Page 22 of The Dragon King

He didn’t answer straightaway.

“I asked you a question, General.”

He grimaced before he said it. “Goblins.”

I’d never heard of a goblin. Didn’t even know what they looked like. But fuck, that sounded bad.

“I’m not surprised Alaric would befriend such creatures.” She pulled her short blades from their scabbards. “We need more elves to protect the tree.”

“The enemy has the forest surrounded on most sides. If our men don’t reduce the flow, we’ll be overrun.”

Queen Eldinar issued no other order, like she had none. “Then we’ll do what we can.”

We were fucked.

When screams pierced the night, Queen Eldinar looked at the clearing again. A dark pool of enemies carrying torches broke past the perimeter and the tree line and started to flood the grassy area. Even from this distance, I could distinguish the differences in the dark elves, the way their skin looked sickly and gray. I recognized the Behemoths from the edge of the forest, the creatures that were seven feet tall. But the goblins…they were a terrifying sight to behold. Their skin was black and shiny, two fangs protruding from their mouths, slightly hunched with lanky arms and legs. They didn’t release deep cries like the Behemoths, but high-pitched screams I couldn’t even describe.

We were all about to die.

Queen Eldinar turned to her men. “Hold your ground. If we lose the tree, we lose it all.”

While her back was turned, I looked at my uncle. “Uncle Ezra?—”

“Run, Calista,” he whispered. “I will tell no one.”

“I’m not going to run.” I was scared enough to flee, but my obligation to the elves was stronger. “But if you want me to live, then release Talon.”

Queen Eldinar remained distracted by her men, getting them into formation to protect the door to the Realm of Caelum.

Uncle Ezra stared at me, the enemy growing bigger in the distance behind him.

“He’s the only one who can save us, and you know it.”

He continued to stare, the decision weighing on his mind.

“I promise you.” I moved my hand over my heart. “He will fight for us.” There was no doubt in my heart or my mind. No matter how much Talon wanted those dragons, he wouldn’t let the elves perish. He wouldn’t let the afterlife be taken by those who would corrupt it. He wouldn’t betray the people I cared deeply for.

Without saying a word, Uncle Ezra turned toward the east—and ran.

More enemies poured into the clearing, coming from different sides where the ranks had broken. The line of elves before the trees was quickly decimated by the feral creatures that cut down the elves like they were on a chopping block.

The Behemoths formed a line then charged, breaking down the elves and making a path straight for the trees.

Queen Eldinar was ready. “Stay behind me, Calista. I will do what I can to protect you.”

I gripped my sword with both hands, wishing I had the surge of strength Inferno had given me when we were fused. I had been infinitely stronger, infinitely faster. Now, I faced an army with death in their eyes, and I felt powerless to stop it.

If Talon didn’t arrive in the next minute, all hope would be lost. Queen Eldinar would be skewered, the door would be compromised, and I’d probably be dead.

The Behemoths were upon us, and the guards in service of the queen immediately rushed to her protection. The orcs barreled down on them while I stood back to get out of their way. The queen was clearly the superior fighter because she took out an orc entirely by herself, while one of the guards was cut down dead within a single swipe.

She might be shorter and smaller than the others, but what she lacked in strength, she made up for in speed. She moved so quickly and faked her dodges that she tripped another Behemoth before she sliced him across the neck. Her prowess was impeccable, but the victory was short-lived because a pool of enemies poured into us now that the path to the tree was clear.

It was chaos—dark elves, goblins, and Behemoths all coming at once.

All I could do was try to stay alive, swing my sword at anything that came too close. A goblin screamed before he rushed me with a bloody dagger in his hand, but Talon’s training took over as muscle memory and I struck him down.

Another goblin jumped on me and stabbed his blade into my chest, but my armor was strong enough to stop the blade before it penetrated my skin. I shoved my black sword straight through his chest, and he screamed before he rolled off and died.

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