“Can’t,” I growl, clenching my teeth. “Your father made sure I can’t use my magic.”
I don’t know how, since Death is absolute, but the inhumane gold Midas wields can hold onto anything, even the shadows.
He’s twisted his curse. I don’t know exactly what he’s done, but even the golden touch shouldn’t overpower my shadows. He is magic, but I am Death.
More steps, and I’m debating in my head what to do to keep the attacks at bay, but Rapunzel leaves my side, and I press a hand to my chest, digging at the gold embedded in my skin.
Crying out, I try to dig a chunk free. It’s hooked into my flesh, tearing skin and muscle as I try to wretch it free. It’s going to take too long with people fighting all around us, and briefly I notice that Arthur’s guards are clashing with Midas’. The death of Modred sparked a war between them. We just happen to be sitting in the center.
All of a sudden, my right hand is weightless as something tears the scythe free. I snap my gaze up, knowing that no mere mortal can wield a weapon of the dead…
Rapunzel staggers, trying and failing to balance the weight of my weapon in her hands. There’s still blood on her arms, and tears tracking down her face that I hadn’t even noticed.
But the scythe glows, something that only happens when a Reaper touches it. My jaw drops, watching as she hefts it up just as one of Midas’ guards approaches.
“Princess,” he says tensely.
“Begone Theo,” she snarls, jabbing at him with the scythe. I’ve never seen such poor form in my life, but she’s managing to move with it so that’s a start. The guard, Theo, looks somewhere between disappointed and amused watching her. “Go back to Midas. We’re leaving.”
“You know I cannot permit either of you to leave. When Arthur is handled the King will speak with you.” His gaze shifts to me, cruel amusement painting there. “And you will be punished for breaking into the kingdom.”
She snarls, lunging forward. He dodges her attack, the weapon too uneven in her grip and it clatters back to the floor, the blade slamming into then through the floor of gold. She looks winded, but it’s close enough again for me to grab at the handle.
There’s no sense in trying to dig out the gold in my chest. I’m wasting time and it could cost me my life. Golden Girl might be able to move my blade, but she cannot wield it.
Snatching the handle, I twist the blade and lurch it out of the floor, slash upward. Using my momentum, I force myself to stand again, refusing to show any weakness to these men. The guard cries out when the scythe catches his thigh, his hands dropping his own sword to grasp at the handle of my weapon.
I sway on my feet, but manage to pull the blade free of his skin. He screams as flesh tears, spurts of blood rushing out as he coughs. Rapunzel backs away quickly, eyes wide.
Glancing around the room, I spot Midas and Arthur. They are swordfighting, but Midas’ blade is pure gold and he wields it with an unfair advantage. Whenever Arthur lunges, he sends beads of gold rushing past the other King.
He’ll win that fight, but it won’t be fair. Arthur is powerful, and ending the Camelot King might work against Midas if word gets out.
“We have to go,” I gasp to Rapunzel, my chest feeling heavy as the pain ebbs away. I’m not afraid of this killing me, but it’s slowing me down. “Now, before anyone tries to stop us.”
Rapunzel glances at me, the blood dripping slowly down her arms. She’s earned a few scuffs and bruises in the fray, and as I watch her, a nagging sensation taps at my brain. The call of Death is washing over me, telling me to go to the souls that are separating from their bodies. People are dying in this room, and the Reaper side of me knows I need to help.
But there’s nothing to be done while I’m in this state. I need to heal before I can guide anyone to the beyond.
“You want to leave the castle?” she breathes, wide eyed as she looks around.
“You can stay if you want, Princess,” I growl, turning to jog away. The scythe is heavier than I remember, making my steps uneven with it slung over my shoulder. The damn gold is giving me issues, holding on as it burrows into my skin. “But I have to get out of this castle.”
Her hurried footsteps follow me, and I take down two more of her father’s guards who stand in my way. They don’t know what to make of me, and either my appearance or my magic terrifies them enough that they are easy targets. I rush from the room with heavy steps, the soft padding of her footsteps following me.
Her hand catches mine, trying to guide me away. “Come on, I know the way back to the tower. You can hide there-”
I stop running, causing her to stumble. “Rapunzel, we’re not going back to the tower. You took a stance against the King. I fought with him. The only safe place we can possibly go is down from the tower. You have to leave this castle.”
10 Rapunzel
Admitting that Zarev is right doesn’t hurt as much as I expect. He’s bleeding heavily from wounds in his chest, and my arms burn from the spots Modred hurt before the chaos broke out.
Part of me wants to go back and find Cheshie, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be waiting in my room. There’s nothing else of value up there, so I can’t say I’ll be missing much if I don’t go back up there.
My eyes linger on Zarev as we fly through the halls. We’re moving swiftly through the castle, even if I believe he could move faster without injury. The front of his clothing is damp and the pain in my arms radiates up and down, but if I stop moving right now I’ll have too much time to consider what’s happening.
I betrayed my father by running off with the enemy.