Page 148 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
“Every mercy carries a sacrifice.”
Of course it did–and I knew what sacrifice this creature wanted.
I raised my hand and opened my palm, fighting the instinct to fist it and fight. Violence was rarely the answer and the Warden hadn’t done anything to me.
Yet.
His head bowed toward my palm. Putrid air emanated from behind his mask, skimming across my skin as he sniffed me. I wanted to recoil so badly, but held still.
The Warden hummed low in his throat–if he even had one hidden underneath those robes–and drew one long, painful line with his nail across my palm. I grit my teeth and tensed my stomach.
Blood flowed instantly to the surface. I fisted my hand and let the drops flow into the Warden’s cupped hands. With each drop, he vibrated with hunger.
Once his fingers had been coated and I felt more lightheaded, he whirled around and hunched over, guzzling my blood.
The few drops that escaped his beastly hunger dripped onto the bone chimes. For a moment, their song sounded mournful.
Geryll made a retching sound. I couldn’t afford the luxury of weakness, though my own insides wanted to spill so badly, right onto these sacred stones.
“Sweet.” The Warden hissed in reverie. “Old.”
He licked his palms with sickening slurps. Nadya and Geryll drew closer to me.
My power surged through my veins, stitching the wound quickly. But the revulsion and nausea remained, coiling low in my stomach.
The creature arched his back, mask to the sky, and howled. An awful, bone-crushing sound that shook the ground. The mist was right for not drawing closer.
“Very well, son of Mireya,” the Warden rumbled and turned. “The outsiders shall be spared if needed. You can enter.”
I placed one hand on each of their shoulders, warm and encouraging. Because I godsdamn well knew I didn’t want to draw closer to the creature, so Nadya and Geryll must have been petrified.
“Does he want our blood, too?” Nadya asked, worried.
“You will not be harmed. Let’s go.”
I gently pushed them forward, keeping my chest and arms wide, so they’d feel more covered and protected alongside me.
I was afraid, but nobody–especially the two of them–could see that.
“No, daughter of despair, I have no need for your blood,” The Warden said as we passed him. Geryll began to tremble and even Nadya flinched underneath my steady hand.
We quickened our steps, putting as much distance between us and the creature as possible.
I half wanted the Northern Clans to start a brawl so I wouldn’t have to walk past him again.
But just as we passed through the arch and the darkness engulfed us, the Warden’s voice hunted me down. “Careful, son of Mireya. The trap is about to snap shut.”
Chapter
Thirty
ALLIE
The city felt different.
Perhaps I was different, no longer a creeping cadence to my steps, a scheming tightness to my shoulders, or a suspicious glimmer to my gaze.
There was still apprehension.
