Her eyes flared indignantly. “Retreating is for cowards!”
“Sheba! Open your eyes. We’re outnumbered twenty to one. Half your people are already dead.”
“Never! I will not—” Her words were cut short as an arrow went through her throat.
Stunned, Urian couldn’t move for a second as she gurgled on her own blood. Then as Urian went to shield her, two arrows penetrated his armor and sank into his chest.
“Cut their heads off!” the humans cried. “Burn the demons’ bodies! Make sure nothing remains!”
Another human was shouting to the soldiers. “Find the kids! Whatever you do! Hunt down all children! Round them up!”
Tears of pain blinded him as more arrows rained down so thick, he could barely see the walls of their home. He didn’t even know where the archers were. All around, their people fell with screams and cries. Some with whimpers. He held on to Sheba and tried to summon his powers, but he was in too much pain.
The best he could manage was to open a portal. If he could get them to Kalosis, his father could help them.
But he was too weak even for that.
The blue shimmering doorway began to fade as soon as he opened it.
“Baba!” Urian gasped, trying to crawl toward it. If he could just make it to that …
It vanished.
Ni!He felt Sheba’s hand in his hair. Turning his head, he met her gaze.
Blood trickled from the corners of her lips as she tried to smile. “My Uri,” she breathed. “So fair.” Then the light went out of her eyes.
Two more arrows landed in his back and three in her body. She didn’t react at all.
His soul screamed out in agony that she was dead.
Furious and aching, he shouted and pulled her closer so that he could shield her. It made no sense and he knew that. She was already gone. Yet he didn’t want her hurt any worse than she already was. His Sheba was a vain woman. She would never want her beauty scarred, even in death.
I failed her.
Worse, he’d failed her people.
At least I got my children to safety.He could die in peace knowing they were safe. Thank the gods he’d let them go when he had.
And his brothers.
He heard the humans running toward them. Stabbing and slicing as they came. Beheading any body that was lying on the ground to make sure they were all dead.
“Over there! Get those!”
Urian reached for his dagger, but his numb fingers were too weak to grasp the hilt.
He felt the human grab his hair and lift his head to cut his throat. And there was nothing he could do to stop them. Nothing. He was too weak and numb to even protest.
Suddenly, a light flashed in the hallway, blinding them. With it came a loud, fierce shriek that cut through the stone like thunder. It broke loose pieces of their masonry, bringing down sections of the wall.
The humans ran for cover as a huge red dragon burst through the portal.
Urian fell forward into a pool of his own blood as he felt his father stepping past him to let loose a blast of dragon’s breath upon them. Their enemies ran, screaming. More Daimons rushed through the portal to pursue them while his father transformed into his human body so that he could rush to Urian’s side.
“What have you done,pido?”
Urian blinked up at his father. “I failed her, Baba. I failed you.”
