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“Bereille tried to protect you. Even in the end,” my voice was thready and hoarse, but it was there. My mouth was dry, and I licked cracked and bleeding lips.
Amira sucked in a breath as her eyes met mine. I heard another body hit the floor. Argen was making his way through the guards one at a time but not drawing attention to himself. I’d never been happier to have him on our side.
“Bereille—" She looked away, but I saw something swim in her eyes. My deductions of their feelings for each other were valid. There had been a tension between them that could have been romantic if it had been allowed to be.
“Don't talk about the Knight.”
“Why? Because you killed him and regretted it?”
“I regret nothing, Huntsman. Except leaving you in charge of procuring hearts for me and allowing you to be my Hunter. Although—” Her voice went low, seductive. “You wereverygood at other things.”
Autumn's body flinched, but she remained looking unaffected.
Amira’s eyes swung back to Autumn with a wicked grin. “Too bad you'll never know, little girl, how this man becomes ananimalin bed.”
Autumn lifted a brow. The epitome of annoyed indifference. “Why did you want a man who didn’t want you when you could have had apartnerin Bereille? An honorable, good—"
Amira turned on Autumn and barred her teeth. “Because he reminded me too much ofhim,I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to love again. To tarnish his memory.”
“Why? Because he would make you a be—"
Amira growled and puther hands over her ears. “Enough games! This doesn't matter! Why are you asking these ridiculous questions? To distract me?”
Autumn grinned. The fearless, fiery womangrinned. “Is it working?”
“You fucking—"
The queen lunged, her hands slung out at Autumn. Something dark shivered in the air, and Autumn stumbled back as if she’d been pushed. The queen looked at her hands, and a satisfactory blood-red grin spread over her face as if she’d been trying to accomplish something for so long for it to finally happen.
Amira stepped back, and then with renewed anger and purpose, she thrust her hands out at Autumn again, and this time Autumn slammed back into the body of one of the guards.
Then a small body barreled from the side of the chamber and lunged at the queen, the strike of silver off flame and moonlight glinted menacingly. Before anyone could react, the small girl sliced across the queen's chest, but Amira didn't miss a beat; she easily grabbed the girl's arm and wrenched the blade free before it did anything more than form a shallow cut across her collarbone.
Brienne.Brave, foolish girl. My heart thudded. The girl would die here and now. If she'd only listened to me.
“What is this?” Amira finally recognized the girl and grabbed her by the throat. “Little mouse grew some claws?”
“That's for my family, you wicked wench! For being a sadistic, cu—"
Amira lifted the girl by her throat. I stood to protest, to try to stop this. I hadn't been able to with Bereille, but I was prepared to end this. I stood, swayed, and pushed one of the guards. Another yanked my arm, and his blade swiped at me. I sidestepped easily. Then I heard a warning and recognized Argen's brogue. I whipped my head, my body tensed just as a guard punched me in the side of the face, and my world went black.Again.
Golden Light
“Sahlyn!” I watched his body fall and resisted the urge to run to him. Argen was there with Brec and Deven, and they decimated the remaining guards from the hall.
It was time to take down the queen. I needed to end her, or I would lose my friends.
With inhuman strength, Amira tossed the tiny girl away. The sickening sound of her hitting the stone floor echoed in the cavernous throne room, and I sucked in a shaky breath. I prayed to the Goddess that the girl lived. The sickening thud sounded ominously like her head, but I resisted the urge to see if blood had formed beneath her. She was a brave girl to try to stand up to the might of Amira. What had Amira done for the tiny girl to feel the emotions to go after her like that? To know she wouldn’t stand a chance, but try anyway? But for your family, you do everything to protect them; from the girl’s words, that’s what she had been trying to do. Protecting those you loved was a powerful motivator, one I knew well.
“Enough games, Amira.” I echoed what she had said to me. I had searched for her weaknesses and found few. But, it was beyond the point of return, and something needed to give.
“Quite a bit of bravery in this room tonight, I see.” Amira glanced at my dwarven friends with interest. Then her cruel violet eyes narrowed on me. “Disarm her,” she said to the guard at my side. I hadn’t yet drawn my blade. I hadn’t seen the need, but I’d be damned if they thought to take Heartrender from me.
The guard, not one of the darker ones, grabbed my arm, but I easily dodged him. He was one of the only guards left that not engaged with my friends, and Amira must have realized for the first time that things were serious. Despite our outnumbered band of warriors, the numbers had tipped in our favor.
Another guard grabbed me roughly from behind with an arm around my waist and a hand at my throat. The first guard sauntered up to me and reached for my blade—
A screech rang up the hall and through the room. A call that sent my whole body on alert, ready. I gathered all my strength to sling off the guard holding me.
