The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash 3)

His eyes warmed in the fading afternoon sun. “I think you’re ready, too,” he said, and I beamed up at him. “Although, I will miss having you in front of me.”

“I will miss that, too,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks warm. “But I…”

“I know,” he said quietly, and I think he really did understand why I wanted to ride into the capital on my own horse. What it meant for me. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and then looked over his shoulder.

“Already on it,” Emil said, bowing with a flourish. “I will find you a steed worthy of your beauty and strength, Your Highness,” he added with a wink and a smile.

I grinned.

“Every time he smiles at you, I want to rip his lips from his face.”

My brows lifted as I looked at Casteel. “That’s excessive.”

“Not nearly excessive enough,” he grumbled, eyeing where the Atlantian had disappeared into the nearby stable.

“Sometimes,” Naill began as he hoisted himself onto his horse, “I do believe Emil has a death wish.”

“Same,” Casteel muttered, and I rolled my eyes.

Emil returned with a very beautiful gray mare that he’d been assured was even-tempered. Setti gave his approval by nudging the mare with his nose as I thanked Emil. “Does she have a name?”

“Storm,” he answered as Casteel checked the straps on the saddle. “Named by the innkeeper’s daughter.”

I grinned as I stroked the fine hairs of the mare’s neck. “It’s nice to meet you, Storm.”

Casteel raised his brows at me from the other side of the horse, but at least he wasn’t ripping Emil’s heart out.

Telling myself that this wasn’t a bad idea, I hoisted myself onto Storm’s back. My stomach flipped and flopped all over the place. I had no idea if Casteel somehow saw my nervousness, but he took the reins, holding them for a bit. Once I got used to the movement and being alone, I took them. Since we weren’t doing anything beyond a quick trot, I felt rather confident that I wouldn’t fall off.

Though, both Casteel and Kieran stayed close to me, riding to my left and right.

“What are you thinking about for the coronation?” Casteel asked as we rode through a wooded area. “Typically, it’s an all-day celebration—a feast along with a ball.”

A feast? Ball? Excitement bubbled up in me. For so many years, I’d wanted nothing more than to join the balls held at Castle Teerman, fascinated by the sounds and laughter, the dresses and artful makeup, and how the anticipation permeated the crowds. It was a reckless sort of happiness. I…I wanted that. To be in a pretty dress, have my hair done, my face painted, and to…to dance with Casteel.

But balls took weeks to plan, and I imagined coronations took even longer. And we didn’t have days to spare to plan such an event.

“I would enjoy a ball,” I said. “But I don’t think we have time for that.”

Casteel nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“Is it something that can be done later?” I wondered. “I mean, after we’re crowned officially and have dealt with the Blood Crown and everything with that?”

A dimple appeared in his right cheek. “Poppy, you will be Queen. You will be able to do whatever you want.”

“Oh,” I murmured as Delano chuckled. I could…I could do whatever I wanted? I blinked as I focused on the road ahead. Anything? That was a unique feeling. A shocking one. I exhaled raggedly. “Then I would—”

An arrow whizzed past my head. I gasped, jerking to the side as Casteel reached over.

“Grab her reins,” he bit out, encircling an arm around my waist.

Cursing, Kieran leaned over, grabbing Storm’s reins as Casteel dragged me onto Setti. Another arrow flew over our heads.

“Motherfuckers.” Naill grunted. Over his shoulder, I saw him glance down at his arm.

“Are you okay?” I shouted as Casteel wheeled Setti to the side, angling himself so his body shielded mine.

“Barely a flesh wound,” the Atlantian growled, baring fangs. “Won’t be able to say the same for those dead fucks.”

I twisted in the saddle. All I saw were bronze masks.

The Unseen.

Dozens of them stood in the road, some armed with bows, and others with swords. Gyrms. The skin of their bare chests carried the grayish pallor of something that had never lived.

Then I saw nothing but wolven, streaking over the paved road and through the reedy grass, taking down those who held bows. Their screams were cut short as teeth sank deep into throats. Naill flew past us, shoving his sword deep into the chest of a Gyrm as Vonetta leapt over a fallen Unseen, crashing into the back of another. Several Gyrms breached the wolven, racing toward us as Emil rode past us, throwing a dagger. The blade pierced a mask, sending the Unseen falling backward. There wasn’t even time to feel disappointment over what was happening—that this signified that there were still Unseen hell-bent on preventing me from taking the Crown.