A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane

Author:Milla Vane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2020-02-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

YVENNE

They had ridden quickly that morning, but it was nothing compared to the pace they set for the remainder of the day. Three times, revenants caught up to the riders. The creatures were no longer under her brother’s control but were still fixated on the humans as prey, their scent easy to trail on the road—and unlike the horses, the revenants never needed to slow or to rest.

By sunset, the tall grasses had given way to green marshlands studded with groves of giant ferns. Ahead lay the scattered remains of Hanan’s colossal statue that had once straddled the banks of the Ageras river. Exhaustion stole any amazement or wonder that Yvenne might have mustered at the sight of the gargantuan head half buried in the earth, its sculpted eyelashes so lifelike that the breeze stirring through them gave the appearance of the god stirring to wakefulness.

It was full dark before Maddek called a halt beside the statue’s head—because they could ride no farther. A flushed and fevered Toric was swaying in his saddle. As Maddek helped Yvenne down, they saw the young warrior slide unbalanced from his mount, caught at the last moment by Banek.

Pushing aside her fatigue, Yvenne told Maddek, “If you tend to my horse, I will tend to Toric.”

She knew not why his jaw tightened and his expression darkened, and she had little care. Nor did she care to hear any answer from him but agreement.

“If someone else looks after him, there will be one less warrior to stand watch tonight, though both revenants and soldiers might be behind us,” she pointed out. “And I am no stranger to caring for someone weakened by poison.”

That dark gaze searched her face for a moment before he gave a short nod. “You may.”

She would have, anyway. Just as she would continue shooting arrows into the eyes of monsters, with or without the approval of her would-be husband.

But although her throat ached when Maddek led away Kelir’s horse without leaving her the warrior’s bow, it was not the moment to wage that battle. The bite on Toric’s leg was inflamed, the edges of the ragged wound swollen. While the others set up camp in the marble shelter formed by the statue’s cheek and nose, she and Banek helped the young warrior to his furs.

His fevered face reddened more when she settled beside him and opened the small pot of salve Banek had given her. “You ought not, my lady. Take your meal and rest.”

“After you have taken yours.” Gently she smeared the medicine over the wound, glad to see that despite the swelling and the heat, no pus seeped out.

Still, it must have been tender. Instead of asking his usual questions, Toric sat with gritted teeth until she finished. As she put the salve aside, his gaze briefly touched her eyes.

“Do you sense him now?”

Her brother. “Not since the eagle fell . . . by your arrow,” she added, her voice warm with praise.

He blushed so fiercely his cheeks looked aflame.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.