Page 103 of Clash of Kingdoms

There was a jolt of excitement in my heart, not because I enjoyed the rush of battle, but because it was almost over.

This nightmare was almost over.

We could get our lives back. Rebuild our world. Mourn the dead. My children could have the peaceful lives I wanted for them. My wife and I could have our quiet evenings again, our adventures on Pyre when we ventured into the countryside where no one would ever find us.

My brother joined me on the wall. “Are they in sight?”

“No. But they’ll be here soon.”

He was in identical armor, his heavy sword across his back, and he looked out at the torches. “They’re stupid for coming here.”

I looked down at the vampire encampment. Once the horn had sounded, they’d immediately readied themselves for battle, leaving their tents in their blades and armor. Different vampires wore different colors, just like Aurelias’s brothers. King Serpentine was the most distinguished, his armor different from all the rest. Like me, he would fight alongside his people, and while I didn’t like him personally, I respected his leadership.

“They won’t stand a chance against the vampires.”

Without them to fight with us, we would have been demolished. The only reason the Kingdoms would survive was because Aurelias loved my daughter. I would always fight for my people, but I knew in my heart we would have fallen to the demons without Aurelias. If he hadn’t taken Harlow, someone else would have—and we’d all be dead right now.

Aurelias appeared beside me, dressed in the armor we had gifted him, giving him the symbol of his people along with ours. He looked out into the darkness, seeing much farther than we could. “Let’s finish this.”

Atticus walked down the ramparts and came to my side, a grown man like all the others, but somehow still a boy in my eyes. He was as muscular as I was, inherited my hard jaw and cold stare, but I could still see him smile as I threw him in the air and caught him again. He looked serious now, responding to the call of battle.

I grabbed him by the shoulder. “We’ll win this battle, but fight like you might lose.”

He nodded.

I wanted to keep him safe with Ivory and Harlow, to shield him from the horrors of war, but why should I ask my people to risk their sons in battle but not my own? As much as it pained me to risk my only boy, he needed to understand that life was about serving others, not being served.

Storm’s voice came into my head. We’re ready.

“The dragons have the boulders ready,” I said. “Let’s head onto the field.” I turned to Ian. “Lead the archers.”

“General Atticus will protect the wall while we join ranks,” Ian said.

My son was now the only general after both Henry and Macabre had passed. It had slipped my mind. “Let’s go.”

We moved down to the main gate, which was still open to allow soldiers to pass onto the open field. That was where we met Kingsnake and Cobra, both wearing the same armor we’d gifted to Aurelias.

“I’m ready to go home,” Cobra said.

“Me too,” Kingsnake said. “Who knows what shit Viper has gotten into…”

Aurelias smirked. “Maybe he’ll loosen up for once.”

“Or his ass has gotten tighter.” Cobra walked alongside his brothers out onto the field, to fight another battle that didn’t affect them whatsoever. But they came for Aurelias, who stayed for my daughter.

A pain dropped in my heart when I knew how this would end, that Aurelias would return home and leave my daughter with a broken heart.

He must have felt it because he turned back to look at me.

I avoided his stare and moved forward, knowing I had more important things to worry about right now.

We reached the front of the line, where King Serpentine stood in black armor with the golden serpent on his chest. He took one look at his sons, and the disdain was heavy on his face, repulsed that they were outfitted in armor built by humans. If I hadn’t needed him to keep my people alive, I’d have a couple things to say.

Aurelias stood beside his father and didn’t speak, his sword over his back as he tightened his gloves.

We stood there for a while, just waiting, and then the sound of their heavy footfalls became audible. Their masses were visible minutes later, a long line of demons that ran straight toward us.

Begin.

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