Page 3 of House of the Raven
Bastardos!When are the veilfallen going to stop killing innocent people?
I hold tightly to the girl and run away from the center of the plaza. When we reach the bordering buildings, she wiggles out of my arms and runs parallel to the wall.
“Come.” She beckons with one small hand as she disappears through the door of a tavern.
I follow her in and come to a halt. A group of startled people blink at me, looking anything but friendly. The little girl runs into the arms of a bulky man.
“Nina.” He crushes her to his chest. “I thought you were upstairs.”
“I was feeding the fish in the fountain. She helped me.” Nina points at me.
The man looks at my hood, gives me a distrustful nod. “Thank you?” It sounds like a question.
I throw the hood back to reveal my face, my ears. Everyone needs to see they aren’t pointy.
“Princess Valeria?!” A woman says.
Wait, what? She recognizesme? Fantástico!
“Veilfallen are out there,” I say to distract them, but also because we’re still in danger. “Everyone, hide until the guards clear the plaza.”
“Damn fae!” the burly man curses, taking Nina behind the bar counter where they duck out of sight.
Everyone else scurries behind furniture and closed doors. I walk to the window to take a peek outside. With a yelp, I jump back. Figures wearing heavy cloaks and cowls are headed this way.
“They’re coming,” I warn as I try to find somewhere to hide. There are many tables, but they will provide no protection.
The door bursts open. I whirl and draw my rapier.
Three veilfallen pile at the threshold. All I see are their eyes. Their cowls leave only a narrow gap between their brows and the bridge of their noses.
The one that stands in front glares at me, dark eyes feral. A scar cuts down his right eyebrow and across his eyelid, its trail getting lost under the cowl. He is massive, his shoulders as wide as the door, his hands long-fingered and strong. They curl into fists as his eyes flick down to my weapon and sparkle with amusement.
He takes a step forward as if I’m not there.
The conceited bastardo!
I take a step to the side and block his path, the tip of my rapier grazing his middle. “Where do you think you’re going, veilfallen?”
“Let us pass,girl,if you value your life.” His deep voice is calm, and it sends a shiver up my spine.
Girl?I’m not a girl. I’m twenty years old.
I stand firm. “You will not pass, and you will answer for your crimes.” I don’t know where the conviction in my voice is coming from, but I’m glad for it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I try to see if anyone in the tavern is coming to my aid, but it seems I’ve landed in the lower echelons ofcowardice. Or is it the highest? No matter. I only need to thwart these criminals long enough for the Guardia to get here.
“We have to get out of here,” one of the other veilfallen says, a female with violet eyes that shoot daggers at me. “I’ll take care of her.” She steps forward, but the leader puts a hand up.
“No need,” he says as, with one callous finger, he pushes my rapier to the side.
Annoyed, I point the weapon back at his middle.
He pushes it again in the same manner and says, “You look familiar. Have I met you before?”
“No,” I snap. “I don’t associate with criminals.”
“They’re coming, River,” the female warns.
