Page 108 of Path of the Dark
The cloaked figure bent its hooded head. “As you wish, My Queen.”
Moments later the shadow creatures started to empty out of the city. They didn’t go quietly. Growls, shrieks, and much enraged swearing accompanied their exit.
Ryana watched the terrifying tide flow across the Great Square and out of the gates. Her breathing was coming in short gasps now, and she was starting to feel lightheaded. Panic clawed at her throat as a Dusk Imp bounded by, its long rat-like tail slashing from side to side.
Like during the battle, she noted that there were more varieties of shadow creatures than she could have imagined, from those that resembled beasts, to those who were parodies of men, and those, like the Hiriel, that were otherworldly.
“Where will they go now?” she whispered, as the last of them stalked through the gates.
“Back to the dark places of this world,” Ninia replied, watching them go. “Far from us all.”
Two figures approached through the clearing mist: a tall blond man dressed in singed and bloodied smoke-grey robes, and a dark-haired woman in fighting leathers. Mira’s face was pale and strained. She walked slowly, leaning on Asher for support.
Ryana’s vision blurred at the sight of them. She’d thought Asher lost—and she’d had no idea where Mira had been during the battle.
Nearing the center of the square, where Ryana still sat at Elias’s side, Asher met Ninia’s eye and gave an exhausted grimace. “Are your friends all gone?”
Ninia raised an eyebrow. “Aye … although they saved your hide too.”
Asher didn’t reply, yet he frowned.
“Victory always comes at a cost,” Ninia murmured, her gaze shadowing.
“Aye … and without the shadow creatures Veldoras wouldn’t be liberated.” A gruff voice intruded.
Ryana shifted her gaze behind Ninia to see King Nathan approach. The man was battered, bloodied, and favored his right arm. His once pristine mink cloak was singed and caked in gore, but the Rithmar king still walked tall and proud.
Chain-mail clinking and armor creaking, he drew up next to Ninia. “You did well,” he said, his mouth curving. His attention shifted to where a dark-haired man garbed in slate-grey robes lay sprawled before him. “Is this Gael?”
“Aye,” Ninia replied. A beat of silence followed. “Ryana killed him.”
Surprise flared in the king’s eyes before he focused on Ryana for the first time. “I thought you a traitor,” he rumbled, “but I see now I jumped to conclusions.”
Ryana tensed at this admission but held her tongue. She couldn’t blame the king for thinking the worst of her after she’d disappeared from The Royal City on the same night as Elias.
A few feet away Asher left Mira’s side and hunkered down next to Ryana. “Would you like me to take a look at Elias?” he asked quietly.
“He’s not dead?” The harsh edge to Nathan’s voice made Ryana tense.
Asher leaned forward and felt for Elias’s pulse before shaking his head. “No … but he needs healing or he will be shortly.”
“Let him die,” Nathan ordered.
Panic grasped Ryana by the throat. “No!”
Nathan shot Asher a warning look. “Step away from him.”
“How dare you condemn this man?” Ryana rounded on the king, fury turning her reckless.
Nathan scowled, his broad shoulders tensing. “Excuse me?”
“Elias could have killed Ninia back in Rithmar, but instead he saved her from one of his own men,” Ryana snarled. “The first thing he did upon arriving in Veldoras was try to convince his father to make peace with you. Reoul disowned him for it and put him in the front ranks. Elias went against his own people to aid us. He lies here injured …” Ryana’s voice’ caught, yet she forced herself on. “… because he attacked Gael.”
Silence fell. Ryana raised her chin, meeting the king’s eye. “He deserves our help … andyourrespect.”
Nathan stared at her, and as he did so, she saw something move in the depths of his dark eyes.
At that moment a noise behind the group drew their gazes.
