Page 103 of A War of Embers

Unknowingly, I just left the very people I want to protect vulnerable to an attack.

My nerves have my heart racing, my fingers growing numb as I grab onto Zeke’s spikes in a death grip. Please let them stay safe while we do this.

This will all be over soon.

I repeat the words over and over again in my head as we rush towards Tellus. The only thing keeping me from going over the deep end emotionally is the knowledge Rowan’s magic will protect them. He can’t die, therefore he will do everything within his power to protect them from an attack. He’s just going to be supremely pissed when he finds out it was Zeke and I who broke the veil.

As the land of Tellus grows closer, my nerves fire up. I thought the journey would take longer, but the sea isn’t as vast from up here. It looks like a sliver of a large river is separating Tellus from Aïdes, but I know better than to believe what my eyes see.

Zeke is heading straight for Cinnabar District, and I scream as loudly as I can to be heard over the wind and his beating wings, “Go right! Where there’s no light!”

Milliseconds later, Zeke banks towards the right, almost toppling me into the sea as he turns sharply. There’s no cry of distress, no screams coming from the land beneath us so I pray whatever magic Zeke’s using to conceal us in the night continues to work until we land.

After another few long, brutal moments in the air, Zeke lands on the edge of the cliff where the iron railing ceases to exist. In the land where no one can claim, but the thieves and assassins use as their home.

As soon as he lands, I slide down his wing and onto familiar soil. He shifts a moment later, raising his brow at me as he glances over towards the woods in front of us. His clothes are black, similar to what he was wearing when we left, but I can see the scales protruding out of the collar of his shirt. “Looks desolate from this angle,” he comments.

We both turn as one to look at the shimmering city, now visible across the sea. “We were told it was the land of the dead.” I breathe out deeply. “Now everyone will know it’s the land of the living.”

Zeke smirks. “You act like us leaving is going to leave them exposed. I can replace the veil.”

Spinning around in shock, I can only gape at him for several long moments. “You can replace the veil?”

He shrugs. “Sure. Though I’ll have to do it again when we fly back. I used up quite a bit of magic getting us over there. With it being night, the veil being down isn’t as big of a deal as it would be during the daylight. As long as we’re back before then, I can leave it down and put it back up no problem.”

I continue to stare in surprise. “You created the veil for Aïdes?”

“What? Did you think your mate did everything for the people there?” Zeke snorts. “I put up the veil after the Province Wars. I can’t expand magic as easily as Lord Rowan can, so I need time to recharge. If I were to put it up now, cross back over the sea and go through it, then have to put it back up, it would take me days of resting to recharge. Since I don’t know anything about this land but what you’ve told everyone, I don’t think expanding my magic is a good idea.”

“Definitely not.” Turning back around, I scan the trees but don’t see anything out of the ordinary. “This place isn’t safe.”

“So, where are we going?” Zeke asks.

Pointing down the coastline to the left, I tell him, “That direction is where the Cinnabar District is located. If we go there, Lady Gwenyth will no doubt find us.” Pointing in the opposite direction, I add, “And going that way will lead us to the Obsidian District. They don’t necessarily get along, but I imagine I have a bounty on my head and a demand for my retrieval and return.”

“Then there’s a possibility you’ll be kidnapped,” Zeke chuckles. “Lovely.”

“Trust me. They won’t want to deal with me.”

“Because you’re a badass.”

“You know most people in Tellus are terrified of me,” I remind him. “Here I go by the Slayer of Cinnabar. Anyone trying to cash in on my capture is either an idiot or has a death wish. No one is going to take me in. I can assure you, I’ll be safe. Though if they come at me in numbers, having you will be helpful to get rid of them faster.”

Zeke snickers but turns his gaze towards the trees directly in front of us. “So we go through here and hope for the best?”

“We’re on a path.”

The dragon looks beneath us, staring at the rocky ground and frowns. “You call this a path? There’s nothing worn into the ground to give away that this is how you go.”

“Trust me, it’s there. People from here don’t require obvious signs of use to know where to go. If we head south towards Cinnabar, there will be a cut off towards the mountains.”

“What happens if we miss the turn off?”

“We end up in Kyanite District, held for ransom and probably disemboweled for fun,” I deadpan. The ruler of Kyanite is an asshole and sadist who will do whatever he wants to my body, knowing Lady Gwenyth will pay whatever fee necessary to ensure my return. And since I can’t die, there’s nothing short of trying to pull my souls out the bastard wouldn’t try.

“But anyone we come across on this little quest is going to try to kidnap you.” Zeke phrases it as a statement, but I answer him like it’s a question.

“Yes. You have permission to kill them on sight if you want. Just try not to draw too much attention to us if you can help it.”

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