I opened my mouth to argue, but stopped when a silver blade suddenly protruded from my gut.
“Are you sure about that?”
88
DIANNA
Faye and I fell to the ground as Nismera ripped the sword from our bodies. I clamped my hands over my wound, blood bubbling from between my fingers. She lifted her sword and snarled down at me, my dagger still buried in her face. Lightning shot from Samkiel’s hand, hitting Nismera and sending her flying. The flash of light was nearly blinding, but I saw the three assassins step from the shadows and rush toward Faye.
“Get her out of here!” Samkiel yelled, his armor flowing into place. They wasted no time grabbing the bleeding Faye and disappearing into the darkness.
“I hate being stabbed,” I moaned, still holding my healing midsection.
“Agreed,” he said, his eyes blazing as he stalked toward me. “Let’s keep the stabbings to a minimum, yes?” His big hands wrapped around my arms, and he gently lifted me to my feet. “How is she still alive?” he asked, tapping my ring. “Armor, Dianna. I can’t watch you get hurt again right now.”
“I am not sure, but I have an idea, and you won’t like it,” I said, sliding my thumb across my ring. My armor slid over my body, covering me from head to toe, a feminine version of his.
“What?” he asked, sliding back his gauntlet to brush his thumb over my lower lip.
Instead of wasting time telling him while Nismera was lurking about, I showed him through our bond what Unir had said. He cursed when he learned and then cursed again.
“I don’t care,” he said. “Nismera dies today.”
“Agreed.” My sword sang into existence, and we strode back into the ballroom side by side. Smoke still filled the room, circling and curling in the air currents. The room had grown quiet. Too quiet.
“Remember what I taught you,”he said down our bond, both of us staying silent as we moved through the smoke, looking for her.“Use everything you’ve learned and never assume you’ve won.”
I nodded, and we circled each other, blades out. A streak of silver darted through the smoke to our left, and we spun, our weapons singing. A swathe of hair whipped by us to the right. She was circling us like a predator playing with its prey. The world was so silent, as if this day had been written at the beginning of time, and the universe was watching, waiting, anticipating the climax of this story.
My instincts screamed. I spun, and she was there, her face full of rage. Samkiel appeared at my side just as her blade crashed into mine. Samkiel struck, and she blocked, before slamming a kick into his chest and sending him flying backward. He hit hard, the wall cracking and crumbling before falling on top of him.
I growled and swung my blade, the steel cutting through the air. Queen against queen, each bloodthirsty and brutal, but wanting very different things. If my time here had done anything, it had clarified who I was. A forgotten queen, and I had returned ready to claim my realms at Samkiel’s side. My rage outmatched her strength as I pushed my blade off hers. Again, we clashed, dancing strike on strike, turn for turn.
“Aren’t you worried about yourhusband?” she asked, saying that word like a curse.
I shrugged. “He’s used to buildings falling on him. Trust me.”
She didn’t need to know that I could feel his heartbeat echoing mine. He was furious and already digging himself out of the rubble.
She charged again, and I raised my blade. She expected that, but she wasn’t ready for how dirty I was prepared to fight. I ploughed my fist into her face, connecting hard enough that I heard bone crack. Nismera stumbled back, covering her nose. Blood smeared her gauntlet-covered fingers when she pulled her hand away. Her shocked eyes met mine, and her face scrunched with lethal hatred.
I grinned and held my stance, jagged breath and all. “What? Not used to bleeding, bitch?”
Nismera snarled, the sound primal and charged. Samkiel had warned me how fast she was. She moved so quickly it was hard to track her, but I’d been trained by Kaden and Samkiel. I wasn’t just fighting an enemy. I was fighting the reason I didn’t get to grow up with my family, the reason Samkiel and I were separated for so long. She was the traitorous bitch who had poisoned his mom, turned brothers against brothers, and forced the world for her will since the moment she took her first breath. This wasn’t just a fight between rulers. This would be retribution for all she’d taken.
I took a step back. She may be a powerful sociopath, but she still had feelings and buttons I could push. I just had to find the right ones.
“Move her forward.”
“Working on it,”I mentally tossed back.
“Use that beautiful smartass mouth,”Samkiel said, and I felt his power building.
“You know, I thought at first your whole global power trip was because you weren’t loved enough. You know, prime daddy issues.”
Nismera’s lip curled before she barked out a laugh. “Please. If you think I care about that, you are dumber than I gave you credit for.”
I twisted my blade again, taking another slow, meticulous step back.
