The Lost Crown Book 4: Arachnids Record Book
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Saphira Aelin
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"Lighting struck fifty yards off. My head pounded.
As I turned to look at my surroundings, my gaze fell. A man and woman had laid beside me, and a sword covered in blood was in my hand. Did I do this?"
Hollis grows up in a quiet village, certain her life will stay ordinary. But when she’s sent to the Academy of Oswalda, everything changes. She expects nothing, yet discovers not only does she have power, she may be one of the strongest students there. Secrets unravel fast—about her past, her family, and the truth of where she came from. Questions of love, loyalty, and destiny haunt her steps as she searches for answers. But blood, war, and dangerous revelations shadow her journey. Hollis is no longer just a village girl—she’s someone who could reshape kingdoms. And every secret she uncovers pulls her deeper into a storm of power, passion, and choices that will change her forever.
Chapter 1: Found
DRAKE
Mud clung to my skin, and my hair was a greasy mess like I’d dipped it in oil and left it there for days. Honestly, that’s probably what it looked like.
We’d been travelling for over three weeks now, and every step felt like a new kind of torture. All this just to save our friend, and it felt like we were getting nowhere.
My heart pounded harder the closer we got to the King of Arachnid’s castle, the closer to Lord Hunter. Ulric had finally decided we were ready and told General Thomas to give us the green light.
None of us were exactly fans of Ulric. I didn’t see that changing anytime soon. He’d tossed us aside and let people die over a stupid bottle of wine. I still couldn’t believe it.
Most nights, we hid out in the forest. Sometimes, if we were lucky, we’d stay with General Thomas’s spies in Arachnid. But that was rare. They couldn’t risk their families any more than they already had.
We needed them, though. Information was everything. King Halum wouldn’t think twice about killing anyone who stood between him and power or the magic running through our veins.
That night, we stopped by the Welsh River. The water was so clear and blue that it almost looked fake. I stood at the edge, just staring, wishing I could dive in and wash away the last three weeks.
“Before you start bathing in it, wait for the rest of us to fill the canteens,” Johnny called out, coming up behind me.
I didn’t even realize I’d been staring so hard until Weston started laughing. “Are you seriously eyeing the river like it’s a steak dinner?”
Celestria stepped up next to me, arms crossed. “Excuse me, but none of us have had a bath since we left camp.”
She was right. I could tell she’d been thinking the same thing. Who wouldn’t?
Once the canteens were full, Celestria and I jumped in, clothes and all. We didn’t have spares, so we figured we might as well wash everything at once.
I was so tired of smelling like sweat, dirt, and blood. I pulled my hair loose and dunked under, letting the water rinse away the grime.
The water around us turned dark, swirling with all the filth we’d carried for days.
“I thought we were going to go a whole year without a bath,” Celestria giggled, splashing water at me.
Matthew and Clay wandered upstream with their nets, probably hoping for fish.
“I know what you mean. Even the animals were running from us,” I laughed. “Honestly, I wish we were on a ship. Walking is taking forever.”
A laugh echoed from the bank.
“Yeah, because we all remember how that ended. At the bottom of the ocean,” Johnny said, grinning down at us.
I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.
Celestria held out her hand to Johnny. “Help me out?”
He reached for her, but instead of pulling her up, she yanked him in. Johnny came up sputtering, soaked and annoyed. He tried to scramble out, but we grabbed his belt and dragged him back under.
He looked like a cat getting its first bath, angry and confused.
“Come on! I’m a guy. I like that stinky smell. Now you’ve ruined it. I don’t want to smell like a girl,” he grumbled, fighting us off.
I grabbed a flower from the bank and rubbed it all over his head. “Just trying to help with that awful smell,” I teased as we finally let him go.
He wiped the petals off and stomped out of the water, muttering.
“Think we could get the rest of them?” Celestria joked, eyes sparkling.
I laughed, picturing the guys’ faces if we tried.
“Those are fighting words,” I told her, grinning.
But my smile faded fast when Hunter’s voice echoed in my mind.
What have I gotten him into?
Just being my friend was dangerous now.
“We’re going to get him back. Stop worrying,” Celestria said softly, her hand warm on my shoulder.
“I know.” I dunked under one last time before climbing out.
Tanner ran up and shoved me right back in.
Before I could say anything, Sergeant Ulric’s voice cut through the night. “Don’t say a word. Swim to the other side and hide along the cliffs.”
They’d found us. We’d gone so long without being noticed. It was almost too good to be true. Being this close to the castle, I should’ve known they’d have more guards.
We did exactly what Ulric said. From our hiding spot, we watched as Arachnid soldiers tore our camp apart, searching for any sign of us.
“Remember, King Halum wants the girl alive. She is the future of our kingdom,” the leader shouted.
He meant me. I could feel everyone sneaking glances my way.
The soldiers took their time, going through everything we’d left behind, even our food. A couple of the guards started eating it, and Matthew and Clay just rolled their eyes.
“Check by the stream!” someone yelled.
