Bonesmith (House of the Dead Duology) by Nicki Pau Preto

Author:Nicki Pau Preto [Pau Preto, Nicki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: 2023-07-24T21:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

Despite Julian’s stance on the matter, Wren had taken some bonedust from several of the bonesmith corpses before they left. She had not relished it, but she needed to replenish. Besides, the House of Bone didn’t have the same conventions as the ironsmiths did. Wren would welcome any bonesmith who needed to loot her corpse should she happen to die on this mission. It was only pragmatic, like Julian had said.

The bridge loomed in the distance as they left the battlefield behind, tantalizingly close but also too far. They had at least an hour until they reached the crossing, and glancing up at the sky, Wren thought they had even less time until darkness fell. The clouds above hung heavy and low in the sky, bringing early night and threatening rain, stealing what little protection sunlight might have given them.

They were just making their final approach when her senses started to prickle. Squinting into the growing darkness, she came to an abrupt halt, throwing out an arm to stop Julian as well.

Revenants blocked their path.

There were three of them in varying states of decay, maybe twenty paces from where Wren and Julian stood. Beyond, just visible over the rise, was the bridge.

Wren’s hands went for her swords.

“Go,” they said, all three of them in unison. Just like those from the forest, speaking without lips or lungs and making the same simple request.

Fear lanced through her, quickly followed by anger. Her hands, resting idly on the hilts of her swords, tightened. This was the world of the living, and she was a bonesmith, a valkyr, here to protect the living from the undead. She would not allow herself to be afraid of them, and she’d be damned if she started taking orders from them.

“No,” she replied firmly. Julian’s head whipped around, as if he thought she’d been talking to him.

“Go. Now.”

“No,” Wren said again, grip tightening on her swords. “Why should we?”

“Go. Because she wills it. And he commands it.”

She wills it? Maybe that meant the Corpse Queen… but then who was this he they were referring to?

“What are you doing?” Julian asked, expression bewildered.

“I’m talking to them?” she said, assuming that answer was obvious. But no, Julian was wide-eyed with confusion.

“And they’re talking back?” he asked.

Could he—did he not hear it?

“They…,” she said breathlessly. “They’re telling us to go. Like last night?”

He shook his head, uncomprehending, and Wren swallowed thickly. She looked away from him, staring down the revenants instead.

Three she could handle. Three she could deal with.

But then she remembered what Julian had said. It didn’t matter that she could take them. What mattered was that she shouldn’t. They had a better shot of getting away if she didn’t engage them.

So, as much as she wanted a fight, she dropped her hands from her weapons and reached for him instead.

“Come on,” she said, diving between a cluster of rocks along the side of the road.

If they moved quickly, they might be able to lose them—or lure them into following behind, opening a path to the bridge.

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