Sophie felt the panic and her heart fluttered. Someone had the book. That was good….and very, very bad. She needed to know the prophecy. She needed it.
“Let’s stay calm,” Leander said, but his face was white. “We can sort this out rationally.”
“The Book is more important than that, Leander!” a man roared. “You cannot take your votes on this! Make haste, my fellows!”
About half the Necromancers surged towards the door. The rest wavered, glancing frantically at Sophie and Leander.
“Wait,” Sophie commanded.
There was a brief pause, but not long enough.
“Wait!” she insisted. “Is it so necessary that you have this book? Can you not preserve your secrets elsewise?”
“You misunderstand!” a woman shrieked from the crush near the doors. “The Book contains all information! The Doors of Death! The Night Princess! The Great Prophecy! The Immortality of the Shadow! It contains Necromancy itself! No other can know!”
Sophie wavered. Part of her was still praying that whoever had the book was on her side but she couldn’t hesitate for long.
“Go. Get it back.”
The doors opened and the mysterious Necromancers poured out in a shouting, screaming tidal wave of fury and hate. Sophie was left alone, frozen beside the throne. Leander stared at her.
“Who are you, Night Princess? Where do your loyalties truly lie?”
Sophie blinked at him and gulped.
“I’m no fool, Sophie Merith,” Leander tipped his head sideways, “and I can tell that you are no princess in mind, regardless of magic. So who are you? Where are your loyalties?”
“I….I….I…” Sophie floundered.
“You are not loyal to me, Sophie, nor to this Temple. Where are your loyalties?” Leander repeated, his voice raising in volume. “Who do you trust? Who do you follow?”
Sophie was frozen, panicking, unable to move.
“Run.”
Sophie didn’t hesitate. She turned and fled at the exact same moment as Leander groaned. She spun back round and stared in horror as blood spilled from his chest, a dark stain spreading across the floor.
“They make you take an oath,” Leander gasped. “And they hurt you, if you do it wrong. But I didn’t break the oath. It still hurts.”
“You’re dying,” Sophie whispered, terrified.
YOU ARE READING
The Necromancer Trilogy: Prophecy
FantasySince the Dark Ages, the world of magic has been carefully concealed from mortal eyes. Yet that careful world is about to be overturned. The Necromancers, a dangerous cult exiled from the magical community, have a prophecy. It tells of the Night Pr...
