George bared her teeth as she bore down, trying to out match Tate through pure muscle.
However, Tate wasn’t her body’s only occupant—and her other half was very upset due to what she could feel coming out of the Rift. Anger and aggression poured into Tate, allowing her to withstand the onslaught.
“What’s the matter? No longer satisfied with your empty title?” Tate taunted amid the cries of confusion from those around them.
Tyne threw his head back and laughed.
“What is the meaning of this?” Thora thundered furiously.
“Lord Provost get ahold of your people,” Thaddeus ordered.
“Something like that,” George said, answering Tate’s previous question.
She shoved Tate away hard, the action acting as a signal. The pontificator and the rest of his anti-sleeper allies poured out of the palace.
The pontificator raised his blade toward the sky. “For our future.”
Tala and her people whirled, their claws out as they showed fangs. Growls and hisses joined the cacophony.
The Shodon’s guards withdrew their hidden weapons, falling into a protective wall around him.
“Are they really this stupid? There are three dragons, the Lord Provost, and his men here. They’re dead men walking.” Dewdrop positioned himself so he could keep one eye on George, and the other on the mob.
Night crouched low to the ground; his body tensed to pounce.
A few feet away, Roslyn hovered protectively in front of her father.
Ben stared in dismay at George. “What are you doing?”
“What needs to be done,” she said, not taking her eyes off Tate.
The duke limped forward, pulling Roslyn behind him as a whip of energy the color of sapphire appeared in his hand.
Sparks sizzled the air, a low buzz coming off the whip, growing in intensity any time it moved. Almost as if some aspect of it was alive and eager for the blood of its enemies.
“Dewdrop and Mia, get going,” Tate ordered, not taking her eyes off George and the mob behind her.
“But—” Dewdrop started to protest.
“This is a distraction.” Tate could feel it in her bones. It had Nathan’s touch all over it. Why act yourself when you could get a bunch of patsies to do it for you?
This was likely intended to delay and demoralize them. Even if the chances of them stopping what was happening were infinitesimally small, Nathan would want insurance.
Tate flicked a look at Night in an unvoiced order.
Go,Night snarled.
Not waiting to see if Dewdrop listened, Night raced toward the traitors, staying close to the ground. They split in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the Veles.
One of them fell to Night’s claws; a short scream came seconds later before it was abruptly silenced courtesy of Night’s teeth in their throat.
He lifted his face, his snout and lips stained red with blood. A silent hiss came from him before he fixed his eyes on his next target.
Tyne danced forward on silent feet. “Oh good. Is it my turn to play?”
He paused and glanced at Thaddeus in expectation. The emperor didn’t hesitate. “Kill them all.”
Those before Tyne flinched, but held their ground.
