The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Chapter 39
The following morning, I stood in the foyer of the Temple
of Nyktos beside Casteel, fiddling with the chest strap I’d
found among Casteel’s weapons. I’d also helped myself to
the iron dagger I’d found in the depths of the chest, and it
was now secured to my harness. The bloodstone dagger
was strapped to my thigh. Neither of us wore the crowns,
having left them in the bedchamber. We stood with Kieran
and his sister, Emil, and Delano. Naill was sitting this one
out, opting to spend time with his father. As I watched
Delano adjust the strap holding his swords to his sides, I
hoped he’d found time to let Perry know that he had
returned to the capital.
“Kieran and I are pretty confident that the tunnel that
leads to the mountains is the one underneath,” Casteel said.
“It’s a narrow one with nothing really exciting.”
By really exciting, I assumed he meant the lilac-filled
cavern.
“You guys did really weird things as kids.” Vonetta stood
between her brother and Emil, her arms crossed. Two short
swords were secured at her hips. She’d swept her long
braids back from her face, and they hung down her back.
“Just thought I’d share that.”
I grinned.
“I didn’t even know there were tunnels.” Emil glanced at
the jet-black floors.
“There are.” Hisa strode forward, two guards flanking
her. “They’re accessed by the crypts.”
Crypts.