Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“We will waste too much time, and we need to get everyone inside to prepare,” Alwar points out. “Let us go.”
We walk over to Rool and tell him the plan. He orders his men to get into formation.
We start walking toward the base of the wall, through fields growing with coffee beans and some sort of grain. Off in the distance, water pours from high up in the wall, creating a waterfall that pools into a small lagoon before running into a stream that feeds the rest of Monsterland. It’s actually nice here on the War People’s lands. They have water, they grow food, and they live in a giant castle. It’s what made me think of my original plan. If all the kingdoms had this, they’d be happy.
I was so, so wrong. And now that I think about it, it’s strange that so many leaders seemed on board with that original peace plan. Even Mato.
Idiot. Because they were lying. It was a trick. They were just going along, planning their coup.
We’re almost to the part of the wall where the pullies are in place, dangling off a structure too high in the sky to see from here.
Tiago grabs an arrow from one of the giants traveling with us and lights it. It must be some sort of signal to lower the lifts to us. He shoots it into the sky, but it flickers out.
“Damn you, Tiago. We do not have all day,” Alwar scolds.
I look over at Rool, who seems very agitated. Or anxious. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t stop looking at him. I notice all of his men now have their hair tied back.
Hair gets in the way. It’s why the War men shave off their beards and chop off their long hair before battle.
Something doesn’t feel right, and I’ve been feeling it all morning.
“General Rool,” I say loudly, “has there been any word from the rest of your army?”
“No. I am sorry to say they were likely caught off guard and slaughtered with the rest of our people.”
“So easily?” I question. “But I heard the Blood Army is ruthless and impossible to defeat. It’s how Benicio kept power for so long.” Alwar was the only king brave enough to challenge him.
“Fifteen kingdoms against one army.” Rool shrugs.
Gabrio glances over and does a double take, noticing I’m on edge. He comes to stand right beside me.
“Still,” I say to Rool, “seems a little strange that the most badass army in Monsterland was defeated in…what? A handful of hours?” We were gone for four or five hours from the palace when Rool came with the news. “Are you trying to tell me you’re such a pathetic general that your soldiers were crushed by…” I make a disgusted face, “Mountain People?” Everyone looks down on them.
Rool’s pasty, acerbic face contorts into a vision of rage—flared nostrils, clenched jaw, snarling lips. “It was an unfair fight.”
I’m not buying it, and from the look on Gabrio’s face, he’s not either.
Rool goes for the sword on his back, and I instinctively grab the knife from Gabrio’s waistband and lunge. I slice Rool right through his neck.
His hands fly to the gushing wound before he drops to the ground, making a gurgling sound.
Everyone around me stares, like deer in headlights.
“Which one of you lying traitors wants to follow Rool?” I look at the Blood soldiers surrounding us.
With the sort of swiftness only a vampire has, they unsheathe their swords and come at us.
But I’m not hundreds of years old, trained to fight like they are. I’m the first to go down. A sword right through my chest.
Gabrio tries to come to my aid, but the Blood soldier who just stabbed me starts fighting with him. The clanking of metal swords rings in my ears alongside the loud thumping of my beating heart.
As I lie there, drifting out of consciousness, the cries of war and animalistic grunting explode in the air. In my fading peripheral vision, I see vampires flattened like ripe red tomatoes under large, callused feet, while other vampires howl in agony under the hot sun. A War woman traveling with us fends off five vampires who are crawling on her like hungry, rabid rats—biting and clawing at her skin. Horns sound off high above us from the wall. I hope it means the cavalry is coming.
“Lake!” Alwar’s deep voice calls to me among the chaos. I know he’s trying to get to me but can’t.
“You will never be our queen, you weak, pathetic excuse of a Blood woman.” Standing over me is a pale man with a baby face and hate in his cold eyes. He’s holding a hunting knife covered in blood.
“Is that a promise?” I mutter.
“Yes.”
The words glow red in front of me and drift to my skin. He watches, momentarily distracted.