Page 103 of As Above, So Below

The male who saw me through the veil.

The mortal who insisted a Death Bringer belonged beside him.

Screaming thoughts tear through my mind, but I cannot move.

I cannot breathe.

I cannot blink.

Judging by the way he holds my stare, he knows exactly who and what I am. My innate screams, blazing itself through my veins, and shadows begin to ebb onto the balcony. As they creep closer to the edge, I suck in a sharp breath, forcing my innate to listen and they vanish.

The Sovereign King leans to his right, his eyes not leaving mine. He says something to the guard beside him. A small smile plays at his lips as he straightens himself, adjusting the clasp of his cloak—the glint of silver on his cuff catches, shining in the sun.

The guard kicks his horse into a dash, and my mind empties as panic erupts in my veins. Whirling on my heels, I sprint into the shop, bottles rattling as I blow by.

“Eve!” I shout, not caring who I disrupt as I storm down thenarrow stairs. “Eve, we have to go!”

“Ves?” The panic in her voice matches mine, her eyes wide and wild as she and Cora turn from their place at the counter.

“The Sovereign King—”

The shop door swings open and the royal guard steps inside, ducking his head under the door frame. His lavender eyes meet mine.

He’s sent the Captain of the Guard.

“My lady, the Sovereign King—”

Fueled by panic, fear, and disbelief, I break into a sprint toward the counter. In a fluid motion I swing myself over, the shop attendant shrieking with surprise, backing away as bottles crash onto the floor.

Without care, I bolt through the door behind the counter. Cora’s frantic voice trails after me as I dash through an overloaded storeroom, leaping over boxes and chairs.

“Ves, run!” Eve shouts, fueling my feet faster.

Shoving a wheeled cart aside, I throw myself through the rear exit and stumble onto the street. Immediately, dozens of faces whip in my direction.

Heart beating wildly in my chest, I scramble to dash left, people backpedal, leap, and quick-step aside to get out of the way.

“Wait!” a booming male voice rings behind me.

Waiting is the last thing I’m going to do.

My innate shimmers violently, reminding me I can ferry to escape.

But where would I go?

Surely the temple will be the first place he will send his guard.

The sound of clattering armor behind me fuels my feet and legs to move faster, pounding against the hard cobblestone beneath. With a warning shout, I shoulder my way through a congregation of humans listening to a minstrel, earning myself several roars and hollers with my abrupt intrusion.

Shoving through them, I pitch right, down a narrow alley.

Oh gods, Artemise…

She’s going to bepissed.

“Stop!” the guard shouts behind me, his voice resonatingbetween the stone walls.

I’m not doing that either.