Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
My question is, after so many years, what could possibly be left standing from River Wall?
I think of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Maya, Aztecs. We didn’t have any temples on the estate, and the house was a dilapidated mess. The only thing made to last was…
“Can you do me a favor, Alwar? Send one of the men to the wall and ask him to go down there. Tell him to look for a structure made of large, round, smooth rocks. They’ll be put together with plaster.”
“I do not understand.”
“I know, but will you have it done anyway? Please?” I beg.
He nods slowly. “If he finds this structure, what will it mean?”
“Proof that we’re about to go to war and lose.”
He frowns. “What?”
General Rool appears, looking agitated. Very out of character for him, from what I know.
“My queen,” Rool says, “we have just received word that the palace has been taken.”
I blink. “By who?”
“King Mato. He and his army are slaughtering the Blood People right now as we speak.”
“What?” I step back in horror.
“And they are not alone,” he adds. “We hear that Mato has rallied fifteen of the twenty kingdoms behind him.”
“Shit fuck.” I cover my mouth. “It’s already started.”
Even Alwar’s left speechless.
“We must go now. We must attack,” Rool says, but he’s not looking at me. He’s staring up at Alwar.
My gaze toggles between the two. The tension is through the roof.
I quickly realize what Rool is trying to say—Alwar and the War People must help. Alwar is staring back like he’s telling General Rool to suck his giant cock.
Shit. I can’t afford to lose Rool. He’s the Blood Army’s general, a wealth of strategic information. And I’m not just talking about the vampire army. They’ve kept these kingdoms under their thumb for over a hundred years. He knows all the kings’ and queens’ strengths and weaknesses. Alwar does, too, but he’s been out of power for a long time. Things change.
And if Alwar tells Rool no, a second battle will start right here, right now. There are a hundred vampires and about a hundred War People in our group. It’ll be a draw.
I step between the two. “The Blood Lands are lost,” I say firmly, stepping into my role with as much strength as I can muster. “And going back to the palace is exactly what Mato wants. He’ll be ready.”
“You do not know that,” Rool argues.
“But I do know that you’d both rather die in a blaze of glory than give up your kingdoms to the Mountain People or any other group.” I pause and take a deep breath. “But I also know Mato. He doesn’t think like you guys. He’s a man with a people who have nothing to lose.” Mato probably thought that things for his people would change immediately after we made our agreement. He wasn’t happy when I told him he’d have to be patient. “His patience ran out long ago. It’s probably why he asked me to marry him before we left yesterday. He wanted to see if he could get me to join him.” Alwar would soon be dead anyway, according to Mato. Why not team up with the winning side?
“What?” Alwar roars. “Why did you not tell me this?”
“Because if I had, you would’ve started something. And I wasn’t about to create more issues over your testosterone! This is bigger than us both. It always has been, Alwar. When will you realize it?”
Tiago steps forward from the shadows. “She is right, brother. Mato’s plans reach far beyond the throne. And now he’s preying on your weaknesses. If we return to the Blood Lands, you will be falling into a trap.”
I can’t believe it. Tiago isn’t as dumb as he looks. In fact, he might’ve just saved us all.
“Then, exactly, what do you recommend, my queen?” Rool asks.
“We run like hell to the wall,” I say. “We have to get there before they realize we won’t be coming to defend the palace.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Our only option is to take the soldiers we have and haul ass to the wall. It’s too late for the Blood People, the ones living in or outside the palace. But if we’re lucky, we’ll get to sanctuary before Mato’s massive army of creatures descends on the wall.
This is a mess. How did he mobilize everyone so quickly? Benicio’s been gone less than a week. I’m told that even the Fliers are behind Mato. The only kingdoms that haven’t sided with him are the Scholar People and the Dusts, because they don’t fight. Nobody is sure where the No Ones stand. They’re apparently MIA all of a sudden.
I want to believe Bard will side with us, but what if it’s not as simple as that? Rool said something about the No One army only being my weapon as long has Bard leads. And fuck me, but there was a heap of innuendo in my and Mato’s last conversation. He was testing the waters to see if I would side with him.