So much for not snitching…
“Let’s go.” I grab hold of Ruby and shove past her sisters.
“He’s really not dangerous!” she calls over her shoulder. But she may as well be shouting to a waterfall. Nothing can be heard apart from ten sets of squeals and Dahlia’s cackling.
Damn it, this is not how I wanted today to go. I was hoping that Ruby would at least get to say goodbye to her sisters, perhaps pack a few things from her room. But there’s no time now.
Hand in hand, we sprint towards the ballroom’s entrance archway, only to fly backwards when we’re blocked by something else.
Ruby yelps. A furious prince with golden blond hair, wearing a puffy white dress shirt stands before us, surrounded by half a dozen scowling guards.
Silence falls over us all.
“Ah,” Orion seethes. “Just the couple I was looking for.”
Heart racing, I push Ruby behind me.
“If you want her, you’ll have to kill me first,” I say, flicking a dagger free from my wrist.
“Oh, Henry.” Orion chuckles. “That’s very noble, very sweet. But there are six of us, and only one of you.” He drops the mocking tone to bark at his guards, “Separate them.”
The guards lunge forward, but so do I. Grinning, I take out the first one with an elbow to the face. He tumbles backwards, cursing as the weight of him sends his two buddies to the floor too.
Then I charge for the next guy. With all that armour he’s bigger than me, but I’m faster.
Raising my dagger, I stab it through his hand and force him to the floor. His sword clatters away as I drive my blade down, pinning him to the floor.
“Wha-at?” he sputters.
“Night-night.” I grin, before my fist collides with his face and he’s out cold. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a proper fight. I roll my shoulders as I push up from the floor. But damn, I should go to more bars. This is fucking exhilarating.
Ruby screams, and I’m already reaching for a second blade as I whip around to face her. A guard, a little smaller than the rest, wrestles her arms behind her back. He’s not being rough, but just the sight of his hands on her wrists has my blood boiling.
“Don’t you dare touch my girl.” I hurl a dagger at his face and it lands square between his eyes.
Ruby yelps as he drops to the floor.
Orion scoffs, “Your girl?”
I chuckle, reaching for a third dagger while turning to the prince. “You better run,Your Highness.”
His pale eyes widen, but another guard charges at me, knocking my blade out of my hand before I can deliver on the threat.
Focusing on the new guy, we trade blows until he gets tired and reaches for his sword. Then I kick him to the floor and finish him off with a new dagger to the chest.
I really don’t like killing strangers, but this idiot was just asking for it.
Yanking my blade out, I push up from his body, when a scream turns my bones to ice.
“Kasimir!”
I whip around, expecting someone to be lunging for her, but instead my stomach drops. Orion stands behind Ruby, using her body as a shield while the edge of his sword digs into her neck.
Fuck.
“Enough,” Orion spits at me. “Drop your weapon.”
I edge closer, my fists clenched. “You won’t hurt her.”
