Page 60 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
Joking made this entire situation less frightening. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”
“Don’t die,” Allie said, trying to sound light and easy, but coming out pleading.
“Don’t kill anyone.”
Allie pursed her lips, looking back at her door. “I also don’t make those kinds of promises.”
As the portal dissipated into the air, I limped out of the library, trying to leave my failure amongst the books. But the discouragement clung to me like a bad smell as I reached the veranda, only to find Goose staring out at the courtyard with disbelief.
I couldn’t believe the sight before me either.
Chapter
Eighteen
EVIE
My yard was no longer an empty plot of land.
A row of twelve wooden statues had sprouted next to the fence. Or maybe they were effigies, carved for slaughter, because Adara was just slashing through each and every one of them.
The third got sliced in two, from its tilted, faceless head, down to its wooden stand, as she catapulted herself into the air, defying gravity itself. So that’s where Zandyr had learned to cut people in two.
The next mannequin was taken down by a knife hidden in the heel of Adara’s boot. One long sweep of her leg, and the head rolled onto the ground in a burst of dust. The fifth one got tackled to the ground, shards of wood and wool flying through the air.
Goose whistled. “She’s…”
“Yeah,” I muttered. It was amazing to see her training and watch her body contort as if it wasn’t made out of bones and muscles.
It did nothing to help my nerves about talking to her, though. She looked fierce. Meanwhile, I hobbled down the stairs toward her.
Just as Adara readied one of her daggers to throw at the next target, my leg caught on a pebble.
Adara turned around, knife at the ready. I saw the tension leave her muscles as she studied me, all draped in Capital silk.
“You’re silent,” she said.
“Thanks, I guess.” Ithadsounded like a compliment.
Once her hand fell to her side, I started walking again.
I nodded at the dummies. “Nice decor.”
“Efficient,” she said.
The perfect word to describe her. Gods, good thing she was my bodyguard and not my assassin. I swayed on the spot, letting my weight fall from one foot to another, as a stifling silence fell between us.
“You have a question,” she said. It sounded like an order. She had been spending way too much time with Zandyr; or maybe it had been the other way around.
“I do.” I rolled my shoulders back, as if that could magically make me taller. “Do you know who you need to protect me against?”
Trying to squeeze the truth out of Zandyr was about as likely as me sprouting wings and flying back to Sanctua Sirena. Infuriating man.
From what Allie had told me, oaths really were life and death promises, made during a clear full moon and soaked in blood. She also thought Zandyr was lying through his teeth and had muttered something about wishing to knock them out.
“Everyone,” Adara said.
I clasped my hands in front of me, loudly. Blood Brotherhood members, current or former, were mighty obstinate. “Who attacked me?”
