“He’s bold,” Roque commented.Maybe they should have known, but he didn’t think it would’ve made a difference.They’d planned for Ramiel breaching the palace.They just hadn’t expected it to be so noisy and destructive.Roque had thought that Ramiel would want the palace to be intact so he could sit on the throne and gloat, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.
Roque glanced at the phone still in his hand.He had no idea where in the tunnels Dimri was, but there was a possibility that he’d been under the explosion, so he quickly texted him.He hoped for an answer, but it never came, and Roque couldn’t afford to waste time staring at his phone.
He slid his phone into his pocket and sucked in a breath.This was it.Whatever happened next would decide the fate of everyone in the palace, from Berith to Roque.
“They’re in the palace,” Mikal said as he strode back toward the throne.“Apparently, Ramiel’s with them.”
Berith got to his feet.He looked regal and calm.Roque could tell that inside, he was anything but.If he was anything like Roque, he was freaking out and begging gods neither of them was sure existed to protect the people he loved.Since there was no way to know if anyone up there was listening, they’d have to take their people’s safety into their own hands.It was what they’d trained for.It was something Berith had been expecting for years.But that was over.Ramiel was here to take the throne.Berith would need to show that he was strong enough and powerful enough to keep it.
“There!”someone yelled.
Roque and Mikal exchanged a glance.Ramiel really was here.
Berith squared his shoulders and gestured at the guards to open the doors that Mikal had closed just moments before.The guards glanced at each other, clearly nervous.Roque understood why.They’d be in Ramiel’s path when he walked in.
But they obeyed Berith’s order.They reached for the doors and opened them slowly, and the level of noise in the throne room rocketed.Roque could hear the sound of many people marching towards them.He reached for his sword, but a hand gesture from Berith stopped him.
“I’ll take care of it,” Berith said.
“That’s my job,” Roque pointed out.
Berith gave him a gentle smile.“It is, and you’ve done a great job until now.I’ll always be grateful for your presence and your friendship.This is my fight, though.Ramiel is here to defeat me, not you.”
“You know he won’t care about that if he wins.”
“I do.That’s why I won’t let him win.”
“Be careful.”
“I think the time to be careful has passed.”
The sound of marching was getting closer.Ramiel was coming.
“Whatever happens next, protecting you was an honor,” Roque told Berith.
Berith grinned.“You’re not done with that job yet, Roque.You still have many years of work ahead of you, so don’t start planning your retirement.”
Roques chuckled.“I don’t think Dimri would allow me to retire.”
“That’s good.A prince needs his bodyguards.”
Roque and Yakim glanced at each other.Roque was scared, but he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Well, you have them,” Yakim commented.
The footsteps were just outside the open doors now.Roque straightened his back and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword.Even though his prince had told him that he wouldn’t fight right now, he’d be ready when Berith needed him.
Because a prince needed his bodyguards.
* * * *
DIMRI FELT THE SECONDexplosion all the way down in the tunnels.The palace shook above him and his team, causing cracks to appear in the walls and dust to drop over their heads.They all reached for the walls, trying to keep themselves on their feet.
It only lasted a few seconds, but they were a few seconds too many.As soon as it was over, Dimri ran.
He could hear that his team was right behind him, but he didn’t turn to check.He needed to get to the throne room because the explosion could only mean one thing.
Ramiel was here.
