The Road of Bones (The Ashen #1)

by Demi Winters

“Alfson will be pleased with you. He will want to open you up and see if you glow on the inside, too.”

Or nah

If she wanted freedom, she’d have to remember what they’d taught her.

Kick his ass

Pull his arm around your neck. Drive your fist into his groin. Smash your elbow into his ribs. Wrench yourself free.

Yas queen

They were woven from human hair. Reds, golds, browns, blacks—a multitude of samples twined together and mounted above the hearth like trophies.

Freak

What had happened? Why had he stopped choking her?

Did she freeze him

Silla could swear she heard Hekla’s laugh of approval as the bust landed with a sickeningly wet smack right on the kommandor’s head.

“Skeggagrim,” she reminded herself. “House with the blue shutters beside the Dragon’s Lair Inn.”

What kind of impractical power is this? she thought. A cold human torch that could not be snuffed?

I have to agree

The door swung open. “Hello, little Galdra,” said Skraeda.

GAHDAMMITTTTTT

vakandi leaves lingered, but he felt the stimulant begin to work immediately,

Her heart fell as the realization struck her. “Yes, little Galdra,” said Skraeda, pinning her against the door with an arm shoved into her collarbone. “My thanks for leaving me the letter.”

I freakin knew it

“A simple tug on his free will and the kommandor was no longer in control,” continued Skraeda.

She caused the commander to still

“She is a visionary. And she is not afraid to sacrifice for what this country needs. If that means some must die for Queen Signe’s vision to be made a reality, then so be it.”

“The queen wants you for your galdur.”

Instead of delivering you to her as I’d originally intended, I will take your galdur for myself.

“Míkrób,”

You will ingest them and host them while they feast on your galdur, acquiring it in their bodies.

Once they have gorged themselves and created more tiny spawn, I will take them from you and b...

And Silla knew that if she ran, Skraeda would chase. There was only one way to end this.

Leaping onto the stunned warrior, Silla yanked the crystalline phial from Skraeda’s fist and threw it against the wall.

“You didn’t tell me you were a Blade Breaker.” Skraeda’s brows furrowed. “Are you a twin, girl? How do you have Ashbringer and Breaker intuition?”

Silla watched emotions chase one another across Skraeda’s face—disbelief, anger, resignation, relief. Relief.

“Shh. It’s me, Sunshine. Calm down.”

Yes daddy

“Where is it? Where are you hurt?” The panic in his voice made her falter. “It’s not mine, Rey. Not my blood.”

*swoon*

Bodies—more than she could count, strewn on the ground, the faces melted like wax from a candle.

Your friend rey did that

“The Slátrari,” she managed weakly. “Those bodies…was that the murderer? He was here? So near to us?” “Must be,” muttered Rey, strangely unconcerned.

LOL

“You truly are filled with sunshine, aren’t you?” he said at last, an almost-smile twitching his lips.

<3

“You’re Crew now,” said Rey. “And we do not leave anyone behind. So let us leave this place and find Horse. I will get you to safety.”

Stopppp im crying

“I know someone,” Rey said. “I will see if my contact can help Metta. But we must leave. Now.”

And then Silla thought it—all this time, she’d been searching for a place to feel safe, but what if she’d been looking at it all wrong? What if safety was not a place, but a person?

This this this

Swiftly, Saga wove her mental barriers back into place, securing her Sense behind them.

She can read minds

you will take your place as Bjorn’s betrothed. Next season, he shall be fourteen, a suitable enough age to wed.

Ew shes 22

she was reminded of the one ally she had—Askaborg Castle, with its hidden passages known only to her.

Eisa was alive. And Saga was going to find her.