Queen of Nothing (Long Live the Apocalypse Book 2) by Harper Alexander

Author:Harper Alexander [Alexander, Harper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-27T16:00:00+00:00

14:

Court

The drop-off I thought I’d seen from above proved an accurate assessment when the mist cleared and hills rose before us. The marshes occupied a shallow valley.

Out of breath from sprinting and slogging our way through the swampy terrain, stalked for a span by bog-dogs, we trudged up the damp hillside, the swish of rust-colored wildflowers and crack of straw-like chaff sounding against our boots. At the top of the hill we paused to catch our breath, looking back over the brooding white land in our wake.

“Well, would you look at that,” Caster said after a few moments. Curious, I followed his gaze, not sure what he could possibly be looking at across the vast obscurity. “If you wait for the right shift in the mist, you can see the tip of the mast, poking above the fog.”

It took me a few moments more, but then I saw it, too.

Caster was grinning. “That will be handy for finding the thing again.”

I couldn’t help but mirror his smile. Finally, a small stroke of luck.

Hunched way over, Kole gave in and sat to get the most out of our rest stop. “What was that thing back there?”

I searched for a way to explain. Caster responded first, but wasn’t much help.

“That is the question, innit?”

“I got the impression,” Kole panted, “that you’d dealt with it before.”

“Oh, you could say that,” Caster confirmed. “Just ask Queenie, here, what kind of handshake it has.”

Another question in Kole’s stormy green eyes. I’d never felt so on a different page than him.

“No one’s ever seen it,” I explained. “But it ambushed us next to camp. Tossed Ecker aside like a rag doll and dragged me away. All we know is that it smells like brine, clangs like metal, and bleeds like you or me.” My brows pinched together. “Blue blood, though, apparently.”

At Kole’s bewildered, wary expression Caster’s grin widened. “Welcome to the Chemlands, mate,” he drawled with dark cheer, and then he started off once again toward camp.

*

“Well, I’ll be steamed,” Galant said, turning at the sound of our approach. “The storm-chasers return.”

I hadn’t realized I was nervous to see how we would be received until that moment. It was very un-queenly, running off without an explanation, on what was likely viewed as a suicide mission, no less. As if to prove it had been for good reason, I slopped my sack of goods down in front of him.

“Couldn’t let the captain monopolize all the spoils of the apocalypse,” I said. “Hello, Galant.”

No sooner had I thought we’d been welcomed with open arms than Galant was crossing said arms, treating me to a stern stare.

It took a conscious effort of will to master my nerves. I refused to squirm at the allusion to a lecture. I would be lectured by no man. So I drew an uncertain breath and forced myself to stand tall under the weight of his judgment, ready for whatever he might throw at me.

After a very uncomfortable span, he let me off the hook, severe façade cracking.

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.