The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

It could’ve been last night, when Jasper had left, and Kieran
wanted to discuss the tunnel systems. Casteel had taken
the seat Kieran had occupied, rearranging me so I was all
but cradled against him as they spoke. I was amazed by
how much they recalled regarding the tunnels, still able to
remember the differences in certain underground rock
formations and the scents that changed depending on which
tunnel they were in. I’d only briefly been in the one that led
to the beautiful, lilac-filled cavern in Spessa’s End, and the
other that rested below New Haven, to view the names of
those who had died at the hands of the Ascended.
So many more names needed to be added to that wall.
But as they talked, I couldn’t help but wonder if some
kind of prophecy did exist. If hardly anyone knew that
Iliseeum rested beyond the mountains, then was it possible
for there to be a prophecy that no one knew about? Or was
that comparing apples to oranges? I didn’t know.
Before Kieran left, I’d asked about the wolven named
Sage—the one who was supposed to be patrolling the wall.
She had been found on the other side of the wall, having
been struck from behind. The injury and the subsequent fall
from the wall would’ve either seriously injured or killed a
mortal, but according to Kieran, who had checked in on the
wolven before returning to our rooms with the book, she
would recover in a day or so. Hearing that and learning that
there had been no casualties among the wolven or anyone
else who had engaged in the battle with the Gyrms had
filled me with a lot of relief. That could’ve aided in me not
feeling so overwhelmed.
It also could’ve been the sweet kiss that Casteel had
given me after I woke this morning and before he left to
shower. Or how his eyes were pools of warm gold when he
looked upon me. Before he left the bed, he’d told me that
his father’s visit had been borne of worry. That he hadn’t
liked how things had ended between them in the Temple of
Saion. I was glad to hear that they’d cleared the air between