Queen of Storms by C. N. Crawford & Katerina Martinez

Author:C. N. Crawford & Katerina Martinez [Crawford, C. N. & Martinez, Katerina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 44553622
Published: 2019-04-24T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

I backed away from Oren’s corpse. This wasn’t exactly like finding a dead body in our shop—those cold slabs of evil. By the time they’d been laid on our wood floor, their bodies had turned blue and stiff. This one streamed hot blood, and I had a nagging doubt in my mind that maybe I shouldn’t have killed him. Any knight who stepped out of their room would scent the coppery smell immediately and come running.

Second of all, Oren had been a loyal servant of the Storm God. Would Taru smite me over this? Was I as mad as the kings of Edinnu?

I shook my head. No … this had been self-defense. Anyone could see that. He was going to kill me. In any case, I couldn’t stand here mentally arguing with myself. I had to hide the body—fast.

I still had the knife in my side, and I was bleeding fast enough that it was making me dizzy. Pain shot through my gut, and I did not relish the thought of pulling it out. Still, I didn’t have much of a choice.

Gritting my teeth, I gripped the hilt and counted to three. I yanked the dagger out of me. Wincing, I lay it down on the floor quietly.

Blood … everywhere. My blood. Oren’s blood. I’d made quite the mess on the hunt for Wren.

Okay, think, Cora. Think.

One thing at a time. Heal belly. Hide body. Clean up the mess. Return to room without anyone noticing.

I pressed my hand to my side and muttered a healing charm, focusing my magic on the wound. It tingled over my side—slow at first, then picking up speed over my ribs and stomach. My body was shaking, but the spell started to work. After only a few seconds, the knife wound began to close.

I breathed out slowly. That was one problem dealt with.

Now what?

I couldn’t leave Oren here. I’d be tracking blood all the way back to my room. I needed to hide him somewhere and clean up the mess.

I tightened my blood-covered fists. Dread blazed in my mind. If only I knew a corpse-dissolving spell….

I scanned the hallway, my thoughts churning like hurricane clouds. Every second that passed increased the possibility that some knight would pop out of their room and find me. This hallway was impossibly long, stretching on forever in both directions, and I had no idea where I was. I’d been running in a panic.

What if I was near the Nathair now? Or the Reaper? What the hells was a Reaper, anyway?

Before panic could sink its claws fully into my heart, I knelt and grabbed Oren by his feet. I started pulling the body, blood and gore streaking the stone behind him. I spotted a door a few feet away from me and headed for it. Oren’s head lolled to the side, and while he left smears of blood, he was no longer spraying it everywhere.

The bastard was heavy. Dragging him wasn’t easy, and I suppressed my grunts. But through sheer force of will, I reached the door.

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