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Alwar reaches down and scoops me from the bottom of the muddy, wet pit. “What the hell did they do to you?” he snarls, flipping me over like a pancake in his large hand. “You are nothing but skin and bones.”
“Don’t pretend you care if I live or die,” I say.
“I do care. Very much. At least until you’ve carried out your purpose.”
“Yeah. About that; I know you brought me here to die so the Proxy Vow would become null and void. You want to be free to kill Benicio.”
Alwar grumbles, “I never lied about wanting him dead. But I see the Blood King has been busy feeding you his usual bullshit.”
“And you haven’t?”
“If I wanted you dead, I would have left you in that pit.” Alwar gently pokes my bruised, scabby arm and snarls with disgust. “Clearly from the shape you’re in, the Blood King is the one who wanted you to die.”
He knows. Benicio was feeding on me. But does Alwar understand the effects or that I’m still under the Blood King’s spell? Even now, my body aches for the bliss, the pleasure of his lips and fangs.
“He is a dishonorable piece of useless vampire shit for hurting you like that,” says Alwar. “Proxies are sacred. They are to be treated like royalty, not like Fliers for the slaughter.”
Back home, the expression is lamb for the slaughter. Do they really think charred dragon meat tastes like lamb?
My mouth waters. I’m so hungry for human food. Fries. Pizza. A doughnut. I can feel my body turning on itself, consuming what’s left of my organs to stay alive.
“Actually, Benicio swore to never hurt me, so he brought a man to kill me.”
“A human?”
“Yes. Uhrn, his servant, told me right before she snuck me out of the palace. She wanted me to warn you about Benicio. He planned to attack the moment the Proxy Vow was void and I was dead.”
“I am aware.”
“You are?” I say.
“Why do you think I brought you to our world? You are our last chance to overthrow him before he declares war on half the kingdoms and tries to overtake the wall. He wants control of your world, too.”
I attempt to sort out what Alwar’s saying, but I’m too tired, hungry, and cold. “I don’t understand. Are you or aren’t you trying to void the Proxy Vow?”
“You are shivering. Why don’t I explain after you’ve rested?” Alwar picks up Master with his other hand and pushes us together like a sandwich. Alwar’s hands are the bread.
Master yelps with joy, wagging his tail and licking my face.
I can’t help smiling. He’s a little slice of home and everything I’ve been missing. I can even smell the forest surrounding River Wall Manor in his fur. It’s sweet and earthy. Everything here smells like sulfur.
“Night has fallen,” says Alwar, “and the ravenous subjects of the nocturnal kingdoms will soon be out raiding, looking for food. We must get you somewhere safe and warm. Find food and drink, too.”
“Are we going back to the keep?” I hug Master around his thick neck. I have a thousand questions about how he got here, but I’m too drained to ask, let alone understand any explanations.
“It is a long journey. We will stay with the No Ones tonight.”
“You mean the creatures who torture anyone who breaks a vow?” I say.
“You know of them. Good. Then you understand you must not lie in their presence. Not even a white lie. They will take offense and devour you.”
“Why are we going there, then?”
“Because I have nothing to hide, and Benicio and his human assassin will not look for you there. The No Ones do not tolerate trespassers on their land.”
“I repeat: Why are we going there?”
“Because the enemy of your enemy is less likely to murder you than your enemy. They hate the Blood King as much as we War People do.” Alwar looks over his shoulder. “Tiago. Gabrio! Let’s move.”
“You brought them with you? Who’s watching the wall?”
“One would be foolish to travel the Blood Lands alone,” Alwar says.
I’ve figured that out.
He adds, “However, first and foremost, the Wall Men protect the Norfolks. The wall is merely a tool to do so. Which is why we are here. For you. As for the wall, I have a capable army to protect the bridge while we get you somewhere secure. I also locked down our side of the bridge.”
“You can close it off?”
“As can you. I have my keys. The Norfolks have theirs. You would know this if your family bothered to educate you.”
Grandma instructed me to burn down the house if anything went wrong. Why would she say that if she had keys to lock the monsters out the entire time?
Tiago, with his raven hair and trademark scowl, emerges from the shadows of the brush, biting down on something in his hand. Gabrio is right behind him, also chewing.
