Page 25 of The Broken Prince

“He’s not human,” the one in charge said. “But he’s not Teeth either.”

I could barely keep up now, blocking and dodging, completely on the defensive because I didn’t have the energy to land any blow. I only had the energy to survive.

Then one of them growled when an arrow appeared in its neck. It was an inconvenience but not a weakness, and he carried on. More arrows were fired, hitting them in their arms and backs, striking them where they failed to wear armor.

It started to slow them down, but it still wasn’t enough.

The leader rushed me and came at me with a flurry of blows, anxious to end this battle that should have ceased long ago, but a rock hit him right in the face, and he staggered back.

“Attagirl.” I threw my dagger in his face again, missing his other eye but still impaling him in the cheek.

He came back with a vengeance, leaving the dagger deep in his flesh as he rushed me, pulling out two short blades so I would have to deflect two blades while holding off all the other attacks. He spun and slammed his swords down with all his might, trying to break my will and stagger me.

Fuck, it was working.

He finally got a hit on me—and sent me flying across the stone.

I rolled and rolled until I finally came to a stop.

Harlow rushed to me, dropping down to help me.

I pushed to my feet quickly and shoved her hard. “Run.” I barely lifted my blade quick enough to deflect the blow because I’d used that moment to push Harlow to safety. But I was out of energy, out of ability, and I felt the strength of the blow push me back again.

I owed these people nothing, owed this world even less, but I would meet my end at the hands of someone’s enemy…all because I’d needed that damn venom. It was ironic, to die selflessly when I’d only lived selfishly.

I blocked the blade but didn’t have the strength to push it back. The monster pushed it hard against me, ready to slice my throat.

“Noooooo!” Harlow threw another rock, but it wasn’t enough to save me.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the monster gloat as he sliced that blade fully through my neck to the stone underneath. But then the pressure suddenly vanished, and the blade became weightless.

I opened my eyes and saw the blue sky above.

“Get off him, motherfucker.” A man ran past, wearing armor that was black and red, and his black sword that had an engraved snake down the center impaled the monster right through the stomach.

I sat up, shocked by what I saw.

“Get your ass up and help us.” A man in black and gold armor appeared, grabbing me by the arm and forcing me up. “You can’t expect us to do everything.”

My eyes widened as I stared at him, the shock so potent I couldn’t speak. “Cobra?”

He winked. “Yours truly.” He went after one of the monsters, taking him down with a couple of strikes.

There was a woman who wore the same armor as Cobra, and she held her own against the monsters, slicing and swiping, forcing the monsters apart.

Invigorated by a new sense of strength, I spun my sword around my wrist and moved for the leader, whom Kingsnake had engaged in a battle of fiery blows. “Step aside. This asshole is mine.”

Kingsnake moved to one of the others, helping Cobra handle his two opponents.

I was pleased to see that smug grin was gone, that the victory had been wiped from his face like dust with a cloth. “Now that it’s one-on-one, let’s see how this goes.” I made my strike, and he blocked it, and then we were locked in a heated battle with hits and counters, spinning in a circle as we gave it our all.

I didn’t have to devote my energy to other opponents, so all my focus was on him, the monster that didn’t have the energy to gloat. I knew what attacks were coming, so not only did I dodge them, but I sliced his arms and shoulders over and over, more of the liquid fire releasing with a plume of smoke.

“You look tired.” I came at him harder, striking again and again, getting him good across the neck.

When he clenched his jaw, all the bones in his face jutted out even more, and he looked like he was made of rock and fire. He released a scream as he came at me, giving his all in the final push.

I blocked the hit, punched him square in the jaw even though it nearly broke my knuckles, and then stabbed him right through with the sword. I slammed my body forward with momentum, making a clean cut all the way through.

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