Mask of Poison (Fall of Under Book 1) by Kathryn Kingsley (great novels to read txt) 📕

Ember shouted.

Things happened abruptly in Under, Ember decided. She was used to things going from “fine” to “catastrophe” in a split second, but those chaotic moments were usually a bit more spaced out on the calendar than they were in this new world.

One second, she had been talking to Lyon and listening to his story. She was desperately trying to piece together more of the puzzle that was Under, its people, and the tormented creature that had accosted her twice in the city.

The next second, something hurtled from the darkness, tackled Lyon from his horse, and was now pinning him to the dirt.

She leapt from Cricket, drawing her new knife as she landed. Running at the figure perched atop the King of Blood, she swung the blade for their head. The blow never landed. She didn’t even reach halfway through the arc of her swing before something grabbed her.

The figure was fast, whatever it was. They snatched her by the front of her coat and threw her like she weighed nothing. The world upended. Ember could only squeak in surprise as the ground and sky switched places once, twice, and then came to a sudden halt as gravity took over.

She groaned into the grass where she had landed. At least it was softer than the packed dirt of the road.

“And what’s this?”

Ember scrambled up, struggling to regain her footing. When she managed to figure out which way was pointed where, she finally got a good look at whoever, or whatever, had attacked them.

It was a woman.

She was nearly naked, wearing little more than an assortment of chains, jewelry, and scraps of fabric across her body. A tail—a literal tail, like that of a cat—swished behind her. She wore a wooden mask that covered her temple and forehead, looking more like the crown of some ancient people than a mask. Horns arced up from her mass of braided and adorned hair, curling behind her head.

Green ink and other markings ran along her chestnut-colored skin. Bright green eyes, slitted like a cat’s, shone in the light of the moons. And the woman was watching Ember with a keen and hungry expression.

Like the woman wanted to either fuck her, eat her, or was making up her mind between the two options.

Or deciding to do both. Ember raised her knife in defense and took a step back. Both of the horses were stomping the ground and shifting back and forth nervously. They knew a predator was dangerously close.

The woman tilted her head to the side, smirking with confidence. She turned to speak over her shoulder at Lyon, who was picking himself up from the ground and brushing himself off. Oddly, he seemed in no rush about it. “Why are you always collecting mortals, my love?”

“It is my lot in life, it seems.” Lyon brushed some dirt from his sleeve. “Must you always introduce yourself in such a dramatic fashion?”

“I wasn’t introducing myself, darling. The score between us is now even. I believe the phrase is ‘tag, you’re it.’” The woman grinned. Her canine teeth were just a little too long and a little too sharp.

Lyon walked up to the woman and leaned down to kiss her. When he broke off the embrace, there was a tender warmth in his eyes that left no room for argument about whether or not he loved the newcomer.

“You can lower your knife, kitten,” the woman said to Ember as she wrapped her arms around Lyon’s waist. “Although I do appreciate your instincts, I’m afraid you’re outmatched, mortal.”

“Story of my life.” Ember sighed. “I take it you’re his wife?”

“Not always a safe assumption around here. But in this case, yes. You’re right.” The woman held out a hand to her. “Kamira. Elder of the House of Moons, and regent to King Dtu.”

Ember tucked her knife back into her belt and shook the woman’s hand. “Ember. That’s all I’ve got.”

Kamira snickered. “A fighter.” She grinned and looked back up to Lyon. The woman was easily six feet tall or more, but still had to look up at the towering King of Blood, who easily had half a foot on her. “I like her already. Feisty and cute, her coming to your rescue like that. Absolutely adorable.”

“I didn’t know who you were.” Ember didn’t know why she felt the need to defend her actions. It wasn’t cute. “I thought he was in danger.”

“Everyone is always in danger in Under. That’s part of the fun.”

“What are you doing here, my love?” Lyon tucked a braided strand of Kamira’s dark hair behind her slightly pointed ear.

“That’s complicated.” Kamira sighed. “You aren’t the only one who has wound up with a mortal charge. My pack was out hunting with Dtu’s when we came across a strange little village. It looked like one of the edge towns that the wild ones piece together. It was filled with strange mortals that do not come from Earth.”

“My world was called Gioll,” Ember muttered.

“Was your world also filled with bizarre, hungry corpses?” Kamira sneered. “They make for easy kills, but they are prolific in number.”

“Yes,” Lyon answered for her. “And they have taken Yej. The city is overrun.”

“What?” Kamira took a step back from Lyon in shock. “You’re kidding! The whole city?”

Lyon nodded solemnly. “We are headed up the road after Ini and Maverick, who fled with whoever else we could save. The city evacuated, and citizens are likely spreading in all directions. But the city itself is…lost, for the time being.”

“Who—how?” Kamira shook her head. “What is going on?”

“It is a long story.” Lyon shut his eyes. “And I do not understand most of what has transpired. But…Rxa has returned. And he brings with him a tide of death and a hunger for revenge.”

Silence hung in the air for a long moment.

And then Kamira laughed. She cackled. Ember watched her as though she had lost her mind. They were discussing the end of the world, and the feral woman was laughing as though it were