I trained my whole life for it. I spent years fighting, hoping to become a real guard, and now I was finally ready.
I looked up and saw the two men who’d been fighting alongside Tezya were now dead. That left just me, him, and Dovelyn with too many Tennebrisian guards to count.
Tezya, drop your fire.
Seconds passed where I was still protected—trapped—by Tezya’s wall of fire. I could hear him and Dovelyn fighting too many. I could sense he was hesitating. He didn’t want to leave me vulnerable, but I could hold my own. He knew that.
Just wait until I can get to you—he started to say.
“Tezya, drop the fire!” This time I screamed the words outloud, but he wasn’t listening. He couldn’t—four soldiers were attacking him at once. He was outnumbered…
It took me one millisecond before I realized I wasn’t going to just watch Tezya fight while he kept me protected by his flames. Even if it was only until he could get to my side.
I called to the remnants of my powers. I knew my reserves we low, despite feeling ready to fight, my body was trembling, and I was sweating out of every orifice imaginable. I focused on the call of water, pulling it out of the four guards that were attacking Tezya. I didn’t stop until all of them collapsed in front of him with a resounding thud.
Tezya’s gaze snapped to me. I was still trapped in the circle of fire he created, but I didn’t wait. I moved the water from the now-dead bodies and doused the flames surrounding me.
Remind me to tell you how fucking amazing you are, Scotlind Rumor,Tezya smirked before he turned to block the next guard that attacked him.
Don’t worry. I’ll make you tell me every night before we go to bed,I teased as I made my way toward him.And I told you I can fight.
Tezya didn’t respond. We didn’t have time to talk even if we wanted to as more and more guards came at us. We made our way to each other, fighting back to back now, with Dovelyn floating in and out between us.
I didn’t think about who I was killing in the process. I refused to look into their eyes, and it took every ounce of my control to not let my mind wonder if they were brainwashed and forced into fighting. Did they even know why they were risking their lives? Why they were now losing them?
The longer we fought, one thought kept coming to my mind—how was I going to be okay with all of this if I survived?
SIXTY-SEVEN
SIE
Synder’soily skin had a thick layer of sheen to it as sweat coated every inch of him. His hair had fallen over his face and was plastered across his forehead and down his cheek. It wasn’t like that when I first entered the room. Part of me rejoiced in seeing it—proof that he was fucking terrified—but the majority of me was just downright pissed. I wanted to soak in his features, the way his eyes widened as he took me in, the way his fingers trembled and his knees quivered as he took a noticeable step back.
“S-sie…” he half stuttered, his eyes finally landing on me after sweeping over what was left of the room.
I smiled, and for the first time since the broadcast, I was fucking elated. I could feel blood dripping from my lip and staining my teeth, but I embraced it. Every ache and cut and bruise across my body felt like it was lit on fire, but instead of feeling the heat from the flames, it gave me energy. It ignited me from the inside out. This feeling, this vengeance,thiswas what I needed, what I craved.
As soon as I teleported in, I went rampage. I didn’t giveanyone a second to collect themselves as I murdered them. All twenty-eight members of the Council were now dead. Twenty-nine including my father, and I was about to make it an even thirty. I killed them all. I lost it, lost myself to it as I used everything I possessed to tear into them.
I twirled the blade in my hand as I took a step toward Synder. I knew blood was dripping from the tip, but it wasn’t nearly enough, wouldn’t be enough until I had his. The room around us was a blur. Bodies were limp and scattered, making it an obstacle to move through, but I didn’t care.
Synder and the Council had been hiding like cowards. They locked themselves in here, thinking we wouldn’t get past their guard.
“Let’s talk about this,” he said, his hands raising in the air.
“Sure. Let’s talk.” I flashed a bloody smile. “You are the reason Scotlind was sent to Lux,” I drawled slowly, my eyes never leaving his dark ones. It was the first time I spoke since I teleported in. I wanted Synder to be last. I wanted him to watch as I killed everyone else first, knowing he’d be next. “You’re the reason my father is dead. The reason Moli is gone.” I pointed the tip of my blade at him. “You took my mother and brother to Lux. They were beaten and tortured because of it. My mother didn’t make it. My brother lost his eye.” Synder kept retreating, slowly backing himself against the wall as I spoke, half tripping over body parts and corpses. I let him, holding my ground and letting my voice carry, not following him… not yet. “Youare the reason everything I ever fucking loved is now gone.”
“Th-this is just a misunderstanding. Let me explain. We can come to an agreement and work together—”
“No,” I spat, cutting him off. “You aren’t walking out of this room alive.” Distantly, I could hear banging on the door at my back and knew Savannah was pounding on the wood, trying to get in. I didn’t want to think about her right now, about whatshe must think of me. I was living up to my reputation. I was a murderer, but for once, I was glad.
“Sie. I mean,Prince Noren, you don’t understand. We were all forced by the Lux King. Everything that happened was because of him. I didn’t want to do any of it, but I didn’t have a choice. We can establish a new Council, we can work everything out, and together we can overthrow the Lux King. I’ll help you…”
I teleported to his side in a heartbeat, digging my free hand into his mouth and pulling out his tongue. My blade ran through the thick, slimy muscle as I cut it from his throat. He wailed, the sound distorted and more of a grunt now that the appendage was on the floor by his feet. “I don’t want to hear another lie from your mouth.”
I pointed my blood-soaked blade in his face and spoke my next words slowly, letting each syllable sink in, knowing full well that with his ability, he’d know I was telling the truth. “You will die today. By me. Right here. Right now. And I plan to make it slow and painful.”
Tears were pouring down his slimy face, mixing with the sweat that was spilling out of every orifice of his skin. The smell of urine filled my nostrils as his pants became drenched, and my only regret was that the entire world wasn’t privy to witness how much of a coward Synder truly was.
