Page 11 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

“They are here in the First Kingdom?” My thoughts reeled. How had they cropped up so close when we hadn’t heard any reports of them crossing the neighboring kingdoms? “Wait, I thought we talked about this. What were you doing on patrol?” I demanded, realizing what he was saying.

“There is no harm in me occasionally going out with patrols.” Nyx lifted his chin, daring me to question him again. We needed him here, not off gallivanting with his men because he wanted to be part of the flight. I understood that having gone his whole life searching for Zaria he was finally able to be a part of a flight like he was always destined to be, I was experiencing something similar myself. But on the brink of war, he needed to be in his position of power, not playing flyer in the field.

“It sounds like there very nearly was harm. You were ambushed.”

Nyx almost rolled his eyes, but the general in him didn’t allow it. “We dealt with the attack quickly and efficiently. But I have one,” he said again.

“You brought one here?” Kiera shoved past me to stand face to face with Nyx, not letting him intimidate her one bit though she was a full head and shoulders shorter than he was.

“I thought the protocol we established in the war cabinet was for any undead to be destroyed by dragon fire on sight, Nyx.” I hissed. Confused by his turnaround and concerned that he was not thinking rationally.

“Yes, but I was able to capture one for Kiera to examine.”

“Examine it? Why would I examine the dead?!” Kiera sounded horrified.

“It’s not exactly dead. We need to learn more about them, and what if we can change it back? There might be a cure.”

“Are you mad?” Kiera raised her voice, then rememberedherself and dropped it into a harsh whisper, “If it isn’t dead, you could contaminate the entire palace!”

“What are you on about?” Nyx scoffed.

“We don’t know anything about them. They may seem like the undead the Vivi Mortui created in the Hundred Years War, but they are not the same. They were created by a necromancer—and an unhinged one at that. If the thing is not undead in the same way we believe and it is truly alive in some way, it could infect everyone here. You have no idea what controls the magic or if it can be spread.” Kiera shook with rage.

“Surely it can’t be?—”

Kiera cut him off. “Take me to it now.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” I cut in, in full protection mode now that my ryder was about to be put in danger.

“Do you think I have time to ask those questions? The longer it’s here, the longer it could have to start some sort of outbreak.”

SIX

KIERA

The palace was thankfully deserted because of the hour, but Nyx still rushed through the hallways, hoping not to be seen. A sense of urgency bled from him and I didn’t like the edge cutting through his posture, but I tried to focus on what mattered in the moment, which was the fact that we had an unknown danger held in the palace grounds and only I seemed rational enough to see that it was a disaster waiting to happen.

I was breathing hard by the time we reached the stairs to the dungeons, keeping a double pace to keep up with these two giants. I was a healer, for the Goddess’s sake. I was not cut out for this life, and this proved it.

“I must insist on going first. It’s not safe for Kiera to just be let into a room with one of these creatures.” Jaxus fumed as he kept pace with Nyx. Something was off with him. He’d been tense since Nyx admitted to what he’d brought back.

“Do you doubt my ability to keep her safe?” Nyx asked.

I interrupted before they could get into a debate over who between them was to act as my protector. “Whether I go in first or last makes no difference. The fact is, I need to see this thing now that it’s here.”

“And then what?” demanded Jaxus. “You’re not touching it or even getting close. What will you even be able to tell from a cursory visual examination?”

“Maybe nothing, maybe something. We won’t know until I do.” I shot back as we descended down time-worn stone steps into the gloom of the passages under the palace.

The air was dank and musty from lack of use, although dust and cobwebs had not collected as one may have expected. Perhaps these passages were still used for some purpose. A drip sounded somewhere in the distance. An actual drip, like this was some ancient passage out of a gothic novel and not a modern palace.

We reached the end of the hallway that led to the dungeons and Nyx stopped, taking a deep breath and turning to us.

“I must prepare you for what you will see. It’s—disturbing,” he admitted. “Are you sure you’re willing to go in?”

I scoffed. “I’m not sure that there is a choice now that you’ve done this, now that the thing is here. Let’s just get this over with so that we can dispose of it quickly.”

Nyx hesitated, looking at Jaxus with something like an apology in his eyes. Then nodded, seeming resigned.