Blood & Bone [Book Three of The City of Eternity Series] [✔]

3.8: Gleam

I contemplated going against the composed words of Sebastian; the only official who'd offered me a solid attempt at solace. I contemplated running through the halls of the main Central building until I managed to ram my body into a door that gave me access to my wife. I contemplated stealing her away before they could put their soiled hands on her body and rip her essence from the earth.

But that was only contemplation. I could go no further than thought. I was left only to imagine. If not for my own will, for the haunting imitation of my wife that was singing in the back of my mind. A hollower aching sound that uttered the notes wrong but powerfully all the same.

The song was a simple plea that had formed in my subconscious as my wife often willed it; on those nights when I'd go roaming in the forest alone. Though the song did not have words and was composed only of long drawls, I knew the meaning instinctively; Arsenio, leave me here. Do not act rashly. I will not allow it. Leave me here.

She would not forgive me if I gave in to my own contemplation and went against her will. That much was clear. With every passing moment, the voice in the back of my head was becoming louder, too obnoxious a sound to truly be Dhana, but I listened all the same.

With a lingering look in the direction Sebastian had disappeared, I heaved a sigh that released my limbs from their solidity. The ache in my arm and back was still radiating through my skin, demanding attention and refusing me peace. I had to admit it was a welcome distraction from the hollow cries within.

I dragged my carcass to the main lobby door and furrowed my brows when my head lightened with every step, guilt laced relief flooding my mind as I left the building with a heaviness weighing my body in its stead.

The crowd outside had dispersed under the instruction of the official guards, only a few human stragglers sat by the steps with glares in their eyes and clenched fists simply waiting for an opportunity. Those of the wolves who had not taken refuge inside the main building had left for Western, hopes for food defeated by the disappointed looks of Central members.

Inas and Adalwin seemed to have followed them suit, neither of them standing where I'd run from with their blessing; only the cleanup crew collecting corpses loitering in their place. It was only viewing this that told me of the true horrors that occurred earlier; too focused on my own wife to notice the atrocities. Not only were ten sheet covered bodies lined up on the street waiting to be moved, but four were also already loaded up into a truck; the cries of loved ones lingering nearby enough to make my limbs quake.

I had to wonder whether one of those white sheets was covering the body of the young girl my wife had unfortunately laid her claws on, or if there wasn't enough to cover. She hadn't left very much.

Even with that trembling thought running through my mind, I realised it wasn't the bodies that had left such a bitter taste in my mouth; given they were mostly covered it wasn't as grotesque as their surroundings. The cobbles had been soaked in blood; each crack in the surface filled with an abundance of red that seemed to be seeping out uncontrollably. Even the fabric from ripped clothing that had been left to soak up blood was unable to make a dent; the clumps made the scene far worse.