“No!” Savion was louder this time.
Everything felt strange, out of place.
“How thefuckare you possible?” His words bounced off the walls of the room and echoed back to me. “You’re not possible! I killed them all! I killed them!”
Through a graying world, I watched him grab a sword off a nearby soldier and raise it to take my head.
Billan’s sword met his before it could reach me, and I felt someone race to me, lift me, and race away with me.
The scent of cool pine drifted to my nose.
Aiko.
We tore down the stairs, out the front of the stronghold. He held me tight, and as we passed under the Arch of Life, I swore I saw his face flicker, obscured by that of an iruku bird—deadly and beautiful.
In my delirium, I put a hand to my face to see if I had changed.
My hand landed ungracefully on my mouth.
On my teeth.
On myfangs.
MY SCREAM FILLED THE AIRASIDUCKEDand covered my head with my hands, my fangs and claws out and muscles tense for death.
But…it never came.
King Niallan’s laughter filled the room, ugly and aimed right at me. “That is so precious! Look at you. All tucked down, like that would help.”
Heat still surrounded me, hotter than before.
I didn’t move an inch.
My chest heaved, and my muscles quivered.
But I didn’t move.
“Quit cowering, your majesty.” King Niallan snickered. “You look like you’re squatting to take a shit. Surely, you don’t want to die that way.”
He…may…have a point there.
I lifted my head just barely, only enough to peek through my arms. The death wall of fire was only a foot away now, but it had stopped in its tracks.
“I said stand up,” King Niallan barked. “Or I will make your death painful.”
I growled low in my throat and gradually lowered my arms. I stood on steady legs and put my claws away. With my back ramrod straight, I snarled, “If you’re going to kill me, then what are you waiting for?”
“I’m not really waiting. I’m simply enjoying this far too much to end it quickly.” My asshole king shrugged his left shoulder and sat back on my chair. “Do you want to know a secret, your majesty?”
“Not really.” I did wipe at the sweat on my forehead, the beads falling into my blood red eyes and stinging.
He spoke anyway. “I’m the king now because of your father.”
I snorted. “Please, tell me how you reasoned that out in your fucking delusional mind.”
“Lord Cato owed me a favor.”
I lifted one black eyebrow waiting for him to explain.
