Page 61 of The Courting of Bristol Keats
“She’s a fucking knight sworn in your service. What is the matter with you?”
“She was the last one to see Cael.”
“So what if she was? That’s not proof of anything!”
There was definitely more hot blood than ice in her veins, at least when it came to Cosette, but Tyghan didn’t get a chance to respond.
“Ahead,” Dalagorn whispered.
Tyghan spotted the torn flesh and dark glistening puddles at the same time—and then the pink skinned carcass of a lamb.
Theshingof four swords cut the air and they moved into formation. Tyghan lifted his free hand, ready to call to service whatever other energies he might need. As they rounded the bend, the trail opened up onto a meadow—and sweeping carnage.
Pieces of sheep, horses, and shepherds were strewn everywhere—the leftovers. The attack was finished. It looked like the aftermath of a feeding frenzy by drunk animals, but they weren’t feeding. The restless dead were gathering. They were gleaning body parts. Choosing bones, heads, and sinew to create their own bodies. Parts of the field were burned, and the nauseating scent of burnt flesh and fur choked the air.
Quin got down from his horse and knelt beside the headless torso of a ram and placed his hand on its belly. “Twenty minutes at most. We just missed them.”
It was uncertain if their small scouting party of four would have survived such an attack—especially a surprise one. It only took a few restless dead to wreak so much devastation, especially against unarmed shepherds and sheep—but it just as well might have been a massive flock of creatures.
For hours after their discovery, they searched the area from land and air, hoping to make another sighting of the swarming creatures or find evidence of a portal, but the countryside only held a false veneer of serenity. Maybe that was the most unnerving.
It wasn’t the first bloodbath any of them had witnessed, but the image of the pink skinned lamb swam in Tyghan’s thoughts, making his stomach muscles knot. The wanton pillaging was not something he would ever get used to. By the time they got back to the palace late that evening, Tyghan was set on stepping up the training. The recruits were far from ready for an encounter with the dead—especially Keats. She would be a lamb in their sights.
CHAPTER 41
Bristol’s breath rolled in dark clouds in her chest, her eyes locked with Tyghan’s.
They’d had a rough afternoon. Tyghan was always a relentless taskmaster, but that day he’d been worse. She wondered if a gremlin had crawled beneath his skin when he was in Mistriven. He pushed them past their limits, barking orders at every turn. She was relieved when the day was finally over. They were all tired, battered, and bruised as they gathered up their jackets and packs. She slung her arm over Avery’s shoulder in commiseration as they limped away, but then Tyghan ordered one more round in the maze.
She whirled to face him. “I think we’re all done for the day.”
“No. You’re not.” He stood there, rigid, a scowling pillar of stone.
“Don’t you ever relax? Chill?”
His scowl remained unchanged.
“Chillmeans—”
“I know what it means,” he answered.
“Judging by your tone, I can confirm that you don’t!Chill.”
A chorus of breaths sucked in around her, but Bristol was too tired and testy to back down.
Tyghan stepped closer, towering over her. “And judging by your tone, I can confirm you’re about to do two more rounds.”
Bristol hooted. “And I can confirm that you’re completely delusional.”
His brows pulled down, his bearing like a dark storm ready to strike. “Is that so?”
It was only a matter of seconds before she learned it was not wise to throw down a gauntlet to a fae king in front of his officers. Or other recruits. Or maybe anyone. Ever.
He surveyed the surrounding recruits and proposed Avery do Bristol’s additional rounds. Avery paled.
“She will n—” Bristol watched the officers close in. This was a battle she wouldn’t win, not without it costing Avery or the others something. She should have thought of that. “Let them all go for the day,” she said instead, “and I’ll do three.”
He nodded in agreement. “See? I know exactly how tochill.”
