Page 19 of Fallen Stars

“Where are you going?” Ariete mumbled, his eyes flickering shut.

“Got somewhere to be,” he replied, unable to stand another moment in the room.

He left them passed out, parting the crowd that had tripled in size outside the room since he’d been in there. He got to the entrance, about to leave when Stefan stopped him.

“Boss…”

Eli frowned, the look on his doorman’s face unnerving. “What is it?”

“The fighting dens…” Stefan began. “Word says a wraith, some fuckingwitch, wrought a massacre on it a few hours ago.”

Eli’s mind began to whir. “What do you mean?”

“Nearly a hundred dead. A few managed to flee. One came straight here. Said the woman was like a spectre, dressed in black as she murdered three men in the pits with three knives then obliterated most of the crowd.”

Eli closed his eyes. “Show me.”

He and Stefan stalked the streets of The Remains, winding down a few paths until they reached the tunnels to the underground dens.

“Holy fuck.” Stefan tremored, raising his eyes.

Eli followed the motion and stilled.

There, swinging eerily in the breeze were three bodies, mutilated.

“Boss,” Stefan breathed, pointing.

Eli squinted, making out what the mutilations were. AnEon one. AnLon the second. AnIon the last. He almost laughed at the ingenuity, would have found it funny except…except it was an outright disrespect. A sign that everyone in the kingdom would soon hear about, including Ariete. And more than that, why couldn’t she have just fucking waited? Just a day or two, and he’d have been able to reach her. If Ariete got wind of this, he would know instantly that Elara was in the city.

Eli breathed in deeply, trying to not let anger get the better of him. Unlike Ariete, Eli saw wrath as a sloppy, useless emotion. One couldn’t think clearly in troubled waters.

“Get this cleaned up. If you have to set a fire, do it. We’ll call it an unfortunate accident,” Eli said. “Then hunt the people who managed to escape. Pay them off, kill them. I don’t care. The events of tonight never happened.”

Stefan nodded gravely, cracking his neck.

“Then I want you to send a message to Greystone’s Inn.”

Of course he knew where Elara was residing—it was his job to know.

“Address it to ‘The Princess.’”

Stefan nodded again, not needing to ask further.

Eli spun on his heel, marching back towards The Ruby. He looked back around, taking in once more the viciousness in which Elara had blared her presence to him.

“And tell her I received her message,” he growled.

Chapter Seven

Elara sat upright, woken bythe pounding on her door.

“Shit,” she cursed, looking at the wolf lying next to her. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, didn’t think she would without hypnom, but clearly the violence had taken it out of her. She wasn’t even sure if she had seen Enzo, couldn’t remember a thing about her dreams except for a deep darkness. She quickly pressed a hand to Astra’s heart, relieved to feel that it was beating a little stronger than the day before. The water and food she’d given her the moment they’d returned to the inn had replenished the animal a little. She checked the clean cloths she’d wrapped around the wolf for the night to staunch the flow of blood. They were dark and crusted, and the wounds beneath would need cleaning.

The knock sounded again.

“Gods, all right. I’m coming, I’m coming.”

She swung the door open, expecting Merissa or Isra, but instead was surprised to be greeted by a towering giant of a man, his skin pale like the average Castorian, eyes blue.

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