The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Chapter 14
Dawn arrived in vivid streaks of pink and blue as we
followed a tree-heavy path around the Temple of Saion,
along with the realization that the pleasure derived from
retribution was unfortunately short-lived.
It wasn’t that I regretted taking Alastir’s life or not
ensuring that his death was a quick one. It was just that I
wished it wasn’t necessary. As the sun rose, I wanted it to
be rising on a day not overshadowed by death.
I didn’t realize that I was still clutching the wolven
dagger until Casteel quietly pried it from my fingers and
slipped it into the sheath at his side.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
His gaze flew to mine, his eyes a glittering shade of
topaz. I thought he was about to speak, but he said nothing
as wolven rose from among the bushes and trees. There
were so many of them, some large, and others small, barely
bigger than Beckett. My chest squeezed as I watched them
prowl alongside us. All of them were alert, their ears perked.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what they had done to
Alastir and the others—the sounds of flesh tearing and
bones cracking. Tonight would stay with me for a long, long
time. I wondered if such an act upset their digestion.
I didn’t ask, though, because I figured that was a rather
inappropriate question.
But right now, I was more focused on putting one foot in
front of the other. Every step took energy I was quickly
running out of. The exhaustion could’ve stemmed from the
lack of sleep as we traveled across the Skotos for the