Page 35 of Wings of Death

I glance down at my daggers and notice my ring is still glowing red. I need to figure out why it keeps doing that. Is he talking about these weapons? “I’m not giving you anything.”

His smirk vanishes as his expression turns hard. “I am King Zalore from the Kingdom Galespo,” he announces as he unsheathes his sword, “and I’d prefer not to harm that pretty face of yours. In fact, that was a specific order. It would be easier for me if you did what I have asked of you.”

I arch a brow at him. “Who is giving you, a King, orders?”

He narrows his eyes at me. “That is for me to know.”

“Why are you here?” I question. “And why have you broken the treaty? You’re not welcome in our Kingdom.”

He moves his sword from one hand to the other. “Well, it appears that you keep killing my watchers, and I can’t very well allow that to continue, now can I?”

I adjust my footing, ensuring I am prepared for an attack. “If you keep sending watchers to attack me, my family, and my human, then you leave me little choice.”

It doesn’t escape my attention how he seems to be avoiding my question of why he is here, and I contemplate asking it again, but he continues.

“So how did you do it? You’re just a guardian. You shouldn’t be strong enough.”

A deep satisfaction grows within me at the realisation that he is a little concerned, possibly even afraid of me.

“It appears I am,” I say, “so what’s your deal, King Zalore? You rarely hear of a King fighting his own battles.”

He laughs, and I take note as the other watchers move in a little closer.

“That’s because the King you know is weak. I’m not afraid of anything.”

I tighten my grip on my daggers. “Nor am I.”

Charging forward, I slash my dagger across his leg as I slide to the side. The other watchers advance on me, and he holds a hand up to stop them.

He stomps toward me, and I kick him in his thigh. He grabs my ankle midair and twists my leg before throwing me across the field. I land hard, my head knocking back into a rock. My vision blurs slightly as he cuts through the grass toward me. Gods above, that hurt. I struggle onto my stomach, and then try to stand up and fail.

With no other choice, I roll onto my back just before he reaches me and snatches my daggers from my hands, tossing them aside. He takes my wrists, pinning them above my head with one of his large hands, and leans over me.

“You really are special, aren’t you? I like a feisty female… Maybe I ought to take you back to my Kingdom. You would make a fine Queen.”

My eyes widen as his words register in my mind. I struggle against his hold, and he laughs. He reaches for something from his pocket, and I realise it’s some sort of wire. He winds it around my wrists, binding them together. My mind feels hazy as I grow tired. This wire is doing something to me.

“What’s happening to me?” I demand, panic rising in my throat.

“Something to prevent you from killing me.” He touches my hand, studying the ring on my finger, then tries to remove it.

It zaps him, sending him flying backwards.

I dart my gaze around the clearing, trying to understand what in gods just happened. Was that the ring?

Zalore cautiously approaches me. “Very interesting…”

A low growl ripples out from the tree line, and my focus snaps toward it.

A group of Zelons charge out into the clearing and attack the watchers. Zalore picks me up like I weigh nothing more than afeather and throws me over his shoulder. He makes a run for the gateway, and I scream.

One of the Zelons bounds toward us and bites down hard on Zalore’s leg, and he drops me. There’s a distinct crack when I hit the ground, landing on my side. I cry out as pain cuts through me, and I shift my focus to the Zelon. Zalore is punching it in the head, but it won’t release his leg. He takes his sword, and before I can do anything to stop him, he slits the Zelon’s throat.

“No!” I cry out.

The Zelon falls to the ground, and its deep-blue blood oozes from its neck.

Finlay! Please, help me!I shout through our mind link.I’m in the Dark Forest. Watchers are attacking. They’re killing the Zelons.

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