The Heirs of Death

38.1 Lullaby of Death

LULLABY OF DEATH

In the two months since being assigned First Female, I found myself back at the Sombers more times than I'd imagined. More than I'd liked. But Blake and Lysithea had been on guards, severing heads and ending lives at the mere lick of rumors. They did not question, they did not risk it—every possible threat to their plans was executed before the next sunrise.

And so we came back to the gloomy, dark place again and again, watching as demons—powerful and mischievous—fell, ten guards at the king and queen's side observing like shadows.

We were twelve crowned guards for the first while, before the other two ended here, too. I couldn't say our hands were clean—in all these cases. Careful, detailed plotting that not only reduced the number of threats amongst the circle of guards, but brought us closer to the ruling family as much.

Blood splattered on my boots as we walked, Rhiannon at a steady pace on my side, our magic opening and closing gates, dumping the heads and the bodies resulting of today's executions in the Beheaded. There had been only us left for this duty after darkness swept over the world.

Winter was coming closer, and the days became shorter, the winds colder, the storms louder and harsher. Long and thin drops of water fell, ringing as it dripped and merged with all the pooling blood, intensifying the smell.

Leyath and I continued throwing away the corpses, my eyes still looking around for Ha-ámej, hoping to find him limping near some rocks, his fogs dancing around him. But he was never there after the executions were done—never seen, never heard off, as though the very earth had swallowed him. He was not even near the hand-shaped rock—there had been no trials there, and I didn't make myself approach it more than necessary.

The light rain started getting heavier, fat drops sliding down the impermeable, black fabric of my suit. More corpses and cadavers fell through the open windows, mighty piles quickly fading.

"Leave a head,'' I whispered, my breath curling in front of my mouth. Lightening ripped the skies, the world turning white for a heartbeat, before thunder rattled the world.

My third raised a brow but remained silent as we rounded the area. Again. Not a single trace of that man, not even a whisper, as though the fog that spread around us was not alive when he wasn't present.

"You've been informed that you're on dungeons duty after the shift I made, right?"

My spy hummed, seeming to examine which head was the prettiest to keep. "You are planning something."

I did not stop walking, even when I met her eyes, an eyebrow arched. "Is this what I get for making arrangements because I know you prefer terrestrial duties over aerial ones?"

She hummed again, but the look she sported in her features, it told me enough that she didn't believe a damn word. I found myself wondering what look she would give me once she discovered what was going on between her brother and me—what all of my court's reactions would be, as none past Carter truly knew yet. Leyath kept on humming, a common tune always being sung in the inns and motels whenever we would go down to memorize the capital.