Infernal Ties Read Online Free Page A

the blush of pink that reflected over the red roofs. The river glittered and wove its way through the city. There was something about the collection of bridges that always caught my eye, lined up like a series of stitches pulling the city together. A sense of peace filled me.  
    The castle complex was empty apart from the soldiers in their ceremonial wear; they couldn’t keep the boredom from their faces, not that I blamed them. I wasted no time in admiring the gargoyles or the intricate architecture. I headed straight through to the gardens and around the back of the stables. The road was quiet; despite the rush on the metro, the traffic hadn’t begun yet. I glanced around, checking that I was alone before I started walking across the grass searching for some sign of Quin.  
    After some twenty minutes of searching, I’d found nothing. It had been stupid; I’d hoped to find a note or something, anything, to let me know where he was and that he was ok. Wasn’t that how it went in those movies? The brave and intrepid kidnappee would leave an ingenious clue for his saviours. I wasn’t feeling like much of a saviour.   Something glinted in the light. I ran over to it, hope blooming once more. A small pile of indigo powder sparkled and glittered in the sunlight. It smelt of honeysuckle and coffee, Quin’s special little mix to use against all things magical.  
    I cursed him out for vanishing on me. Why couldn’t he leave me something more? I told myself that it meant he was in once piece; it was a neat and tidy little pile. A rustling from the bushes pressed against the castle stable walls drew my attention. My hand moved to the blade on my hip, and I groaned as my ribs complained at the sudden move. I stood slowly while I watched the bushes intently.  
    Something, or someone, burst out from the evergreen foliage and ran at me. I drew my blades and grounded my weight, preparing for the large man that ran at me. His face was bruised; black and purple patches sat around his left eye. Blood stained his lips, and dried blood formed neat lines down his chin. A flutter of fear formed in my chest. I hadn’t seen anything like him before. His eyes were wild.  
    As he got closer, I saw that his navy blue crewneck was stained with blood. His arms were splattered with mud, green paste, and more blood. The haunted, glassy golden eyes never left mine. I didn’t think he blinked; he was entirely focused. Even the rogue lycans didn’t focus as absolutely as he was. He was almost on me when he raised his hands. Dark brown claws emerged from his torn fingertips. No creature could do that. I side-stepped at the last second and slashed his ribs. He yowled and spun to face me before I could do anything more. He bared his pointed yellowed teeth at me; his golden eyes never left mine. He looked like a broken lycan, the feral predatory need, the teeth, but he was too human. I found myself frozen under that gaze, paralysed by fear of the unknown. Suddenly, his face contorted in fear. His eyes became chocolate brown, tears flooded down his face. His body relaxed before he groaned and took off across the road. I ran after him. I couldn’t allow a creature like that loose in the city.  
    Tyres screeched as someone hit their brakes; I ignored them. My ribs groaned and ached as I pushed myself to catch him. His longer legs meant he was getting away from me. He vanished into the dense woods. The branches bit into my arms as I desperately tried to keep him in my line of sight. He was gone. I couldn’t hear his footsteps or see any sign of him through the dense foliage and thick tree trunks. I had no idea what he was or where he came from. With a heavy sigh I stopped in the middle of the woods, my heart pounding.
    Logic overruled any emotion.   I pulled a small vial out of my pocket; Quin insisted that I carry them at all times. I managed to coax a few drops of the thing’s blood down into the vial. An alchemist would be able to give me some