, we have reports that fragments of a ship were found on the eastern shore near the cliffs. No one was sighted, but the compass detected magic not of this isle.” A man’s voice came from the other side of the thicket.
“Is that so?” another replied.
Katrin’s spine stiffened and all the air rushed out of her lungs. She knew that voice. Had known it since she was a child. Had listened as it whispered sweet nothings in her ears. Ander’s jaw feathered, and Katrin wasn’t sure if it was his teeth or his fists that were clenched tighter. So Kohl had survived his sister’s blow. If he was here now, directing the very men that threatened peace in the isles, she wished that flame to the heart had knocked him dead.
“I wouldn’t expect any less from that group of vagabonds. You might not have seen them, but they are here.” Kohl paused. “Good. No one is to stop them. I’d prefer they enjoy the show.He’dprefer it.”
“Of course, Your Highness. We will report back to camp immediately.” Then the marching began once more.
When they were certain the legion was well beyond sight or ear shot, Katrin finally breathed. This would complicate things. Yes, she knew they would have to avoid Hades’ acolytes, and soldiers, even—but to have Kohl here, to have the very men they were here to destroy report to him was too much. It also meant one thing—King Athanas and Edmund were here as well, or they weren’t far behind.
“That gods-damned traitor is here!” her sister seethed. The first words any of them spoke out loud since the men passed by. “I thought Farah killed him.”
“Was that a hint of defensiveness you had for the princess, Drakos?” Ajax arched his brow up.
“Hardly—I just meant, what is he doing here?”
