Page 111 of Clash of Kingdoms

Father looked at me. “He had his chance.”

“No!” Harlow pushed to her feet. “Stop!”

Father lifted his sword to slice it through Huntley’s neck.

All Huntley cared about was his daughter. “Sweetheart, it’s okay.”

My father slammed the sword down.

I only had a second to react. My sword wouldn’t stop his at this angle. I did the only thing that made sense—and I jumped on top of Huntley.

The sword stuck my back instantly, the weapon being wielded with so much momentum that I crashed into Huntley. The armor he’d gifted me was as strong as he claimed—because the blade didn’t pass through. The hit was hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs and leave a bruise that would last weeks, but it didn’t kill me. I got to my feet and pushed my father back, raising my sword to block the sword that was coming.

Ravine joined the fight, coming at me alongside my father.

“Cobra!”

“I got them!” He ran forward to Huntley and cut his bindings. Harlow was there too, sobbing on top of her father.

I battled them both, having a surge of strength I’d never had before, rage coupled with sheer insanity. Even my father was surprised, his eyes widening at the flurry of hits I rained down on them both.

Sssnake killer. Fang sprang into action and jumped on Ravine, wrapping his body around her neck and squeezing her so hard, he snapped her spine. She crumpled to the floor. Kingsnake and the others rushed into the room, fighting the vampires who were the most loyal to my father.

I wanted to check on Harlow, but to counter my father’s lethal attacks, I needed to give him my full focus. Our blades moved faster than they could be watched, and I had to rely on his emotions to anticipate attacks and make my own. Normally, he would mask his thoughts and feelings, but the battle was so heated, he didn’t have the energy for it. I didn’t mask mine either because I couldn’t.

He caught me off guard by punching me hard in the face.

I stumbled back, and he pushed his advantage, his blade striking me down. “How dare you raise your sword to me.”

I blocked his sword with mine and pushed, pushed against his weight as our eyes remained locked together. “Stop this. Please.”

He pulled away then struck at me again. All of his blows were to wound, not to kill.

“I don’t want to kill you.”

“Then surrender.” He didn’t stop. In fact, it spurred him on, giving him more energy.

Sssnake killer. Fang slithered forward to slide up his body.

Fang, no. I knew my father wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. Help the others.

“Hiiisssssss.” Fang did as I asked and moved away.

“Are you going to kill me?” my father mocked.

Our battle stopped momentarily, and we circled each other.

“You aren’t leaving me a choice.”

“I brought our armies to these shores, and this is how you repay me?”

“Stop this madness, and we can forget it ever happened,” I said. “We can go back home and live our lives. These are good people.”

“No such thing, Aurelias.”

“I’ve only loved three women my whole life—and they were all human.”

He stilled, knowing my mother was the third one.

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