Ever Wrath by Alexia Purdy Read Free Book Online Page B

to him, in a sarcophagus in the same chamber.
    The thought made her sick . Rowan was probably already gone. Maybe not, though.
    Shade stood up , surprised at the simplicity of the hidden entrance key. She nodded and stood back, licking her lips as she closed her eyes. She could feel Dylan shuffling behind her, looking out for any enemies who might be lurking about.
    “Land of Faerie, I ask with a humble heart, open the entrance to the chamber of Ancients, and let us enter.” Could it be so simple? She hoped it was and waited, letting her eyes flick open as she scanned the weeds and rocks beneath their feet. The dread didn’t ease. She kept her fingers crossed that Rowan was somehow still safely sleeping under their feet.
    A soft rumble shook the ground, sending Shade scurrying back away from the clearing. Dylan joined her, with Nautilus stooping behind another tree. They gripped onto the trunk of a large pine until the shaking stopped.
    In the ground right before Kilara was a small hole, leading down into the darkness. It reminded Shade of the oubliette she’d spent a night in, chased by some Unseelie soldiers. It very well could be one.
    “Come on.” Kilara descended the small dirt steps into the chamber below, followed by Shade.
    “I’ll keep an eye out her e,” Nautilus offered. Dylan stopped at the entrance and waved her on, motioning that he’d stand guard, too. She nodded and continued until her eyes adjusted to the small torch flames burning inside the perimeter of the darkened chamber.
    Kilara stood before three sarcophaguses, Corb a few feet away from her. “ She’s gone. He took her,” Corb said.
    Shade turned to see Kilara, whose paleness was replaced once more by her purple coloring, filling with rage and about to implode.
    So the story was right. The three Ancients were in the same chamber to slumber. Arthas had already returned here to take Rowan from her sarcophagus. How naïve could they have been to not realize this sooner? Shade’s fear grew as she watched Kilara about to lose her wits.
    “No!” The Ancient shoved the empty sarcophagus to the gr ound, where it shattered into thousands of stone shards. Shade stepped back as the Ancient screamed an inhuman screech. Shade covered her ears and fell to her knees, the pain of the noise feeling like drill bits making their way through her brain.
    “Kilara! Stop!” Her voice was drowned out by the waves of maddening noise. Corb was the one to embrace Kilara and muffle the scream in his chest. She resisted, pounding his chest and kicking him with the ferocity of a feral cat, but she’d stopped her yelling. Shade collapsed to the floor, relieved as the pain slowly retreated, leaving her numb and worn.
    “Shade… .” Dylan scooped her up into his arms, glaring at the two Ancients. “Are you okay?” She nodded and focused on Kilara, who had finally calmed, her chest heaving as she let Corb continue to hold her in his embrace. Her eyes looked lost in the darkness of the chamber. Whatever was going on in there, Shade was sure she didn’t want to know. She’d let her magic return, for it no longer mattered if she kept herself hidden. Arthas had Rowan, and that was all that mattered.
    “ She’s gone. Arthas took….”
    “I know.” Dylan’s jaw tensed as he helped her back to h er feet. The room was a mess. Stone shards littered the floor, and the torches were all either blown out or hanging at odd angles after being shaken from their holders. Dust billowed around them, sending Shade coughing as she ran back up the stairs and into open air.
    It was useless. She had to return to the Scren Palace, gather her forces and hit the Withering Palace in full force. Kilara was useless without her sister to control her. The Ancient was madder than a hatter, and her unbridled magic would destroy Faerie faster than even Aveta could. This was all going awry, with no plan, no actual leaders, to tell Shade what to do next. It was entirely up to her this time.