Page 212 of The Dark Lord’s Guide to Honeymooning (and Other Acts of Tyranny)

“Go,” I said instead. “I’ll see you when it’s done.”

She hesitated, then stepped forward and kissed me—fierce and quick, a promise and a goodbye all at once. “Once again, try not to die, Dark Lord.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, my lady.”

With one last smile, she stepped through the portal, finding Sebastian and Thorne and disappearing into the chaos beyond. I followed a moment later, the portal collapsing behind me as I released the magic holding it open.

The sudden absence of that crushing magical weight left me momentarily hollow, my legs threatening to buckle. But the runes beneath my skin were already cooling, the pain receding to a manageable burn. My body replenished itself faster than it used to, before the Heirloom’s power became mine to draw upon. Within moments, the trembling in my muscles eased, replaced by the familiar hum of ready magic.

The scene that greeted me was one of organized chaos. My troops had formed battle lines, facing Auremar’s forces across a stretch of open ground. The dead rose fields lay to our right, a stark reminder of what was at stake.

Solandris’s capital city rose in the distance, its white stone walls gleaming in the morning sun. Auremar’s palace dominated the skyline, its towers reaching toward the heavens like spindly fingers.

I could see confusion and fear rippling through the enemy ranks. They’d expected us to attack from the east, where Evenfall had told them our forces were gathering. Instead, we’d appeared on their doorstep, an army materializing from thin air.

Relief and anxiety warred within me. Arabella was beyond my reach now, facing dangers I couldn’t protect her from. But she was capable and powerful. I had to trust that she would succeed—that we both would.

One of my generals awaited orders.

I turned my attention back to the battle. “Let’s give King Auremar a proper greeting, shall we?”

I reached for my magic again, feeling it respond eagerly. The voice in my head surged forward, hungry for blood and destruction.

Make them kneel or die.

For once, I didn’t fight it. In battle, at least, our purposes aligned. I wanted Auremar’s forces broken, his kingdom conquered. If the darkness within me helped achieve that goal, so be it.

I raised my hands, and the shadows responded. With a gesture, I sent them racing across the battlefield, forming into massive, wolflike constructs that tore into the enemy’s flanks. Screams rose from Auremar’s lines as my shadow warriors ripped through flesh and armor alike.

My own troops surged forward, meeting the enemy head-on. Steel clashed against steel, magic flared in brilliant bursts of light and darkness. The battle was joined, a chaotic dance of death and power.

I had no intention of wasting this opportunity. If we could take the capital while rescuing the prisoners, all the better. Auremar’s fall would be complete, his kingdom mine for the taking.

I moved through the battlefield like a living shadow, my dominion magic cutting down any who stood in my path. Soldiers fell before me, their wills crushed by my power, their bodies broken by my shadows. It was exhilarating, intoxicating—the kind of raw, unfettered power I’d always craved.

The voice in my head grew louder with each kill, each display of dominance. It whispered promises of even greater power, of a throne that was rightfully mine, of a world remade in my image.

This is just the beginning. When I am free, when we are whole, none will stand against us.

The words should have disturbed me, but in the heat of battle, they felt right—a truth I’d always known but never fully acknowledged. I was meant for more than just conquering a kingdom. I was meant to rule, to dominate, to reshape the world according to my will.

A contingent of Auremar’s elite guards formed up before me, their armor gleaming with protective enchantments. Their captain, a burly man with a scar running down his face, pointed his sword at me.

“In the name of King Auremar, surrender or die, villain!”

I laughed, the sound dark and cold.

The captain’s face reddened with anger. “Attack!”

They charged as one, their enchanted weapons raised. I stood my ground, gathering my power. As they reached me, I released it in a wave of pure dominion magic that slammed into them. Half of them crumpled instantly, their wills shattered. The others staggered but remained standing, protected by their enchanted armor, but barely.

The captain swung his sword at my head. I sidestepped, then caught his wrist in a grip enhanced by magic. I could feel the bones grinding together beneath my fingers.

“Is this truly the best Auremar has to offer?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous. “Pathetic.”

With a twist, I snapped his wrist. Bone splintered beneath my grip—a wet crunch that cut through the din of steel and screaming. Before he could even cry out, I released a pulse of dominion magic directly into his mind. His eyes went wide, then vacant.

“Kneel,” I commanded.