Without warning, he lunged for the man. His actions took his captors off guard, enabling him the precious split-second he needed to get his hands around the vizier’s throat. He was about to snap the man’s neck when he was struck violently across the back of hishead.Garenthdropped to his knees, stunned, as blood trickled warmly down the back of his neck.
“Give up, Commander. You will never succeed.” The vizier’s voice was hoarse, but it was strong enough to convey the man’s condescension.
Garenthpeered up at him throughslittedeyes. “This may detain me for a bit,” he told the man, teeth gritted to keep from snarling his anger, “Butit will not keep me from trying again. And again, and again, for however long it may take me to finally bring you down,Serasin.”
The viziertempledhis fingers below his chin as he stared back. It was clear the man was delighted to see the soldier who had been seeking to topple him from his austere position for the past three years. Delighted now to have the man in his grasp, knowing he wouldnever be free again to continue pursuing him.
“It seems that as long as you have been hunting me down,Garenth, I have been equally diligent to get you to myself.” The man cocked his head and grinned again. “But not for the same outcome.”
He gave a little wave of one bejeweled hand.Garenth’sfellow guards were dragged away, leaving him and the vizier alone except for two other magistratesstanding just behind the robed figure, and the two guards waiting to usher him out of the room.
“Any final words, Commander, before you are brought before his holiness and condemned to death?”
“Only what I said before. This isn’t over,Serasin, and it won’t be until I get my revenge.”
The next instant, the world exploded in agony and darkness when thepommel of a sword came down on top of his head.
