AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Luna leaps forward but I hold her.
“Luna. Not yet.” I order her.
She snarls at me, her tone sharp with anguish. I know by her eyes she doesn’t want me to leave her mother.
“We are going. But we need to see where they are taking her.” I hold her gaze but she isn’t convinced, her eyes glazing with her impatience. “I won’t leave her there. But we need to know what’s there and why they are taking her.”
After an hour of scouting, we notice people going to the arena are finally thinning. With most of them inside, the best chance we have is taking the arena, not the palace. Too many places to be trapped there. But the arena has many exits and many people to use as shields and not many places where one may hide.
“Are you sure?” Zod asks on my right.
“Are you scared of puny humans, brother?” Kaja taunts.
“We may be stronger but a thousand ants can destroy a giant,” I say.
After laying the plan we scatter.
Luna by my side, we sneak from the side where the townhall is. I use the back entrances Aria showed me last time to sneak into the palace; the easiest way to get to the arena unseen. The humans are caught off guard and we injure the ones we encounter.
As much as I would like to destroy everything I see because of everything they did to us, killing them all would waste time. Me and Luna sever limps and tear muscles, leaving them screaming. By the time we get to the grounds of the arena, they already know we are here.
We come face to face with the soldiers of the Kingdom that are standing in rows in front of the arena, Shamus behind them in his lofty carriage. Other carriages are arranged beside his. They were parading to the arena. I let my gaze glide over them before it lands on Hanser a few carriages down.
Our eyes meet and everything comes back to me. All the rage, all the promises I made Aria. All the promises I made to him.The day is today.
The Gods really work in mysterious ways. Who knew I would have the chance to take down three birds with one stone?
I turn my eyes back to Shamus and I hold them there. I know even as he looks at me with disgust that he will not see the midnight of this day. My axe itches to end him. It will end them both.
My soldiers stand next to me.
With just one hand gesture, something moves and they reveal Aria’s mother in the same cage they bound me in.
“Turn back now, beast, or she dies,” Shamus shouts over the crowd.
“General, I thought you were a warrior. Why are you hiding behind a defenceless woman?”
A few shocked gasps rise but nobody’s face moves.
“It’s King now. And you will pay for that.” He stands.
“If you are a King then face me like one. You know I will mow through these—” an arrow I don’t doubt is poisoned finds the small opening in my arm, but I don’t react. “…humans…” I pull the arrow out and discard it like the mere annoyance it is. Disgusted at the attempt. Owa gave us all vials for immunization just in case. “With ease. Give me the woman. And Imaylet you live.”
“Another!” He orders.
More arrows come but my soldiers and I block them seamlessly.
“You are no King. You are a coward. Face me now before I tell these people how you betrayed the former King.”
The reactions aren’t hidden this time.
Like he doesn’t even see a thing he says, “My people know you killed our beloved King. We will now avenge him.”
“Face me in the arena for the woman if you are as fearsome as you say.”
He looks beside him, to the other carriage that has what seems like important people, but not any I recognize from being here. Those must be the foreigners.
They have their eyes on him and one of them has a small smirk guided his way as if to challenge him. I see Shamus contemplating. So, he is trying to impress these guests. This may just be in my favor. Refusing my challenge will make him weak but he also knows he can’t win.
