I tried to step closer, but Eva gripped my arm tightly in a warning. Her green eyes were large, staring at where the bodies lay. “We need to help Renai and Damien first, then we can move their bodies somewhere safe,” she said. Her words were whispers of promises that I did not understand.
Trystan watched Lachlan with careful eyes. “We need to surprise him, but that will be difficult with the two guards.”
“So, we have to be quick,” Eva said. “You take the right, Trystan will take the left, and I will approach from the back. Lachlan will be too focused on me to notice you, and you can take out the guards.”
“No.” My voice came out harsh. “I will not allow you to place yourself in my father’s path.”
“It is our best chance,” she said, her voice holding a heaviness I could not define. “I can not lose you too.”
My brow furrowed, but I did not have time to wonder what she meant. “Alright,” I said. “Do not let him near you, princess.” I let the barest smile lift my lips. “My queen.”
We split up, each going in our respective direction. Watching my mate approach Lachlan set my blood on fire. I did not want her near this, but we had no choice. She would never forgive me if I had kept her out of harm’s way to protect her. She was more than capable of defending herself.
Eva cleared her throat, crossing her arms over her chest as Lachlan turned around. His eyes scanned her from head to toe, a smarmy grin on his lips. He threw Renai back, her body crashing into Damien with a heavy thud. His groans of pain were ignored as the men holding him snickered.
She did not move.
“I will fucking kill you!” Damien hissed, spitting at Lachlan’s feet, but my father did not pay him any mind.
“Well, well, well… Look who decided to show her pretty little face!” he said, his voice booming over the sounds of clashing swords and dying men and women behind us. “I have been waiting for you all this time, but I confess, I became a bit bored and decided to have some fun.”
“Perhaps if you had informed me of your visit, I could have entertained you sooner,” she said sarcastically. “As it is, I believe you have outstayed your welcome, Lachlan.”
“On the contrary! Helia is my home, and I have come to take it back—to show all the miserable souls who follow me that we have power thatyoudo not. If we can take this kingdom, we can take anything we want. We are unstoppable.Iam unstoppable.” He spread his arms wide. “So, I am afraid we are here to stay.”
Eva’s lips curled, a sight that made me want to rip Lachlan’s head from his body. I gripped my dagger tighter, forcing myself to stay grounded a moment longer. “I would rather fucking die than see you ascend my throne.”
Lachlan laughed, tipping his head back to the sky. “That can be arranged, though it would be a terrible shame. Perhaps I could see what all the fuss is about. Between this one,” he pointed at Damien, “and my son, it would appear you have a golden cunt.”
Trystan and I struck simultaneously, leaping from the shadows and slitting the sentries’ throats. “Damien, get Renai inside the fucking palace now!” I shouted at him. He moved clumsily, gritting his teeth as he strained to pick up her broken body. Her head lolled to the side, but I had counted each breath she took by the rise and fall of her chest. It was then I noticed the blood clinging to his clothes, and that he’d stayed to protect her, even to his detriment.
Eva drew her sword, pointing it toward Lachlan. “You will die today, Lachlan. And you will suffer as you have made countless others suffer.”
He lifted his arms wide and beckoned us closer. “I dare you to try.”
Chapter45
Eva
My body was no longer my own, but controlled by the power raging inside me. It wanted to consume this world until it was nothing but ash. My soul was torn to pieces, but I could not afford to mourn just yet.
Lachlan’s sword was coated in drying blood, and I knew it was Kalen’s. He had not flinched as his men’s throats were slit behind him, their last words little more than gurgled cries as they choked on their own blood.
I had hated many people in my lifetime, but none compared to him.
My lip curled in disgust as I drew my sword and pointed the sharp tip toward him. “You will die today, Lachlan. And you will suffer as you have made countless others suffer.”
He spread his arms wide, a grin crossing his face. This fucker was more than arrogant, and I refused to survive the day if he still breathed. “I dare you to try,” he said mockingly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damien pulling Renai toward the palace. He was hardly in better shape than she was, judging by the amount of blood that soaked through his shirt. It clung to him like a second skin, and it was difficult to tell what was his and what was from others that he’d struck. I couldn’t help but feel slightly relieved to see he was alive, and the fact that he was taking Renai somewhere safe was already proof he wasn’t the same man he had been.
Lachlan was always the type to underestimate me. He had done it before; I should have never let him go. The throne room flashed through my mind. She would have died regardless of my cooperation, and I filled with hot rage, knowing I could have ended it all then.
His shadows swept out and pushed his sons back, leaving only the two of us in the open. They pinned the men to the palace gates, wrapping around their bodies like snakes. Trystan and Matthew struggled against their bindings, but I hoped they could untangle themselves from the vice-like grip he held them in because I could not.
I leapt forward, holding my sword above my head as I cried out. Lachlan raised his just in time, blocking my swing as I had hoped he would. My foot kicked out as I twisted to the side and knocked the breath from his lungs. Before he could recover, I held my hand out and sent a blast of scalding fire in his direction.
Lachlan dodged just in time, tucking and rolling out of the way before he was burned. The bodies behind him caught alight, and the smell of burning flesh immediately filled my nostrils.
