At first, I thought no one would answer him, but one young man slowly pushed his way forward to speak. “Not to our knowledge. Everyone was ordered to defend either the harbor or perimeter of the castle.”
That was a small miracle that I would take gratefully.
The battle still raged on around us, and our time crunch was only highlighted by the sounds of Kolvar’s and Elijah’s grunts as they faced attackers behind me. Tightening my grip on my daggers, I glanced back to ensure they had it handled as Dakath engaged the humans blocking the doors.
“I need you all, as a group, to back toward the doors slowly as we advance,” he explained. “Being fearful of vampyres will make this look normal, but ensure you keep your weapons raised toward us as you protect the door. Once you are upon the doors, open them and rush inside. We will follow directly behind you, so immediately begin to shut the door after all of you make it in.”
“We need to go!” Kolvar growled as he pierced the heart of his opponent before kicking on his chest to dislodge him from his weapon, sending the vampyre crashing to the ground.
Whipping my head back to Dakath, I was pleased to see the humans doing as he instructed. As soon as I heard the large doors creak, I yelled, “Let’s go!” to my men.
Putting on a quick burst of speed, I sheathed my daggers as we crossed the threshold while their last members were entering the castle. Using our speed and strength, we rushed to help close the heavy doors as shouts of alarm sounded from the outside.
“Grab the beam!” I shouted, my eyes locking on the massive wooden block nearby.
My three men groaned at the weight of it, which at least meant that it would not be easily broken. The doors heaved against my shoulder as I gritted my teeth and dug my feet into the floor along with the humans who helped to hold it shut against the opposing forces.
Finally, the beam was navigated into its metal holdings against the door, helping barricade us in for now.
“That won’t last for long if they get enough vampyres,” Elijah warned, his mind clearly turning with possible solutions. “If we want a fair shot at taking Malakai out, these have to stay closed.”
The human who stepped forward to Dakath earlier spoke up once more as he brushed the dark hair from his eyes. “I will stay here and fight them if they break through. You helped our families when you didn’t have to. I will repay that debt now.”
My heart constricted at his valiant display of his character.
“As will I,” a man with a speckled red and white beard added as he stepped forward.
And just like that, each man who previously stood in fear of us, shaking and forced to serve their Emperor, showed that they were in fact courageous and strong. It was beautiful, the way our strength bolstered when we fought for who and what we loved…What we believed in.
“It’s too dangerous,” Dakath quickly rebutted, shaking his head. “It’ll be their slaughter.”
Glancing in the direction of the throne room at the end of this long corridor, a plan began quickly formulating in my mind. It was necessary that these doors remained shut, to give me the time to find Malakai and face off with him without help coming to his aid. Without a doubt, the humans couldn’t hold the door shut or face off with a unit of vampyre guards if they managed to break through.
I needed my men to stay behind to help them and give me a fighting chance, but I wasn’t sure how to ask them to let me face Malakai alone. I didn’t want them to think I didn’t need them—because I did. But these men needed them more.
Elijah seemed to be on the exact same page as me, though. I let out a strangled breath of relief as his words echoed through the hall.
“We will stay here and help you defend the door. We will fight beside you if any of these soldiers break through the door or come around from the other hallways,” he announced before his emerald eyes swung to land on me. “Go find him, Kyella. End this.”
I knew this wasn’t the time to get choked up, but damn was it hard when I was faced with the determination and love burning in his gaze as he told me in such few words that he trusted me and believed I could do this without them. He believed I was strong enough to face my abuser and end this pain and suffering for all of Malakai’s victims.
It was a heavy emotion, but one I needed to get me through this.
“I love you all,” I breathed out, making eye contact with each of them before quickly turning on my heel and sprinting down the long hall.
As I raced toward the room and closed my hands around the hilts of my daggers, I couldn’t help but remember the memories this room had bestowed upon me.
How my heart had raced when I thought I was steps away from freedom as I cowered in this room moments before making a break for it.
How Malakai had beheaded my guard before introducing Tristan to me.
How I’d been shackled to that damn throne as his Lords fed upon me, covering my arms in bite marks.
Countless horrors that this room produced in so many memories.
I would be the first to create a good memory within the confines of those cursed walls: Malakai’s death.
A snarl of disgust and pent-up rage emitted from me as I kicked the doors open, using the momentum of my speed and strength to crack through whatever flimsy lock held them closed from the inside.
