“I thought you were going to die, Kae,”he growls, grabbing my arm harshly to look me in the eyes. “You did not see the state you were in. Your body wouldn’t stop convulsing, not even when you were sedated. Of course I let Raphael take extreme measures. It was the only way to keep you alive! Do you expect me to apologize for that?”
The sound of his voice, so rough and raw, feels like I’m walking over hot coals. My heart thumps wildly in my chest. “No. I don’t.”
“Good. Because I won’t.” He releases my arm, storming up the stairs without me. I stare after him a second before sighing, running a hand along the wall, and slowly beginning to ascend the treacherous, evil stairs again.
They could have at least put a handrail in here. I feel my life flash before my eyes every time my leg wobbles a bit mid-air, and I have to make sure the ground is firmly underneath both feet before taking each step.
Eventually, I make it to the top, where Abaddon is waiting for me on a small ledge before an unremarkable door. I know he must have been watching my strange safety measures, but he doesn’t say anything, pushing the door open for me without a word.
It takes us out to the castle’s roof.
I’ve never been up here. I didn’t even realize it was accessible until now. Curiosity has me walking to the forward-facing edge, stealing a view of the city.
When my job here is finally done, this is how I’d like to remember it—peaceful, humming with its unusual rhythm, unbothered by the troubles of the surface. Like a Garden of Eden forged from the pits of Hell.
“This is one of the best views of the city,” Abaddon says from behindme. “Other than from the air. Does it still trigger your fear of heights?”
“I’m not afraid of heights, okay? I’m afraid of falling.”
“I do not understand the difference.”
I shake my head. “The answer is no, it doesn’t bother me. Is this where we’re training?” The roof is fairly flat with few interruptions, and as wide as the castle, but I still don’t understand its advantage over the cliffside we normally go to.
“No, we’ll be crossing that bridge.”
“What bridge?” I turn around, then follow his eyes.
Sure enough, there is a rickety rope bridge leading from the roof to a hole in the cavern wall. He starts to walk towards it, talking to me without looking back. “It goes to the mouth of the Blackwater River. There are other entrances, but this is the quickest and easiest route for walking.”
Reluctantly, I follow him up to the edge of the bridge. It’s the worst, most insecure-looking bridge that I’ve ever seen. Made solely of wood planks and rope, it sways in the slightest breeze. “You’re kidding, right? When was the last time anyone used this thing?”
“It would be a waste of my time to keep track of such things.” Abaddon tilts his head, inspecting me and my nearly hysterical state. “Do not worry. Nothing bad will happen to you. I can assure you of that. I’ll be right behind you.”
I know he’d catch me if it broke, but I’d rather it not break in the first place.
“I think our definitions of ‘bad’ are significantly different,” I mumble, testing a foot on the edge of the planks. It starts fairly strong, where it’s still supported against the castle stone, but it’s all downhill from there. The moment it starts to sway with our weight, I freeze, locking my knees and gripping the single ropes on each side so hard that the material digs into my palms. “Fuck, fuck,fuck.”
“It’s okay,” he calls behind me, placing his hands gently on my hips. “One step at a time.”
“Ireallydon’t see why this is necessary.”
“It is just a bridge to get over. Do not think about falling. Thinkabout… What is it that calms you? Horses?” I hear him inhale. “I may know of the perfect horse to give you.”
I take a deep breath before moving a foot forward, careful to keep my weight as balanced as possible. “I thought you said you’ve never had one?”
His fingers slowly lift off my hips as I make my way forward, and he creeps behind me. Compared to me, he has the preternatural balance of a stalking jaguar, but the bridge still moves slightly under his shifting weight. I wish he’d turn off the stupid wind completely, because I’m sure he’s capable of it, but I’m already acting too ridiculously insecure as it is to ask him about it.
“Not in the Abyss, but it’s only a matter of time before the red horse arrives, wherever that may be. I’d be honored to capture War for you to ride.”
Wait, isn’t that…
“Abaddon,”I say in a stern, chastising voice. Suddenly, I’m not even thinking about my slow steps across the bridge anymore. “Pleasetell me you’re not referring to thefour horsemen of the apocalypsehorses.”
He’s silent for long enough to answer my question.
A groan rumbles out of me. “Just when I thought I’d heard it all! I can’t even fucking believe this… What of the other three? Are we going to break up the herd of doomsday ponies?”
“Only the first horse has arrived, and its location is currently unknown. We assume the Adversary found it first. Which is most unfortunate… You’d have been an even better rider for Conquest.”
