Lies
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Istepped out to the four scattered fires lighting up the expanse inside the small, makeshift village.
The thrum of heavy, thundering hoofbeats reverberated through the earth. There was only one person who could make the earth tremble like that.
“He is coming,” I warned, once again.
Archer took the pommel of his sword and brandished it. Hushed whispers erupted behind us, and I watched others slink into their huts to hide.
“You will not survive a battle with him.”
“So be it.”
Tabby grabbed Archer’s arm, and astonishingly, she managed to get him to slow. As if she were stronger than she looked.
“Do not speak,” I warned.
Abrax came into view galloping at full speed. He went right through the rope, bringing with it one of the amulets. Dirt and salt went flying all over the place with his slowing.
Cassiel dismounted, sword in hand, thick, gooey, blackened insides dried on his person. I stepped before the tip of the sword.
“Do not harm anyone.”
Cassiel cocked his head, studying me. Tabby’s whispered pleas neared. She pushed in front of an angry Archer.
And men were the ones lauded for their reasoning.
Wailing echoed nearer.
Tabby gasped. “The barrier is down!”
That was all the warning before a Hollow burst into the circular, makeshift village.
“Let us return.” Draven grabbed my arm and dragged me behind him as screams erupted behind us.
“You have to help them,” I cried, fighting against his grip as he dragged me. He did not even notice I was trying to be free. Damn his single-mindedness. I threw myself at him, smacking against his chest.
“What are you doing?” His deep voice reached my ears past the screeching.
“Help them, my lord.”
He cocked his head.
“Put the amulet up!” I shouted, waving like mad to get Tabby’s attention.
“Petty mortal squabbles are not my concern.” With that, he swept me into his arms and pushed me on top of Abrax.
“Cassiel! Is it not your duty to protect them?”
“No, I destroy the creatures because my instinct urges me to, not for the safety of mortals.” He shrugged. “They will all die eventually.”
He hoisted himself up and settled against me.
“Please, Cassiel,” I breathed so low that the screaming from around the woods should have made it impossible for him to hear, but he twitched. I squeezed his thigh.
He sighed and lifted the sword in hand. “Hold on to me.” I did not need to be told twice. I hugged his arm as he guided Abrax to one of the Hollows Archer was jabbing and slicing at.
He moved back in time for Abrax not to stomp on him, and Cassiel sliced right through the neck. The Hollow’s head slid off its body, oozing a thick, mucus consistency.
“Throw it in the flames!” Archer bellowed the order. “Dareem, help me get the amulets back in place.”
A sharp scream came from Tabby. She was on the ground, in front of another young child with blood leaking down the boy’s face.
Tabby placed herself between the boy and the Hollow .
. . This one had sharp spikes in its strange, leathery flesh leading from the tip of its beak-like face, all the way down the spine.
And it crawled on six limbs.
It lashed out and sliced at her, managing to catch her across the arm. She flinched, shoving her heels into the dirt to back away from it. I yanked Abrax’s reins from Cassiel and smashed my heel into his side to lead us to her.
Abrax’s neigh drowned out Cassiel’s hiss.
The decrepit creature whirled, as if feeling his impending demise. It chittered and hunched away from us—no, from Cassiel.
It went skittering into the woods.
“I got the final amulet up!” a deep voice shouted.
Archer came bolting to Tabby, grabbing her shoulders to look at her closely.
Cassiel was incredibly stiff as he shook the sword, sending oozing globs off it. He then fed it into the sheath he’d strapped to Abrax’s side. My knee smacked into the handle.
“These are redbloods,” he said.
At his words, the boy behind Tabby cried out, and an older woman ran to him. She was also bleeding scarlet from a cut on her arm.
“They are under my protection!” Archer shouted, getting in front of them all.
“An illegal village with unregistered redbloods.” Cassiel hummed.
I did not want to know what he would do. I met Tabby’s fearful gaze, hating that I would not be able to get answers about the ‘suppressors’ they mentioned.
Digging my heel into Abrax’s side sent him forward, and I yanked the reins to the side. Only a few lopes and we were away from the village.
Cassiel grasped the reins, but I refused to release them, so we ended up grappling with them. Abrax whinnied and shook his head from side to side until we turned him in a full circle.
“Cassiel, stop!”
“Being an unregistered redblood is a criminal offense.” That was the very phrase I feared he would say. “Based on your tensing, that is what they are. I counted five redbloods, but I have a sneaking suspicion there were many more.”
I twisted my torso to peek at him. He watched me with that steady, cold gaze.
“Do not expose them,” I whispered. “Cassiel. They are not harming anyone.”
A muscle jumped along his jaw, and he did not remove his gaze from mine.
“I do not have time to deal with the unregistered. We must return to the Kingdom.”
I finally let go of the reins and he took control of Abrax. Further and further from answers Tabby had been about to give me.
Wailing erupted through the night. The Hollows were emerging from their slumber. I shivered, hugging Cassiel’s arm harder.
“Cassiel . . . what was that crawling thing?”
“I do not know, mortal. I do not know.” His voice lowered on the second part. If this was new even to the Warlord, we were in true danger.
“Is it true they are able to withstand dawnlight?”
“Yes, before I came to you, I found one prowling.”
“That is not good.”
“No, it is not,” he agreed.
What was unsaid hovered between us: it was especially bad because Cassiel’s powers were faltering, and he was the greatest weapon against those creatures.