Page 48 of When Ashes Fall

No one can ever know about this.

If they found out, I had no idea what they’d do to me.

My blood ran cold at the idea of Knox having this knowledge. Would he destroy me? Or would he figure out a way to use me to eradicate his enemies?

I planned to destroy the harem and free all the prisoners, but I didn’t want to be a tool for death. This paragraph said necromancers could raise the dead; I had no idea how to do that and didn’t want to learn.

I couldn’t stomach the idea of being surrounded by the dead.

I loved nature, growing things, and bringing them to life. That was where I thrived. So why would I be granted the ability to commune with the dead?

Take it easy, you’re getting ahead of yourself. Maybe you heard Archie because he’s lonely and looking for a friend. Maybe your ability to talk with animals got confused and assumed Archie was one too.

Even I didn’t believe that, but maybe this ability was a fluke. The only way I could learn the answer was to go to the cemetery.

But what if I can hear all the dead in the graveyard? What would I do? What would it mean?

With still trembling hands, I made sure the paper was exactly as I found it, closed the book, and set it aside. I wanted to be as far from it as possible. I contemplated taking it back to the library, but if someone found me skulking through the hallways with only one book in hand, it could raise suspicions.

Tomorrow, I’d put it back exactly where I found it and never touch it again. I should probably try to find out more about necromancers, but I was afraid someone would realize what I was doing and grow suspicious.

First, I’d go to the cemetery. If I didn’t hear anyone else, I wouldn’t have to try to research this ability anymore.

I don’t want to go to the cemetery.

I was whining to myself and sounding like a petulant child, but I really didn’t want to go there. I also didn’t know how I’d get there.

“Shit,” I muttered as I ran my hand through my hair.

It didn’t matter if I wanted to go or not; I didn’t have a choice. And I had to find someone to take me.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Knox

I spent another three days hunting in the forest, with only the shadow dragon as my companion, while I tried to bury the memories that seeing Marina and the casters evoked. Lost in the beast, I also tried to forget about Briar, but that proved impossible.

I certainly couldn’t forget that I’d tried to fuck her to eradicate her mother from my mind. If she hadn’t rebuked me, I wasn’t sure what I would have done to her. Certainly nothing that any woman should endure.

While I tried to forget her, I couldn’t stay away… not completely. I returned often to circle the castle and ensure she was safe.

Dromon, Pierce, and Lyra remained in the castle. They would watch over her, but I still had to be close enough to smell and glimpse her on occasion, even if I couldn’t touch her.

After three days full of slaughter and blood, I finally felt stable enough to be around her without trying to get inside her. I hoped it would last once I saw her again.

When I returned to the castle, and after another very long, hot shower, I found Pierce, Lyra, and Dromon in the dining hall. Outside the windows overlooking the mountains and cliffs, thick gray clouds drifted past. It looked like rain but didn’t smell like it.

My friends resembled those clouds as they picked at their breakfast.

“It’s good to see that you’ve returned,” Pierce said.

There was nothing accusatory in his tone. We’d all been in that harem, all had our scabs torn open and left to bleed after the tribunal arrived. I was sure they were also caught up in their memories and seeking a way to forget them.

“How are you doing?” Dromon inquired.

“Good. I eradicated many of the threats to Wildwood.”

They nodded as they resumed picking at their food.