The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Chapter 35
“It could’ve been someone in the inn at Tadous,” Emil
said as we rode on, watchful for more attacks. He and Naill
were now in front of us, which I found…strangely amusing.
They rode in a manner to protect me—Casteel and I—and I
thought that perhaps I should be riding in front of them. “Or
it could’ve been someone who saw Arden on his way to
Evaemon and assumed he was bringing word to the capital
of our arrival.”
I hoped that Arden had made it to the palace safely.
“Hey,” Casteel said quietly. I looked over to where he
rode beside me, noticing then that Kieran and Delano had
spread out a bit, giving us space. “What you did back there?
You did the right thing.”
“I know.” And I did. “We could’ve kept fighting them, but
someone would’ve gotten hurt, and I wasn’t going to allow
that.”
“You’re amazing,” he replied, and I laughed softly. “I
mean that, Poppy. Actually, you may be a deity, but you
looked like a goddess.”
“Well, thank you.” I smiled at him. “I’m just glad that I
did and could control it.”
“Same.” One side of his lip curved up. “That kind of
ability will come in handy down the road.”
I thought of the Blood Queen.
Yes, it would.
A moment passed. “Those Unseen? They don’t
represent Atlantia. What they think or want is not who the
kingdom is.”