The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“I don’t know. Not that long,” I said. The look Kieran shot
me told me that he knew I lied. “Are all of you okay? Your
father?”
He nodded as a broad-shouldered male appeared
several feet behind Kieran, the man’s blond hair pulled back
in a knot at the nape of his neck. Shock trickled through me
as the male turned to the side, shoving his sword into a
man’s chest as he ripped off the Descenter mask.
It was Casteel’s father. He was here. Maybe it was
hunger or the residual panic of being seconds away from
being in the clutches of the Ascended once more. Perhaps it
was everything that Alastir had told me. Either way, tears
climbed my throat as I stared at King Valyn. He was here,
fighting to free me.
“I think my father is currently venting his anger by
tearing through the Ascended with Naill and Emil,” Kieran
told me.
“It looks like Casteel’s father is doing the same.” I
breathed through the raw emotions coursing through me. I
couldn’t believe Valyn was here. It was incredibly dangerous
for him to be this far from Atlantia. If any of the Ascended
knew it was him dressed in all black, they would swarm him.
He had to know the risks, but still he was here, helping
Casteel. Helping me.
Kieran snorted. “You have no idea.”
I still had so many questions, but I needed to make sure
Kieran knew what they were dealing with. “It wasn’t just
Alastir. I don’t know if he’s here, but Commander Jansen is.
He’s in a silver Descenter mask.”
Kieran’s jaw hardened as he snapped the binding in two.
The ends fell to the sides. “Anyone else you recognized?”
“No.” My heart thudded. “But…Beckett—it wasn’t him at
the Temple. He’s—” My voice cracked. “It wasn’t him.”
Kieran gripped the second row of bindings. “Poppy—”
“Beckett’s dead,” I told him, and his gaze shot to mine
as he froze. “They killed him, Kieran. I don’t think they