The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

others raced through the gate. In my mind, the silvery
webbing fell over the wall and seeped into it, finding those
cracks I’d seen in the larger Rise. I latched on to those weak
spots and tore the wall apart from the inside. Stone
exploded, mowing down the guards.
A cloud of grayish dust blanketed the air as screams of
panic rang out, and I smiled. Screams tore through the air,
and I felt something gruesome curling the corners of my
lips. I stalked forward, silvery-white light crackling between
my fingers.
In the thick dust, an immobile shadow took form. It was
her. The Handmaiden. She was the only still thing among
the smoke, the screams and panicked shouts, her dark hair
hanging in a thick braid over one shoulder.
“These people had nothing to do with what happened
back there. They are innocent. Stop her.” The young woman
lifted the bow, completely unfazed by the gathering energy
and the streaks of lightning. Not a single muscle trembled
as she took unwavering aim at me. “Or I will.”
I cocked my head, seeing the silvery-white light stretch
out toward her—
“Sorry,” she said. “That doesn’t work on me.”
The energy recoiled from the Revenant. I pushed harder,
but the eather shrank back, crackling and spitting.
“Keep trying.” The glow of silvery-white light shone
brightly across her face. “In the meantime, do you know
what will work on you? Shadowstone, which is what each of
my arrows is tipped with. I put one of them through your
head, you may get back up, but it won’t be anytime soon.”
My chest rose and fell rapidly as I zeroed in on the tip of
the arrow. The fading sunlight reflected off the shiny black
surface.
“So, I’ll repeat myself,” she continued, walking forward
as she raised her voice. “These people have nothing to do
with what was done. They are innocent. Stop this, or I will
stop you.”