The Realm of Dust and Bone (The Curse of Fire and Stone Book 2) by A.B Bloom

Author:A.B Bloom [Bloom, A.B]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-06-03T05:00:00+00:00

As our troop of soldiers and me in the carriage made our way towards it, Palatine Hill loomed in the distance. For a moment I set aside my regrets and concerns and sat mesmerised by the sight.

This was Palatine Hill, the seat of power in Ancient Rome. And I was there, little ‘ol me from Queens.

The villas and buildings got bigger, more elaborate. When we halted outside the grandest villa, palatial and perfect, I knew we had arrived at where my long journey had been leading me.

I clung onto the chariot while The Mage swept forward. Away from the healing house, she was garbed once again in her black cloak, her silver hair hidden under the folds of the hood.

My own white dress was adorned by gold stitching, my hair woven with gem ornaments. The fact I was being delivered to the Emperor of Rome, the most powerful man in existence, like a stuffed overfed turkey was impossible to ignore.

I was a prize.

The Mage looked relaxed as she motioned me down. She was delivering me. I’d imagine her prize would be significant. My palms tingled with sweat, and my legs shook. There was no thrum of energy beneath my feet. The buildings were so compact there weren’t many trees to be seen. There was the odd olive tree in walled gardens, but there was no power of a forest for me to utilise.

I’d spent the ride from the healing house into the city shutting off my emotions. If what Augustus had said was correct, the best thing for me to do was to keep my heart and emotions tightly under wraps.

This went against everything I’d been thinking. I’d come all this way to learn how to wield the magic I contained. Now the prospect of shutting it off to protect it seemed almost futile. But this was the way it was. I’d driven myself almost into enemy hands, and now I no longer knew who the enemy was.

Go, Mae.

Right then, as I stepped down onto the road by the carriage, I wished more than I ever had before that I’d never got on that plane. If I’d stayed in Queens, never met Tristan Prince then maybe all this wouldn’t be happening.

But then who was to say we wouldn’t have found one another anyway. Maybe that was the point.

Or, maybe, and this was more than likely the case, I knew nothing and never would.

“Only speak when you are spoken to.” The Mage shot me a shrewd glance.

“That won’t be a problem,” I assured her.

“Mae.” I hesitated at the softness in her tone, turning almost unwillingly. “He’s been looking for you a long time. Don’t be too surprised by what you find.”

My stomach tightened, made all the worse by finding a bright-blue pair of eyes settled at me from a few feet away. If Augustus’ words were true and he was just setting my magic free, why the hell was he looking at me like that? Like he was partially disappointed in me.

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