Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) by Jonathan Michael (best ebook for manga txt) 📕

will enter the city before sunup, and the gap is closing between me and the man who will decide my fate, the man who will take away my ability to cast my own shadow, the man who will be my end.

My body trembles. It’s an odd feeling to know this could be the last time I experience the red glow of Cerise or hear the serenading howl of a wolf. I can see the capital’s lights reflecting off the overcast in the distance. Normally, I would find the luminescence intriguing and beautiful, but not tonight. Tonight, they represent the light at the end of the tunnel—a gateway to the heavens—for tonight may very well be my last.

My melancholic thoughts are interrupted by a much louder and closer howl. Bushes rustle directly behind us as we travel on Persia’s back together, but I brush it off as a creation of my imagination. Regardless, my arms tighten around Ellia’s waist.

“No need to fret over a few wolves. They’re afraid of us. They would never attack unless threatened or hungry enough that they’re willing to risk their lives for the kill. And that’s not likely because the amount of meat you’ll provide is scant. There is plenty of easier prey in this forest.”

“That’s not why I’m afraid,” I reply.

“No? Then what are you afraid of?”

I admire her skill in imitating compassion. She made it sound like a sincere interest in my wellbeing, but I know better.

“I’m afraid of entering the capital.” I point with my nub in the direction of the glowing horizon.

“There is an intriguing beauty to it, isn’t there?” Ellia peers over her shoulder, attempting to look me in the eyes. “Like a gateway to the heavens.” She smiles.

She’s reading my thoughts again.

“The Taoiseach won’t kill you,” she says.

I don’t believe her. “How do you know? He’s ruthless. He’d kill anyone who interfered with his absolute power. Including you.”

“He doesn’t have absolute power, and contrary to the common perception, that is not his ambition.”

“Whatever,” I say, unconvinced of the validity of her remark. Almost knocking down a tree with my talent or murdering an innocent person in no way correlates to being valuable. What is it that sparks their interest in me? All this time, Stone had us hiding in the Broken Forest because we were fugitives for taboo we weren’t part of. We were hiding from the Taoiseach because Stone believed we’d be executed if he found us. But there’s more to it. Whether Ellia is being honest about how valuable I am or not is beside the point. The Taoiseach would have had her murder me on the spot if he wanted me dead. So why does he want me alive? As a hostage to reel in Stone and Goose? But he could just as easily have assassins hunt them down. He doesn’t need me, so why does he want me alive? Unless…this is Ellia’s decision.

“How do you do the mind reading thing?” I prod.

“This is going to sound cliché, but I kill men who gain that knowledge. I’ve killed men simply for knowing it exists. But you can breathe easy. Your fate is in the Taoiseach’s hands.”

Silence consumes us for a period until a silhouette dashes toward us. Two large yellow eyes move closer and closer. A wolf! And it’s larger than I’d ever imagined them.

Persia snarls and crouches, putting herself into a defensive position with Ellia and I still mounted on her back. The vicious beast gets close enough for Persia to swat at, but it darts out of the way and back into the shadows just as quick as it came.

I cower my head, burying it between my shoulder and Ellia’s back as I clench down on her waist. Ellia assures me once again I have no reason to fear some puny wolves. They don’t seem so puny to me.

“They’re testing us,” Ellia whispers. “They’re intelligent enough to know they can’t attack a cat as large as Persia. They’re developing a strategy by learning our weaknesses.”

“And what are our weaknesses?” I ask. Ellia remains silent and alert.

A few clicks pass and they attack again. This time, one set of eyes charges directly at us from the front, another set to our right, and another to our left. The three wolves shred toward us at once. Persia focuses on the wolf ahead, seemingly unaware of the two approaching on the sides. I quickly realize all my faith for survival lies in Ellia. She’s fearless. I don’t know how she plans to save us, but I hope she does it quick.

“You are.” She replies just as the beasts are upon us.

Ellia rips her claymore from the leather harness mounted to Persia and slashes the wolf on the right in mid-air. It drops with a thud. As I watch the terror on my right, Ellia has already shifted her two-handed blade to the left and sticks the next wolf. She pierces it just below the jaw and is forced to lower her blade so the beast can slide off. That slight miscalculation ruins her chance for the third.

Ellia doesn’t flinch the slightest. Just as Persia could care less about the two attacking from the sides. It’s as if their instincts are bound together, intertwined through their thoughts. Persia focuses solely on the wolf in front and with one swipe of her massive paw, arrayed with merciless claws, she knocks it to the ground. The wolves are similar in size to Persia, but the cat handles the abrasive beast with ease.

I exhale, realizing I’ve been holding my breath, and release my grip on Ellia’s waist.

“It’s not over yet,” Ellia whispers over her shoulder.

“What do you mean?” A knot builds in my stomach.

“Shh…” she mouths with a finger at her lips.

Another wolf sounds off. Then, several more join in.

“There has to