ICE

67. Daggers

"I told you not to pick a fight with the guards," Vyses said. He moved closer toward her and his arms uncrossed. She watched as his gaze flickered over the limp corpses that surrounded them. "You should have come to me the moment you felt like you were in trouble. I could have helped you. We could have used a spell to stop the guards from attacking, long enough for us to leave the city at least."

Ravenna glared at him. "And leave the others in this poor town to suffer at their hands? No. It had to be done and you know it."

Their gazes locked. Behind his veil of anger, Ravenna could see a sense of understanding, of something that almost looked like pride. She blinked and frowned at him. Despite his exterior emotion, it appeared that Vyses actually agreed with her.

She discarded the notion, immediately annoyed with his attitude. Her gaze traveled toward the inn again. "We need to leave. Now. It won't be long before word travels about this, and the last thing that we need is for the Blood Knights to return for their witch," she said.

He glanced around. "You're right," he said.

"Have Lyth go grab our items," she told him. "Have him pay the innkeeper as well. You and I need to destroy these bodies."

Vyses eyed her and nodded. "As you wish, lass," he murmured under his breath, glancing behind him at Lyth. Said boy instantly vanished from the doorway, making his way up the stairs and toward their shared bedroom.

Ravenna watched as Vyses squeezed his eyes shut. He heaved a small sigh and, for a moment, remained eerily still. When his eyes reopened, they glowed a bright, crimson red color.

Vyses lifted a hand and snapped his fingers. She watched as his lips moved around a silent spell and, within seconds, a cloud of crimson magic emanated from his fingertips. The cloud grew, crawling through the air, toward the bodies that surrounded them. The moment that the cloud touched them, the corpses dissolved, disappearing into the earth beneath them.

Once the bodies had vanished, the cloud evaporated, and the streets looked brand new.

Vyses's chest moved around another sigh. "There," he said, as the crimson faded from his irises. "We should be good to leave now."

Lyth appeared behind him then, all of their belongings tucked away within the satchel that hung from his waist. "I've paid the innkeeper. We are free to leave now."

Ravenna glanced around once more at the buildings that surrounded them. To her surprise, the doors had opened and, slowly, people entered the marketplace. Hundreds of wide eyes all seemed to focus on her. It made her stomach knot.

Vyses held an arm out, attempting to put himself between Ravenna and the townsfolk. The crimson had returned to his eyes, making it obvious that he also expected an attack.

But the Ravenna saw the woman, the one she'd helped, and the wide grin that stretched across her face.

And then the entire town erupted into cheers.

So the Watty's have been announced! 

Ice didn't win this year, but it's all good! I'm honestly so stoked that it even made it as far as it did. I wasn't expecting it to get through the first round, much less make it to the second lol! 

I'm also really excited about all the freaking amazing books that did win a Watty. Like they all look so good and I can't wait until I can devour them with my eyes!!! I really hope that you guys check them out and shower them with love and support! I'll leave a link to the final list on my message board so y'all can find it! ❤

ps. can I just add that like this week has been absolutely awful for me? I don't want to take away from the excitement of the wattys or create a pity party for myself, but like omg. it's been wild and i lowkey need to rant. I got in trouble at work, my car completely broke down THE DAY BEFORE MY MID SEMESTER REVIEW, and i pretty much failed said mid semester review. 

it's okay though because i am about as persistent as a cockroach and i will survive this nuclear war of a week.