Page 58 of Path of the Dark
It was still and silent out here, beyond the city walls. Breathing hard, Elias turned his head back to The Royal City. Numerous bonfires within lit up parts of the upper and lower towns like beacons, while flares of light exploded at intervals into the sky. And above it all, the palace stood, its pale walls glowing in the light of a half-moon that had just risen. The Tower of the North rose high into the night, graceful and silent, untouched by the cares of the rest of the world.
I’ve failed.
Elias waited for frustration and anger to boil up inside him, as it had last time he’d tried to kill the princess, but it didn’t. This evening, an altogether different sensation filtered through him—relief.
The oppressive weight he’d been carrying for weeks lifted. It was like taking a hot bath at the end of a long journey and washing away all the grime. For the first time ever, he felt like he had free will.
Elias let out a long exhale.
He’d handled things badly. Santino was dead, and the rest of his men would be apprehended or killed. Yet the boulder had been let lose down the mountainside now. The only thing he could do was get out of its way. He would have to run, disappear like a wraith into the forest and do his best to elude the soldiers who’d hunt him.
Turning his back on the city, he broke into a brisk jog, and headed west out of the valley.
Ryana sprinted into the alleyway, skidding to a halt when she spied the crumpled figure before her. A man dressed in crimson and black.
Her breathing caught.
Elias.
Panic warred with the simmering fury that pulsed within her. It reached up its clawed hand and grasped her around the throat. Behind her, shouting and excited chatter drifted into the alley. Beyond, the revelers on the streets had heard there had been an attack—and that a man had died.
No!
But it wasn’t Elias sprawled there. As soon as she moved closer, she saw that the man was of a much smaller and slenderer build. His ashen face was sharp featured, a vulpine look accentuated by his neatly trimmed dark beard. He lay in a pool of blood.
Ninia stood a few feet back from the body. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she wore a grim expression. A circle of guards surrounded her, swords drawn and gazes watchful. A short distance away, under one of the awnings, a woman was crying hysterically. A pale-faced young man was doing his best to calm her.
“What happened here?” Asher stepped up next to Ryana. His gaze fixed upon the fallen Anthor soldier.
“This man tried to knife me,” Ninia replied. “I was going to stop him, but Elias beat me to it.”
Ryana went still, her heart now thundering in her chest. “He killed one of his own men?”
Ninia nodded.
“We’ve managed to capture the remaining four men of Anthor … they’ve been taken up to the palace for questioning.” One of the guards spoke up, interrupting them. “But we can’t find the prince.”
Asher nodded, his attention shifting to Ninia. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know. Elias ran … I told him to.”
A beat of silence followed, before Asher’s face went hard. “Why did you do that?”
Ninia met his gaze squarely. “Elias saved my life; I knew what would happen if he was caught.”
“He entered the city under false pretenses,” Asher growled. “He is an enemy of the Kingdom. He came here to assassinate you.”
Ninia snorted. “You’ve a short memory, Asher … weren’t you once sent to kill me too?”
The High Enchanter stiffened, his silver gaze narrowing. “Aye, but I’m not a trained killer.”
“I don’t think you and the prince are that different,” Ninia countered. “You’re both tormented by your own conscience.” Her mouth curved then. “The guards went after Elias … but I doubt they’ll catch him.”
Asher cursed. “I can’t believe you let him escape.”
Ninia continued to face Asher down. Her eyes gleamed in the lamplight, and she suddenly looked much older than fourteen. “Elias had plenty of opportunities to attack me over the past days,” she said finally. “But he didn’t take any of them. Just like you, people can change. Elias isn’t the same man who tracked us into The Forest of Fallen.” She glanced over at Ryana, her gaze pointed. “Something’s shifted in him ever since he arrived here.”
Ryana didn’t answer. She didn’t trust herself to.
Ninia shifted her attention back to Asher, chin lifting in defiance. “I know Nathan won’t be pleased about this, but I’ll deal with the consequences.”
