Page 29 of The Throne's Undoing

She identified the chaotic clang of metal, the grunts, and the nonsensical shouts that filled the air amidst the fray of battle.

She could feel her heart hammering in her chest.

Then, when she focused harder, she felt sharp prickles poking her palms. She wiggled her fingers, and her brows twisted together.

Was that...grass?

Why was there grass? Why was she outside? Her wedding was the last thing she could remember clearly as her mind finally stopped spinning. She should have been in the temple marrying Rian. She should have--

Then Kallie recalled the heat of the flames as a fire spread across the temple and chaos erupted.

Had someone taken her outside? Had the temple burned down?

Slowly regaining control over her muscles, Kallie swiped her palm across the thin blades, trying to ground herself as she finally peeled her eyes open. Clouds filled the sky, and the sun shone down, blinding her. No smoke in sight.

Before she could adjust to the brightness, darkness filled her vision once more.

Her head lolled to the side, and she blinked.

A bead of blood dripped from a blade of grass, bending under the weight of it.

Kallie's eyes darted from left to right, her vision blurring with fear. She tried to scream, but her voice was gone, her throat too dry to produce a sound.

Was the blood hers?

Someone else's?

She couldn't tell. She didn't know.

Her body was heavy, too heavy as if she had been asleep for days. Her chest rose, her lungs expanding. It was all too much.

She was losing control.

Deep breaths,she told herself.Deep, slow breaths. Control it. Fight it.

The ringing in her ears slowed, and the sound of grunts and groans surrounded her, drowning her.

Kallie tried to push herself up but struggled to move her limbs. She tried to call out, but the words refused to leave her tongue, her mouth sealed shut.

A flash of metal whizzed by as someone ran past her.

"Behind you!" someone shouted, the voice familiar and sending a chill down her spine.

A whistle kissed the air, sharp and crisp, followed by a loudthud.

Black muddied boots stopped in front of her face, sending a plume of dirt flying into the air.

Kallie twisted her head up, trying to make sense of what was happening around her. Her gaze trailed over light brown trousers, stained and soiled.

Silver flashed, swiping through the air--a blade.

Then a grunt.

And Kallie screamed--or at least tried to. The noise that slipped from her raw throat was mangled.

She stared at the spot beside the pair of mud-covered boots as a head slapped upon the ground and rolled toward her, the eyes of the victim wide open and staring at her, lifeless.

Vibrant blood pooled on the ground as yet another head appeared next to her, the rest of the corpse falling to the ground shortly after in a heap.

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