#Chapter 25: Ritual

Raven Neil led me through the narrow streets of the town, our cloaks billowing behind us in the wind. He didn’t tell me where he was taking me, although his hand was oddly warm and reassuring around mine. When we finally made it to our destination, though, I wished I hadn’t followed him. The moment I saw that body on display on the wall just outside the town, I retched up all of the ale I had consumed—and then some. Then, when I was finished expelling my guts onto the side of the road, I screamed and whirled toward Neil. He barely had enough time to leap out of the way before my fist went flying past his face. “What the hell?!” I shrieked, clutching my stomach with one hand. “Why would you show me this?! You fucking asshole!” Neil’s eyes blew wide at that. He took a step back, looking genuinely confused—as if he couldn’t for the life of him understand why I would be furious over seeing my pilot’s dead body on display. “I thought you might want