Raelle dips her chin, I turn back to her father and say, “I’ll follow your lead, General Mansi.”
He rises to his full height, and I pull him into my arms. The hug is tight, a firm request to make it out of this alive. We release each other, and he takes his place at the front of the line, marching soldiers and civilians out of the catacombs.
I fall into stride with Raelle at my side, and my three best friends at my back. We weave our way out of the underground resting place and into the hallways of the sanctuary. When we reach the grand hall, Abrum leads us down the center aisle as if we are not just warriors but the keepers of this land.
He pauses at the double doors that separate us from our destroyed city. I pull in a deep breath and wrap my hand around Raelle’s. She slides her fingers between mine and quietly but steadily says, “I’ll see you in the end.”
I grasp on to that promise and reply, “I look forward to it, princess.”
The doors burst open and the war begins.
Thirty-Three
RAELLE
Irelease Kyron’s hand and charge forward with the forces. At first, it’s hard to calculate what our situation is. The sea of bodies around me is thick and hot. It’s almost like we’re the only ones outside, scrambling around with no direction. And then the crowd breaks, and I get a glimpse of the shifters waiting beyond.
All manner of deadly predators stands between us and the city, sharp teeth bared, and claws extended. They are massive, and their numbers are countless. It brings me a moment of pause that seems to last for eternity and at the same time it’s not long enough to fill my lungs with air. I knew what to expect, yet the reality of it is a shock to my system.
A bone-rattling roar echoes off the decapitated buildings before everything is a clash of fur, feathers, and delicate skin. The colors of elemental power burst around me, blues and reds and greens. It isn’t the brute force felt in the shifters’ strength. No, our power is conniving. Simple elements that one encounters in their every day. There is nothing to fear until the wind blows you off your feet and water fills your mouth andnose, drowning you where you stand. Our gifts are most lethal when unexpected.
I look back, wanting to catch one last glimpse of my loved ones, but the masses have swallowed them within battling bodies. Suddenly, my farewells seem inadequate. Did they go into this battle knowing just how much I love each of them? Will I get the chance to tell them again? My heart sinks at the idea that so many words were left unspoken.
A claw sweeps across my peripheral vision. I gasp and duck, the sharp blades grazing the top of my head. A cougar lunges for me, and I kick its closest leg, colliding it with the other. It stumbles, giving me the opportunity to get to my feet. I unsheathe my sword and hold it in front of me. The cat pounces again, and so do I. We are a blur of swipes and jabs. Neither of us toying with the other. I can see it in the animal’s green eyes. It wants to take me out and move on to its next opponent. Frustrated with our back and forth, it swings at me with both paws in a one-two maneuver. Its long claws slice through the arm of my jacket, but instead of stepping back, I aim for its exposed stomach. My blade sinks into its gut, and I twist the hilt for good measure. The cougar folds in on itself and crumbles to the ground.
I forge on, slicing through fur and feathers. I’m not sure what is the endgame to all of this. Are we battling to force the surrender of the other? Do we kill until one kingdom is thoroughly destroyed? It seems so senseless, with so many lives hanging in the balance, both Pilirian and Allaji.
A screech comes from above, followed by the sound of flapping. Speckled wings gleam in the moonlight, their span impressive. It’s the image that haunts my nightmares. The man who I once considered a friend, and the scheming hawk who sent my world spiraling.
Keeping my gaze trained on Zek, I chase after him. If I can take him down, the Allaji are without a ruler. They could very well turn tail and return to their land. The person to succeed Zek could be just as atrocious, but the death of this king could buy us some time before the new ruler takes their crown.
I dart across the square, shoving animals and people out of my way. My boots slip through the blood staining the ground. It’s a struggle to remain upright, steadying myself on buildings and lampposts, but I refuse to let the hawk out of my sight. My lungs burn as I weave through the streets, and I ignore the aching muscles in my legs. Minutes of pain are nothing compared to the lifetime of suffering Zek will inflict upon us if he isn’t stopped.
The hawk flies in circles like he is scavenging for his next meal. It’s not our destroyed markets or cafes he seeks. He has demolished anything of value. All we have left are the powers within us and the Imperium. And even that is only priceless to us in the hands of our ruler. Our ruler...
Statera help me, I’m not the only one hunting down a king. If he kills Kyron, we become a kingdom without a sovereign. I may have made my amends with the Statera, and it may acknowledge Kyron’s desire for me to be his queen, but we have not gone through the anointment and bound our intentions before the Statera. The only reason our kingdom recognized my choice of Kyron as my heir is because I declared that the process was already done to our trusted advisors,and also, he was truly this land’s rightful ruler. If he dies today, the current unrest in our kingdom will spare a debate and could leave our land ripe for the taking until it is resolved.
I pick up speed and keep my face to the sky. The streets narrow and family homes line either side. This would be the quieter part of the city, where children play in the yards and families gather at the end of the day. The other forty percentof the population who didn’t make it to the sanctuary could be hiding behind these walls. Little do they know that they’re no safer here than they are in the city square.
The hawk lands, perching on the shingled roof of a guard tower. It looks back at me, and I swear the corners of its hooked beak tip up in a smirk. I don’t need to wonder what he’s doing. I can see it written on his face. He has found Kyron and is waiting for me. The sadistic asshole will only be content if I witness the death of my parah.
I sprint around the corner and gasp at the sight before me. Shifters surround a schoolhouse with teeth bared and hackles raised. On the front steps, Kyron holds most of the animals back with a wall of fire, but a couple have slipped through his defenses. Terro battles with a large red fox. It avoids his blade with nimble moves, cackling as it does. The chimpanzee in a faceoff with Greer looms over her. It curls its large hands into fists and swings, punching her in the chest and knocking her off her feet.
The soldiers’ fighting is so seamless—a mixture of skilled swordsmanship and their gifts—fire, water, and earth. They don’t hesitate to attack, don’t second guess their maneuvering. It’s like a viciously beautiful dance. I would stand back and admire them if it weren’t for the round, curious eyes peering over the edge of windows. Children watch from the safety of their classrooms.
I run out into the battle, slicing my blade through the necks of the two wolves waiting their turns at the back. Their heads roll at my feet, fading from vicious beasts to people. I remain at the back between Kyron and Zek. My attention is divided between those attacking me and the calculating hawk.
When only a handful of Allaji are left standing, an ear-piercing squawk blasts through the air. No sooner do theanimals step back, and Zek sweeps in with wings wide and talons at the forefront.
Fuck that.
I bolt up the steps, determined to be the blockade Zek must overcome to get to Kyron. As if I’m nothing more than an annoyance, he sweeps me off my feet with a flick of his wing as he flies by. The fall knocks the breath out of me, but I scurry upright again.
Kyron doesn’t so much as flinch when the bird lands before him. The massive creature is a head taller, and its body double his size. Greer and Terro flank him, swords and gifts at the ready. Kyron slides his hands into his pockets, looking bored as the hawk closes in. “You could try reasoning with me. It never had to come to this,” he says, tilting his chin at the dead bodies around us.
Zek cocks his head to the side, and his beady eyes blink with no response. He doesn’t see the loss or care that his people gave their lives for nothing. His vision doesn’t extend far beyond him. He believes he is the greatest king, the ultimate warrior, the most feared advisory. Why would he ever come to the table to negotiate a truce? It doesn’t fully benefit him.
This war will only end with one of them dead, and I know which king it will be.
