Wicked Path (The Daath Chronicles Book 2) by Eliza Tilton Read Free Book Online Page A

couldn’t. It had one of the most beautiful gems I’d ever seen. If Grandfather ever saw the size of the emerald, he would ask who gave it to me—a conversation that would create too many questions. For now, I hid the locket beneath my dress.
    Grandfather and Ms. Gen talked about the sailors and latest ships arriving at the harbor. Even though my family was back in Lakewood, I felt at home here with these two wonderful people in this lively place. Everything was perfect. I knew Grandfather wanted to find the blue eye, but was it worth the risk of losing this? Watching them smile and laugh, I realized no treasure was.



hen I entered Romulus’s gurgling workshop, I threw the head of the mother and her eggs on the floor. They rolled, landing by his feet, and I smiled when the old man’s pudgy jaw dropped in shock. My body still ached from the poison released when the wenlo’s tail shredded my side, but the biocide I had injected already removed the infection.
    “Find out where she is.” I straightened, holding my dizzy head high. “And do it quickly.”
    “Yes, my prince.”
    Romulus had responded to me with respect in his voice. Pride blossomed in my chest. Even Father wouldn’t be able to deny me now. They’d all remember why they chose me to control Daath.
    I didn’t have time to sit and listen to Romulus grovel or ask a long array of questions about the nest and the fight. Krischa had sent word to meet her under the red crystal bridge. As the Royal Seer, she spent most of her time in the castle. Requesting to meet in the city meant she had very delicate information to share, and it wasn’t for The Council’s ears.
    I left Romulus’ lab. He would call as soon as he found Jeslyn’s location.
    Once I was far enough away, I leaned against the wall, catching my breath. It had been decades since I last fought a creature as deadly as the wenlo, and while I survived the fight, the exertion had weakened me.
    Weakness was not a trait I handled well, justified or not.
    In the dark hallway of my castle, I slid down the wall and sat on the ground, unable to stand any longer.

    The alley bent around the smooth structures of the court promenade, buildings that held the officials of Reptilian City and the main branches of science and research. Reptilians rushed past, heading off to their morning duties. With a hooded cloak hiding my identity, I slipped around the back of the third building and walked down the stone hill.
    If the hour was correct, Krischa would have been waiting for quite some time.
    Our cities were tightly structured with a giant fortified wall protecting each one. The Royal Red City, where I lived, was the most exquisite of all. Made from the red crystals mined in the wastelands, it kept us safe from harsh weather and acidic storms. Neither acid nor hail could penetrate the hard crystal dome. It was one of our most prized minerals and one our brethren most sought.
    The other cities were made of varying metals and stone, each designed to withstand the specific weather changes of their lands, and each uniquely beautiful: The Stone City of Atla, The Blue Hive of Doniva, and The Yellow Forge of Rluskina.
    This stone pathway led to the lower levels of the city, a place full of refuse and cleaner beetles, a place only Romulus would find enjoyable. A large black beetle skittered past. While the beetles did an excellent job of eating the garbage left by the city residents, they were still a nuisance. They reminded me of the small dogs people kept as pets in Tarrtainya.
    Round, silver disks transported Reptilians back and forth across the red crystal bridge that arced over the lower city. The disks sped across the different bridges and walkways that connected to various buildings that provided living quarters, the functioning groups of the city, and the arena, our city’s main form of entertainment.
    A lone hooded figure stood beneath the bridge.
    Krischa’s deep violet cloak covered everything but her pale