Page 15 of The Stolen Throne
“Tell me—”
A subtle disturbance in the air—a cold dread seeping through my blood—warns me before Eidolon’s voice fills the chamber, echoing off the walls. “I knew you’d come for her eventually.”
Reven and I both jerk around as the panel door that I am sure I closed opens wider and the king steps into the frame, blocking the only way out.
Eidolon tips his head, eyes a stormy sea of fury focused solely on Reven. “You certainly took your time.”
My heart drops to the floor. Mother goddess. I’ve been bait all along.
Reven lurches forward. I’m not sure if he or the Shadows are in control, but instinct has me grabbing his arm. “Don’t.”
We can’t repeat what happened last time we fought the king. We’re not ready to take on Eidolon.
In jerking moves, Reven yanks me in tight against his body with one arm. Shadows rise around us but fall away as quickly. Like they stopped working. Reven grunts like he’s in pain.
Eidolon’s expression tilts into something smug. “Having trouble?”
Arms of shadow whip out from the king like the tentacles of the Hollow—the only Devourer I’ve ever encountered in person—coming straight at us. At me. At Reven.
“No!” I cry out.
What happens next comes so fast, I hardly know it before it’s over. I raise my hands like I can stop Eidolon. On a feral, otherworldly snarl of sound from Reven, darkness comes up and over us.
The last thing I see is Eidolon’s astounded fury as his shadowy arms barely miss us.
Part 2
A Waiting Move
7
We Left
Them Behind
We disappear in shadow…a whiplash blink of darkness. I can’t see us moving, but I’ve done this with Reven before—traveled this way. It feels the same, though last time, I had a chance to take in the sense that we were moving. This time, it’s faster than a twinkle. I know it happened, but I’m standing outside the city of Oaesys so suddenly, if the view hadn’t changed, I’d think we hadn’t gone anywhere.
I stare at the skyline of the city, a stark relief in the starlight, a league or more from where I stand.
Realization of what just happened hits, and a bubble of panic squeezes through my shock. A sound I don’t even recognize bursts from me as I surge forward to run back to the city.
Reven wraps an arm around my waist, and my feet kick into the air as I try to get away.
“We left them!” I yell, flailing and pushing against his hold. We left Cain and Achlys behind.
His grip only tightens the harder I struggle.
I jam an elbow into his side. At his grunt that sounds pained enough to get through my panic, I still and swing my gaze to the man who yanked me out of the palace with shadow. Only, it finally sinks in that Reven looks as dazed as I feel.
Now that I’ve stopped trying to run, he lets go, giving his head a shake.
“We have to go back.” I point.
His lips flatten in a grim slash, but I can tell it’s less to do with who we left than how it happened. “We can’t.”
“What? Just—”
“I can’t.”
