Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
“Where are you taking me after this, demon? I wouldn’t mind freshening up before beignets. Oh! I want to see your new place. Is your shower big enough for two?”
Yes, it is. More delights they would forfeit.
She must’ve noticed his disquiet. He could all but hear her frown. “Am I overstepping? I mean, you did say you never want to be separated from me again.”
He swallowed thickly, not trusting himself to speak.
“Oh, Hecate, are you regretting things?”
He turned to her. “Never. But . . . we have a problem.” He gestured to the window.
Poppy shoved the journal into her bag and hurried to his side. Her eyes widened at the sight of the incoming ghouls. “Those are the explorers.”
“So they are.”
The six fey archers and the rage demon had likely made it to the grand opening—after all, few dangers existed within the castle for those who weren’t cursed—only to be turned right when freedom was in reach. Had the mother ghoul done it?
“I recognize those tattoos,” Poppy said. “That’s Truller the Victor. Or it was.”
“Gotta be honest, I’m not a fan of his glow-up.” The legendary demon was now a yellow-eyed monster.
“The ghouls that the Valkyries make sport of are all former humans. Do you think these ghouls retained their strength and speed?”
“I’ve seen similar ones on distant planes. The fey will still be as quick, the demon as strong. Think super ghouls.”
“How were they not found? The best trackers in the Lore searched for them.”
“They must’ve gotten lost in the wilderness. It’s some of the most inhospitable terrain this realm has to offer.” Or had they crossed over into another realm—the one of the undead—only to return now?
“Why didn’t Truller teleport home when he was struck?”
“Depending on the strength of the infecting ghoul, the contagion can work quickly.” A detail Rök had factored into his calculations. “Truller might have wanted to spare loved ones. But what’s brought them back here tonight?”
“Maybe the only two living people for hundreds of miles. Rök, they’ll stop at nothing to turn us. What are we going to do?”
“When the door opens, I’ll attack. You’ll follow, grabbing my back as I trace.”
“No, absolutely not.”
“I’m going to annihilate them, Poppy. You saw me fight the visitors. Unlike them, these ghouls can be killed.”
“There’s not a doubt in my mind that you can take them down. But avoiding a single scratch isn’t possible.” She studied his expression, and her lips parted. “Oh, Hecate, you know you’re going to get scratched.”
“Not saying it won’t be risky, but I’ve faced worse odds for much less upside.”
“No! You’ll turn.” Her eyes went wild. “Think about what you’re saying.”
He had. “I’m open to ideas, but I’ve run down all the possibilities.” Each scenario ended with one outcome: Rök would become undead.
“You told me noble wouldn’t happen again!” Her gaze darted around the foyer. “Use the closet door as a shield, then we barrel forward.”
“A demon as strong as Truller will punch the door, breaking it. I’ll be holding pieces of wood instead of a sword. If we lose an inch of ground, which we will with an inswing door and Truller shoving, the fey will swarm in behind him faster than we can blink. Then you get clawed. Unacceptable mission failure.”
“So we let them in and fight them here. You’re mated now and will be stronger than ever. I’ll fashion some kind of weapon.”
“The only way to outpace a fey is to teleport, which I can’t do inside this place. And we have no idea when the door will close. I won’t risk you based on message board speculation.”
Sounding panicked, she said, “What about a trap?”
“Castle’s about to open.”
“Then we stay here!” She nodded frantically. “You asked me where I want to live? I lied; I am picky. I want to live here with you for the next twenty or so years. We can use the time to plan for when the door opens next. Listen to me, Rök, I’m in love with this castle. I can’t live without it.”
She was telling him she loved him. He could play along. “My heart is a hundred percent committed to this plan to save you, Red. I’ll be devoted to it for the rest of my life.”
She understood him, expression going soft.
Then it hardened. “Staying here is our only option. Worst case: we’re stuck for two decades, a blink of an eye for an immortal. Best case: my sisters will figure out how to open this place.”
“And if they can’t? What if they come on the next Halloween moon? That same troop might greet them, if it isn’t even larger. In the meantime, you would have wasted away to nothing.”
“I’m old enough to revive.”
“Before I watch you suffer like that, I’d rather be undead.” Which was no longer his worst fear. He recalled his bafflement that Cade might choose Holly over the fate of an entire kingdom. Now Rök understood.