Page 110 of Oath of Rebellion

Knox grunted, breathing out poisonous gas and letting it sink into the king's face. What would normally make a human grow limp in seconds made the king's eyes water and grow Red. His nose began to run, and he choked, blowing white smoke up at Knox as he screamed.

A hot fiery blast flew from the king's mouth into Knox' face, knocking him onto his back from the intense heat. Thumbs dug into his windpipe, choking the green gas and air from his lungs.

The king straddled his stomach, dripping snot and mucus as Knox twisted, his clawed hands wrapping around the king's forearms as he bucked. The choke hold sent him spinning into darkness, and he called for the vines.

The king rasped, "You son of a bitch. You brought those dirty maggots into my castle to take my crown! Die, demon spawn, die like my bitch sister."

Knox blinked past the pain and roared, bucking and moving his claws to the inside of the king's arms. He hit the inside of the elbows, dislodging the king's straight arm attack.

He seized the advantage, rolling as he said, "No one threatened you."

The king shot another fireball at him, screaming, "She won't take my crown. Not now, not ever!"

The shock wave blew over him, and he rolled along the floor, slamming into the wall of the landing.

Knox choked on the smoke as the tapestry on the wall caught fire. When he looked up, the king's boots were disappearing into the ballroom. He followed, hissing poisonous gas through the large space and trying to hit the king in the back.

"Eirwyn didn't want your crown," Knox yelled as he ran into the ballroom. The light of the sun through the floor to ceiling windows on one side of the ballroom blinding him.

Chapter 39

THE KING ROUNDED ON Knox, his hands wide at his sides with balls of flame in one palm and the fiery rope whip swinging in the other.

"The hell she didn't. The darling princess of the nation? Everyone loved her. They'd have rejoiced to see her on the throne instead of me."

"Was that why you've poisoned her for so long?" Knox asked, careful to stay just out of reach of the rope as he circled him. His hatchet was long gone, lost in the cellar.

Knox slowly circled the king, but at his words, the king went mad. His face reddened, and he swung the end of the rope again. It lashed out like lightning, and Knox dove.

But he wasn't quick enough. Knox grunted, his body falling, the rope wrapped around him once more. The stabbing pain in his ribs made him choke down bile.

"She has undermined me her entire life. Trying to make her death look like an accident has been the hardest thing I've had to do as king. She was supposed to die in that carriage accident twenty years ago with our stupid parents, but some sad fool brought her home."

The king took a step with every word, dragging Knox toward the balcony. He released the whip, and Knox gasped a full breath of pure pain.

Blood dripped down his chin as he pushed onto his hands and knees. "Ah, that would be me."

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