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He looked just like me—a reflection of the king I yearned to be for the very world I created. All the strain and exhaustion I used to create this world to be my safety net and here he was to claim it all.
My valley, my crown, and the woman who held my destiny in her hands.
“This is where the tyrant wins and the hero meets his fate,” she stated like a robot in a complete trance.
“That’s right, my love,” Travis purred into her ear, the manipulative energy humming through his voice only further enticing her to fall into the cunning spell he’d cast on her and everyone else who would give him their absolute loyalty in exchange for survival.
Anyone who fought to remain by my side was doomed to die.
The sword in my possession shattered like the speck of hope I had in attempting to win this uneven battle. Travis’s annoying chuckle entered the air as his massive wings that mimicked my red bat wings outstretched to their full length and wrapped around my mate as if to rub in that he’d stolen her.
“You’ll never be a good ruler, Malifer,” Travis proudly announced as I felt the cold metal that pressed against the front side of my neck.
The low chuckle that came from behind me belonged to Father, and how I could imagine his happiness.
“With you gone, we’ll have everything we need for the new world order.”
They all laughed before Lexianne turned her head just enough for Travis’s lips to claim hers, his hand trailing up her body until it wrapped around the front side of her neck and tightened in an act of firm control.
I’m sure there was nothing I could have said to change my fate, and my enemies relished in that feeling of empowerment. All that was left was to wait for this blade to cut through my neck, so I did something unexpected—even for me.
I smiled…
A big grin showed my teeth while the low vibrations of my own growing chuckle drummed against the inner walls of my throat until they escaped my parted lips.
All their attention was on me as the world that continued to burn away was slowly being covered by thick clouds of black mist.
“You’re laughing?” Travis huffed. “You think this is a game? You’ve LOST!”
“Right,” I replied with a sigh. “I’ve lost. You’re exactly right.”
“You should be begging for mercy!” Father stated from behind me as the blade inched into my flesh just slightly. I waited for the pinch of pain that would ignite from the slight cut that would spread and kindle a flow of black blood in response, but nothing happened.
“Why?” I asked. “Because I lost? I already admitted that.”
“I’ll always be a better ruler than you,” Travis declared as if I hadn’t heard his words before. “You’ll never be a good ruler.”
“You’re right, Travis,” I firmly stated as my eyes bored into his widened, shocked ones. “I guess I was never born to lead, let alone rule.”
The world around was covered in fog, the thickness and chill inching into our surroundings enough to make Travis appear frightened of the consequences.
With the distraction, I took the blade from my father and moved so that they stood in shock while I was now off to the side where they both could visibly see me.
The hilt of the blade was in my grasp while the sharp metal was firmly pressed against my neck.
“W-What are you doing?” Travis demanded as his wings opened back up. Lexi still stared at me with emotionless eyes, but even she couldn’t pull her gaze away from me.
“You said I’ll never be a good ruler,” I repeated the statement that seemed so easy to say and accept. My smile was priceless as I felt the chilled grasp that wrapped around my hand that held the blade to my neck—the presence behind me so powerful and dangerous that I enjoyed the sight of my remaining opponents trembling.
“So what a better way to end things,” I whispered in resolution. “By introducing you to the one who will take my place.”
With those words, the blade sliced through my throat.
My eyes snappedopen but I didn’t dare move. The restraints around my wrists only ensured I didn’t flinch, even when I acknowledged what had triggered that horrendous nightmare.
The glowing eyes of a massive nightcrawler now hovered over me.
One slight movement and I’d be its dinner: the consequence of falling asleep in such a deep part of this side of the valley. I was supposed to be meditating—so much for that—and now I was mere seconds from the hands of death.
