His sword sparked as it hit the stone of the wall, narrowly missing Matthias’s head. Matthias’s blade blurred as it collided with Ifan’s, somehow Evella gifting him the strength to push the traitor back.
‘At what cost?’ Matthias asked, panting. ‘Romero willownyou. Doesn’t that terrify you?’ He ducked once more, muscles shaking, one leg slipping as Ifan pushed harder.
Silver threads burst from my chest.
‘Nothing. Scares. Me. Any. More,’ Ifan cried, each word met with a deafening slash of his sword, so intent on killing his brother, he missed the shimmering moth fluttering his way.
‘That’s not exactly true, is it?’
Matthias peered over his shoulder, eyes wide, and Ifan took advantage, his sword nicking his brother’s arm.
Ifan wiped the sweat from his brow as Matthias hissed, adjusting his stance. Blood pounded through my skull, dimming my sight further.
‘And once you’re dead, I’ll make your wife?—’
Ifan flapped away the huge grey emperor moth I’d drawn towards him. I swiped the blood from my spreading grin as a flurry of white, grey and brown darted through the passage, enveloping the traitorous prince. His sword flew out erratically, crying, sobbing, as the moths covered him in a soft, fluttering blanket. More and more were drawn to him, as though Ifan were the brightest flame. He grunted, shouted, flung himself against the stone walls. Anything to shake the moths away.
I smiled. It’s rather easy for even the tiniest, frailest creatures to overthrow a tyrant when they act as one.
‘Let’s go,’ Matthias said, heaving in great breaths.
‘He’s killing them,’ I cried.
‘They’re moths!’
‘Moths that helped you, Matthias.’
He groaned and spun about before examining the wooden beams.
‘You three keep going,’ he said, raising the sword and taking a testing swipe at the beam.
‘I’m not leaving you.’
‘No, you’re not.’ He stared at me; worry flashed over his face, and I hastily wiped my nose, my heart sinking as my hand came away bloody once more. ‘But I’m asking you to trust me.’
I nodded, and we tore down the cramped corridor, listening to the great thuds of the sword. I hesitated for a moment. Where had the strength to chop through solid oak and bring down a tunnel come from?
But, as dust and stones rained down, and Matthias raced towards us screaming to run, I didn’t have time to consider it. Clutching my sister and wolf, we raced through the tunnels, a flurry of moths in our wake.
CHAPTER 41
The Alliance will cease to exist. We will rise from its ashes as an Empire, unfurling our wings on a new dawn. I humbly accept the title of Emperor and will do all in my power to lead and guide with grace and nobility.
— EMPEROR ROMERO’S STATEMENT TO THE FORMER ALLIANCE
‘Sorrow?’ My eyes flickered open as Matthias whispered my name. He placed a soft kiss to my temple, and I almost closed them again, before visions of last night slammed into my head. I glanced around, rubbing my tired eyes.
We’dborroweda small boat from the port, before taking the river towards the coastline. Feathery clouds lay among a sky of lemon and amber, the sun peeking over the horizon in the east. The boat rocked gently in the sweet embrace of the rolling waves as Asher guided her to a natural harbour. I squinted into the distance, towards where the gulls swooped over the sand dunes.
Matthias exhaled deeply. ‘I swear, as soon as this is over, I’m getting the finest ocupath to make you at least twenty pairs of glasses.’
I laughed, reluctantly moving away from the warmth of his arms, where I’d fallen asleep the night before. ‘You look better without them, you know.’
He barked out a laugh, then his features cooled as Asher leapt from the boat onto the huge grey rock marking the little bay where we’d leave the boat.
We trod across the beach into the dunes, sand clinging to the hem of my damp skirts.
‘Your Highness? Captain?’ A guard stood above us, his brow creased in confusion. ‘Oh thank Evella! We thought we’d have to desert!’
