Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Effie took the other guard’s blade and continued to lead the way. Higher up we went, making it to the next spiral staircase so we could get to ground level. She was running at full speed when a cannonball slammed through the stone and made a hole the size of her in the floor. She screamed and fell back.
Right into my arms. “Fuck, the war has started.”
She caught her breath, weak in my grasp. “Oh my gods…”
“I got you, sweetheart.” I scooped her into my arms and helped her back to her feet. “Let’s jump across and keep going. We’ve got to get out of here.”
She took a running jump and made it across, and then I followed and did the same. We made it to the next floor, and since chaos was erupting throughout the castle, we were able to slip out without anyone giving a damn.
The Capital was in chaos, smoke was in the sky, and then I heard it.
ROOOAAARRRRR.
“Gods, I hope that’s my sister.”
We made it down the path and into the street, people screaming as they ran for cover. Once the immediate threat had passed, I felt the weakness in my body, felt it everywhere. I leaned against the wall and stopped for just a second.
Effie turned back to me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s just…hitting me.”
“You should see how bad you look… What did they do to you?”
That was my secret to keep. “Doesn’t matter.”
“You can’t fight, so maybe we should take a boat and sail away.”
“We’ve gotta get to Ivory and Huntley.”
“How? The gates will be closed, and they’ll be on the other side.”
“There are other ways besides the front gate…”
“I think we should take the boat or hide out somewhere.”
“Their dragons are going to burn this place to the ground until Rutherford is dead or he surrenders. And I’m telling you, he’s not going to surrender.” I took a couple breaths. “How did you pull that off anyway?”
“I studied the guard times and waited for the right moment to sneak by them. Then I hid in another room until I heard your cell door open.”
Speechless, I stared at her, realizing how capable she really was. “Damn…that’s hot.”
“I wasn’t going to abandon my husband.”
“My husband… Now that’s really hot.” I gave her a small smile.
She smiled back at me, bright like the sun, like the rest of the world wasn’t in chaos around us.
“Come on. We gotta get away from this castle as quickly as possible.” I pushed off the wall and took her by the hand. “It’s gonna be the first thing to go.”
TWENTY-THREE
Huntley
An army as wide as the sea marched on the Capital and dwarfed it in size.
The throne was mine.
There was no offer of surrender because I knew Rutherford would never accept it. Necrosis pulled his strings, so that wasn’t an option even if he wanted to take it. I wasn’t sure how many Necrosis were in the Capital, but there were probably at least a dozen, and they would be harder to kill than the rest, especially since we didn’t have any Ice.
But that didn’t matter. The castle was on fire, several walls of the keep had collapsed, and there was so much smoke in the air that the stars were obscured. Their army fired down arrows on my men, and while some fell, there were so many others to replace them that it didn’t matter.
I knew they felt the way Ian had felt when Necrosis marched on HeartHolme.
Except there was no one coming to save them.
We reached the Capital before Regar’s arrival, and that made the defeat that much cleaner.
My eyes looked up, seeing Pyre and Ivory fly over the castle and release a line of fire that burned every stone and window. She flew away, Storm coming in next to add his flames to the fire.
Commander Brutus rode the line toward me upon his black steed. “The gates have been breached. What are your orders?”
“Spare the civilians. Spare the soldiers that surrender. Kill all those who resist.”
He turned around on his horse and took off.
I spoke the word out loud but in my mind as well. “Storm.”
Ready to kill?
“Yes.” I dismounted my horse and stepped onto the field behind the line of soldiers that fired upon the wall.
Storm flew through the smoke then glided down to me on the ground. He landed with a thud and released a mighty roar.
I could see all the scuffs from the arrows that had tried to pierce his armor. They bore marks from swords as well, but there was no injury to his hide or scales. My sister’s skills didn’t just protect Ivory and me, they protected my greatest asset as well.
I climbed into the saddle on his back and grabbed the pommel. “Take me to the castle.”
Storm pushed off from the ground and soared into the sky, beating his powerful wings and releasing roars that shook the shaky foundations of the remaining buildings. He circled the castle until he landed on the very edge. Want me to watch your back?