Page 111 of Of Monsters Of Kings

Sign crouched on the steps below me. “This sight cannot be born, lady. Such things should never be done to you, and yet there is something that prevents me from helping you as these princes valiantly do. How is it that I am not as valiant as other princes?”

I swallowed. “You are very valiant, Prince Sign.”

I stared up into Huckery’s rabid eyes. His expression was grim, even for a werebeast.

“Did you see me give the landlady a fright?” I whispered.

He whined. “Yes, lady. The fright was most impressive for your first. Many aspects entertained me. I was sorry to leave before we could wring all laughter and enjoyment from the memory. I was called to my liege’s side.”

Relief coursed through me. “I’m glad you didn’t leave by choice. I was disappointed not to share the aftershocks with you.”

“Another time?” Huckery asked, then howled some.

My lips trembled. “Another time.”

Prince Sign was silent beside me, and I was glad he did not crow about his earlier comment regarding the hopelessness of an endeavor to reach the surface.

Huckery snapped his fangs. “Prince Unguis, Prince Loup, there’s nothing for it. We must use our cursed form to help.”

“Huckery,” hissed Loup. “We’re forbidden from aiding anything but ruin from dusk until dawn. Goodness is not for those cursed. Our king is clear on this matter.”

“This might bring future ruin,” Huckery said, but uncertainty filled his tone. “Perhaps saving Lady Patch is what’s needed. Our liege didn’t kill her after all.”

“King See wages war on King Take over a trivial matter because of the lady. He would certainly wage war on Raise, too, if she should die here. King Bring would join with King See, and then our liege would only need to ally himself with the winning side to ensure an enormous step toward ruin. How does saving the lady assure any ruin?”

Huckery didn’t answer.

Unguis lisped, “Saving her feels the right thing to do, though.”

“It does,” Loup agreed. “There is no purpose to saving her, nor any logical ruin, and yet everything in me is driven to do so.”

Huckery locked gazes with me again. “I’m driven to this too. We are decided.”

Without warning, Loup released Huckery’s leg, and snatched the prince’s patchy tail between his fangs instead. Unguis did the same with Loup, and then Gangrel switched his hold to Unguis’s tail too.

The monstrous rope of princes reached the next landing.

I tried to blink myself closer.

My power was at an impasse against King Raise’s. “I cannot go further, my princes. I am sorry.”

“I can help you to stand,” Sign mumbled. “You’d get there anyway.”

He scooped me up, and I didn’t have the strength to help as Raise’s power crushed against my chest.

“Just jump off and grab her, Huckery,” Has Been bellowed.

“No,” Sign blurted. “The moment your feet touch stair, you’re in Raise’s kingdom.” The prince cut off and pressed his lips together.

Then, bizarrely, Huckery lowered to where Prince Sign cradled me against him.

“Who helps?” Prince Sign muttered, squinting up. “Who is that?”

I couldn’t answer with escape so close. The rope of princes swung less than five feet away.

“I’ll need to jump,” I said. I’d need to jump into thin air and risk falling through the kingdom back to the beginning.

I couldn’t make it here a second time.

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