Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
But he hasn’t always taken his brother’s advice. I also remember them trading blades in the castle sparring court. It was basically a pissing contest of egos. “I’m sure you and Lord Telor will come up with the right plan.”
Zander bites his bottom lip. “What did you wish to speak to me about?”
“I just … Something doesn’t feel right about all this.”
“About what? Reclaiming Lyndel?”
“No, about why Malachi would bring an army through the Nulling just to have them seize a city so close to the rift.”
“He knows we will fight to reclaim it and lose soldiers in the process.”
“Then why not attack us from behind while we’re focused on the rift? Or in the morning, right after we’ve been fighting all night?” I remember the dawn after Hudem when the eastern army arrived, everyone bloodied and battered. If they had come to fight, we would have lost thousands of soldiers, even with Caindra’s help.
“It doesn’t seem like the wisest move if he aims to deplete our strength,” he agrees. “Perhaps he wishes to defeat our spirit as well. Lyndel is iconic. It has never fallen. Losing it to the enemy so swiftly is a blow to Islor’s morale. Did you see those soldiers when we arrived earlier?”
“Yeah.” A mixture of shock and anger painted their faces. “But his army is now surrounded in a fortified city … for what?” My gut burns with warning. “What if this is to distract us?”
“You think he has something bigger planned that he wishes us not to see?”
“It’s Malachi. He’s a god. For him to plan all that he has, just to come here and sit in a castle, sending out letters, while his beast army sits behind that wall?”
Zander scratches his chin in thought. “There is no way to find out what he is up to, short of going to Cirilea to see what we can learn.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He shakes his head. “It’s a bad idea. I narrowly escaped last time.”
“You weren’t discreet when you showed up.” I give him a knowing look. “But if we were to use the nymph door …” I let my words drift.
“Malachi will have the nymphaeum heavily guarded.”
“Probably, which is why Jarek and Abarrane would come with us. And if it’s too dangerous, I pull us right out of there in an instant.” I shrug as if it’s not a big deal. Meanwhile, my pulse pounds in my ear, and I know he can sense it. “Those doors are meant to get answers, and that’s what we need. Answers about what Malachi is planning, what his angle is.”
Zander’s jaw tenses, but I can see the flittering thoughts behind his eyes, the calculation. “The guards could prove useful for information.”
“Malachi will assume we’re occupied with retaking Lyndel. We could be in and out before he had any idea we were there. Plus, we could ask about Annika.”
I’ve said the magic name. Not knowing where his sister landed in all this—if she’s even alive—is a heaviness he can’t shake.
He purses his lips. “If we are going, we must go now. Ailis will not wish to hold off securing Lyndel much longer.”
I stretch onto my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. “I’ll meet you by the dragons.” My soft chuckle follows. “Something I never imagined myself saying.”
The wrinkled shadow wielder wishes to speak to you should you return.
Oredai’s intrusion slips into my mind, unwelcome, the moment we cross the threshold into Ulysede’s castle. “I assume you mean Agatha?”
The Cindrae escort falls into step with us as we move toward the library.
We do not bother ourselves with learning their names.
“Right, I can see how that would be inconvenient for you,” I say dryly. “Why did you call her a shadow wielder?”
Because that is what she is.
“His voice box doesn’t work today?” Zander sighs, annoyed.
“I guess not.” Even if it did, I doubt his answers would be any clearer.
“Where are all the nymphs?” Abarrane looks down another empty hall.
Oredai drags his black eyes over her from top to bottom, as if deciding whether she is worthy of an answer. “They were removed from the castle upon Her Highness’s orders. Those within the golden city who could not abide the orders of civility have been exiled.”
“But there are practically none left in the streets. Are you telling us they couldn’t stop fighting?” Jarek asks. He’s right. We passed maybe a dozen in total. Ulysede has become a ghost town again.
The Cindrae grins, flashing his jagged teeth. “That is their nature, much as it is your kind’s nature.”
“Where did they go?” I ask.
Wherever they feel they belong.
Another nonanswer. We reach the library doors.
“Thanks for the escort, Oredai.” That we didn’t ask for. “You can remain out here.” I don’t bother smiling before we march into the library. I still haven’t forgiven him for not warning me about the poison in Jarek before it was almost too late.