Page 108 of Clash of Kingdoms

“What?” I exclaimed.

Harlow’s response was the same. “What?”

“Kingsnake tried to stop him, but Father locked him up under the castle. Larisa, Clara, and Fang too. I got away…”

I blinked several times because I couldn’t process anything he’d just said, either because I was exhausted or shocked. “I—I don’t understand.”

“He’s gonna kill Huntley if he doesn’t yield.”

Harlow was out of bed, dropping the sheets in front of Cobra because she didn’t give a fuck about her vanity right now.

“How the fuck did this happen?” I snapped.

“The soldiers were exhausted, so they slept…there were no guards on post because there was no more threat…everyone else went to bed…so he marched into HeartHolme with the vampires and took out all the guards and imprisoned anyone who resisted them.”

I couldn’t believe it. Was it all just a dream?

“We’ve got to do something fast,” Cobra said. “Because they’re hot on my tail, and they’re going to grab us both in about forty-five seconds.”

“My ass, they are.” Harlow was dressed in her uniform with her sword at her hip. “Come on, Aurelias.”

I pulled on the uniform and armor I’d dropped on the floor, dressing quickly and hooking my sword into place.

Cobra manned the door, checking the peephole to look for the soldiers. “They’re coming.” He stepped back and withdrew his sword.

I did the same. “Harlow, stay out of the way.”

“Don’t fucking tell me to stay out of the way!” she hissed.

The door flew open, and twelve vampires came in. Clive was in the lead, my father’s general. “Aurelias, we don’t want to hurt you. So let’s just skip the theatrics?—”

“I strike to kill, Clive. I will kill every one of you if you stand in my way. So I suggest you move and let us pass.”

Clive gave me a frustrated stare.

“Move.”

“I can’t do that.”

“He’s insane.”

“He has his reasons, and they are good reasons.”

“I ask him to fight for the woman I love, and all he sees is an opportunity?” I asked incredulously. “This is ludicrous.”

Clive kept his hand on the hilt of his sword. “You can’t stop this. So just surrender?—”

I struck with my blade. “I warned you.”

His blade met mine, and Cobra and I were quickly in battle with twelve-on-two. I sliced Clive down the arm then kicked him so hard his back hit the stone fireplace. He went limp, unconscious but not dead. Cobra defeated one of the other guards, and Harlow grabbed one of the logs from the fireplace and knocked out the one closest to her.

The others stopped and took a step back.

“Let us pass,” I ordered. “Or we’ll kill all of you and then pass.”

They exchanged a quick look before they sheathed their swords and stepped out of the way.

“Good call.” Cobra went first.

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