Page 61 of Blood of the Fallen
CHAPTER 24
IturnedawayfromVal’s inert body and faced the camp. For the first time, I had an opportunity to really look around, and what I saw chilled my very soul. Smoke snaked toward the dark sky as the tents burned, almost every single one of them. Bodies lay on the ground, strewn within the tent circle. So many fallen and motionless. So much blood.
My head pounded as I fought to look ahead. My gaze wanted to stray and help me deny what I was seeing.
In the distance, toward the fringes of the camp, I could hear people still screaming. It took me a moment to snap out of my frozen state.
Val is dead.
The thought fought to be heard.
He’s dead!
When it finally broke through, I relaxed my hand and let the sword drop. I wiped my hand in my pants, cleaning the blood that had slid from the cut in my arm. Vaguely, I noticed the wound was almost fully healed, then called my wolf forward. The shift rippled through me in an instant, and the next thing I knew, I was running toward Nirliq and pushing a message out.
Everyone can shift now. Shift and fight!
When I got to Nirliq, I snapped my teeth close around her dress and dragged her behind the tent, hiding her as best as I could, then took off in the direction of the cries. As I came around the tent on the other side, that blanket of fallen bodies greeted me. I halted, heart pounding in terror.
No. No. No.
I scanned their slack faces and saw Nirliq’s father, Maki, and Bethel. My spirits sank, despair taking hold of me. This couldn’t be.
Bethel’s hand twitched, pulling me back into the moment. I ran to her and shifted back when I reached her. A trickle of blood ran over her temple. I picked up her hand and squeezed her fingers. The bangles around her wrist tinkled, and incongruous sound among all the screams and moans of pain. She was on her stomach, cheek pressed to the ground. Her eyes blinked open and met mine.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“I… I got knocked out, but I’m fine.”
I quickly let my gaze rove over Maki. A nasty burn had scorched his stomach, but he was breathing.
Thank the moon!
Bethel pulled her hand away from mine and started to get up. I helped her and, once on her feet, nearly dragged her to the edge of the camp and pushed her behind a tree.
“Die, die once for all,” I heard Magistrate Novus snarl as I started back toward Maki.
I glanced over and peered through the branches to see the magistrate standing over someone as she let electricity run through her fingertips and blasted her victim in the head. The body twitched as it was electrocuted. A moan escaped them, and I immediately knew who it was.
Kall!
“Stay hidden!” I ordered Bethel, then started to go, but she caught my wrist and pulled me back.
Shaking her head, she said, “There’s only one thing you can do.”
I wanted to yank my wrist from her grip, but something in her voice made me pause and meet her gaze.
“The rite.” She reached under the skirts of her patchwork dress and pulled out a dagger. She pressed the small weapon into my hand, her eyes flicking toward the fire pit at the center of the camp.
“I… I thought the Chieftess had to do it.” But where was she? I hadn’t seen any signs of her or Ila and Novuk.Oh, please!
“Anyone can start it, but a witch has to finish it.” She tore the necklace and vial from around her next and pressed it to my other hand. “Pour their blood and yours over the coals. Go!” She shoved my shoulder. “I have enough magic left in me to at least do that.”
I staggered back, and the certainty in her eyes sealed it for me.
Clenching the dagger tightly, I nodded, whirled on my heel, and ran to the fire pit. I kneeled in front of it, uncapped the vial, and poured Kall, Maki, and Novuk’s combined blood over the dying embers. As it hissed, I sliced the dagger over my palm, cutting deeply. Blood pooled. I made a fist and started to move it over the coals when searing, burning heat struck my shoulder, knocking me sideways. I hit the ground, the vision of huge, lapping flames surrounding my body materialized in front of me. Pain dug its claws into me, dragging them down the length of my spine and making me scream in agony.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Magistrate Novus asked.
