Lifting my head, I turn back in awe of what I see.
My brother stands, one foot on the top of the balustrade, his hand holding a tooth in the beherits' mouth, keeping it in place as he pulls it forward. Trapping its jaw open, he drives the tip of my sword through the soft palate in the roof of its mouth, piercing its brain. The one remaining eye rapidly blinks as Steve makes a final thrust, grunting, he pushes the sword to the hilt. Orange blood coatshis hand, a stream rolling down his arm, pooling at his feet. The beherit stumbles back, bouncing off the Emperor's viewing box, crashing to the ground,still,not breathing, forever lost to the Devil and her Realms.
“No, no, no!” The Emperor screams. “Guards, get them!”
In seconds, thunderous footsteps reverberate around us. Growing louder the closer they get, and the velvet curtain draped across the passageway in front of Rosie, and I is flung back. A worried looking imp standing in front of us, sword drawn, nervously ready to fight.
Gathering her in my arms, my blood pumps, stronger than before,a little more healed, and I leap past Steve, landing on the beherits shoulder as we escape into the arena. Steve follows closely, helping Rosie down while I yank out my sword from the beherits motionless eye.
We race forward, advancing on the large wooden doors I came from when hundreds of guards spill forth. Dust flies in the air as we quickly become surrounded. We could fight our way out. At least I believe we could, but there is a difference between fighting one matched enemy to a thousand ill-equipped ones.
Steve and I have Rosie in between us, our backs to her as we face the guards. Not one of them look as if they want to be there. Their swords half raised, eyeslowered to the ground, when a small side door flies open, and the Emperor, with several of his inner circle, stomp across the dirt toward us. The crowd making their first noise of the day as loud boos and shouts of hate rain down. Each and every one targeted toward the Emperor.
Chapter 28
Rosalind
One by one, the guards kneel as the Emperor walks past them. Row after row dropping and reluctantly bowing their heads. His face contorts the closer he gets, Bellator standing slightly behind me while Steve takes his place a step ahead. My orcs both have weapons drawn, ready to face anything that the Emperor might have up his sleeve.
“You were meant to die, not kill the beherit,” he seethes.
“Sorry to disappoint you. I decided I needed more lessons with my Rosie on how to properly kiss. I need her legs to shake, you see.”What the…I see his shadow move as he shrugs his shoulders, and I control the urge to smile. I definitely don’t need to make this situation any worse by laughing.
“This was all planned, years in the making. How hard is it to fall on your sword and die like a good soldier? The impish were meant to loveme. Worshipme. But you just had to talk to them,coddle them, whenever you were in the city. I kept you away longer and longer, but still they loved you. We needed to win the war, but you had to takemyglory.Iwas the one who invaded the West.Iwas the one who sent the impish of this city to battle, and each and every time I ventured out, all I heard was how much they adoredyouwhen they were meant to be devoted tome!”
He spits his words like venom, resentment and hate flowing through him as he paces in front of us. He doesn’t yell, he talks so viciously low, only those in the immediate vicinity can hear his speech, and from the wide eyed stares of the guards behind him, this is all new information.
“You sent younglings to war!” Bellator roars, everyone in the colosseum able to hear him as the crowd strains to listen. “Ikept them safe.Iconsoled the mothers of the fallen. Not. You! They were mybrothersandsistersof this city, and you led them like cattle to the slaughter.” Bellator steps past me and in two quick strides, is in front of the Emperor, towering over him.
“Are you going to kill me in front of your beloved impish? Show them the orc you really are?” I can just make out the sly smile of the Emperor’s face, baiting him into a monster instead of the protector of this city.
I want Bellator to do it.
I want him to reach out and crush his skull like Steve did to the guard in the viewing box.
I want the blood.
I want to hear it…
I want it to be over.
I wantfreedom.
I want to explore what it means to be bonded to the two orcs standing by my side.
I want to know why I have this uncontrollable need to be with them at all times and why the bond ignited withme, a human.
Bellator clenches his fists. “You are not worthy enough to be killed by me. To offer you death would be a gift, not the punishment you think it is.”
No.
This was our opportunity. My head turns to Steve so quickly I swear I hear my vertebrae click as they adjust, “He doesn't know,” I mouth.He doesn't know the plan. I never told him. I was meant to tell him as soon as he was close enough to undo the collar, but I was overwhelmed by his injuries.I never told him,and the perfect moment that was granted to us floats away in the breeze. Bellator's lips peel back, exposing his teeth as he growls, snapping his head forward. He barks in the Emperor's face, frightening him so much that he yelps and stumbles back.
“Impish of Imperior. You came for a spectacle, for blood…” Bellator's arms spread wide as he walks from where the Emperor has fallen, turning his back to him. “Look at what your Emperor has done, all in the name of greed. He seeks to control you. To punish you. I have had the privilege to stand shoulder to shoulder with the impish of this city as we fight for her survival. Every swing of my sword, every drop of my blood has been foryou. For usallto celebrate in victory. Do I not bleed enough for you today?”
The question hangs in the air, his words still echoing off the arena walls. He stands among the guards now, several feet from where we are, every eye in the colosseum on him, but his are on the Emperor, now kneeling on the ground, dirt covering his robes.
Lowering his voice so only the closest to us can hear, once again, “So scream, dear ruler, scream for the impish of this city until your throat bleeds. Because when they stop listening to you. When the games you play are dust. I will still be standing. And you, you will only ever be watching. Begging, for my aid, because after what has happened today, you are no Emperor of mine.”
