The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“I am no fool.” The man reached up, unhooking the
chain from his shoulder. “You, the one foretold in the bones,
should’ve never survived that night in Lockswood.”
Tiny bumps raced across my skin as my entire body
seized in shock. It had nothing to do with the so-called
prophecy. Lockswood. I hadn’t heard anyone speak the
name of the small village in years. Not even Alastir had said
it.
But it was clear that Alastir had shared what he had
taken part in all those years ago with this man. “Who are
you?”
“I am no one. I am everyone.” He rose slowly. “And you
will be the Queen of nothing. Kill her.”
The things before us moved as one, rushing forward.
The growl that came from Kieran’s very mortal throat
should’ve sent them running, but it didn’t. Several
surrounded us. Using a curse that would’ve turned Vikter’s
seasoned ears red, I dipped under the wide swing of an
attacker. A stale floral scent hit the air as Kieran’s arm
swept out, dragging the sharpened edge of his blade
through the throat of two of the things.
“Good gods,” Kieran exclaimed as I popped up behind
the things in Descenter masks and kicked out, slamming the
heel of my foot into the back of a kneecap. The thing made
no sound as his leg gave out. I twisted at the same instant,
shoving my dagger into the chest of another. That stale
scent increased as an oily, black substance sprayed out
over my hand.
That was definitely not blood.
I gasped as I pulled the dagger free. The thing
staggered and then broke apart—shattering into a fine
dusting of dirt and black oil that gleamed purple in the light.
The Royal Knights had done something similar upon being
stabbed with bloodstone, but the knights’ skin and bodies
had cracked first. These things just exploded in a geyser of
purple yuck that smelled like stale lilacs.