Page 78 of Red Queen

I’ve seen the Sagori weapons before, at the castle, worn by the king. They hold stories and legends and though they aren’t her usual ones, I betting Eleanna wields them like she was born holding them.

Her maidservant hurries to a chest and flings it open, removing beautiful old swords, her father’s weapons that bear her family’s raven crest. She hands them to Eleanna, who thanks her, and with unnatural speed, she’s gone in the blink of an eye.

Damn woman is going to outshine me tonight.Yet I grin, nod at Nadia, and suddenly pause, the smile slipping.

“Nadia? Just in case…make sure the fortress is empty, and those who can’t fight have packed the absolute essentials and wait. And…wait with them. They’re under your care.”

“My liege?”

I take a breath, reaching for the moment of euphoria from Eleanna’s sudden unnatural strength. “Do it. If things turn south, I’ll know the defenseless are not in here.”

With that, I race outside, the sounds of battle growing louder. My muscles coil in anticipation, and my fangs lengthen with the adrenaline. The double doors to the great hall burst open, and I’m met with a torrent of bloodshed.

“Form up.” I motion to the handful of warriors who remain, their faces set in grim determination despite the overwhelming odds.

We are few but mighty—each a veteran of countless skirmishes, baptized in blood and fire.

I engage the first wave of invaders. My blade finds its mark again and again, slicing through sinew and bone. Blood, hot and coppery, splatters across my face.

“Death to the usurpers!” Eleanna’s sword arcing through the air in blurry, fast whirlwinds.

My weapons clear a path through the enemy ranks. “Fight, you bastards, fight!”

Catarina’s sitting in a carriage. She doesn’t leave the coach, merely smiles and observes.Bitch.

The battle is underscored by a metallic symphony of the fierce fight. The once serene winter landscape is now marred by the tumult of war.

Eleanna unleashes her supernatural strength on Catarina’s relentless army.

Sword in hand, she darts through the battlefield like a phantom, slashing through her enemies with lightning speed. The sight of her bright red hair flowing behind her, her raven crest emblazoned on her armor, makes those who stand against her shrink back.

Beside her, I fight with unmatched ferocity as I cleave through the ranks of our enemies. With every clash, every parry and thrust, I fight, not only for victory but for the woman who has recaptured my heart.

Together, we lead our remaining warriors against overwhelming odds. The battle is brutal and never ending. But with no other choice, we keep leading the charge. Each fallen adversary only encourages our resolve, stoking the fires of vengeance in our hearts.

Eleanna’s blue eyes blaze with a mix of fury and determination as she fights tooth and nail against Catarina’s forces.

Primal rage pushes adrenaline through me as I clear a path through the enemy ranks. I can taste victory within my grasp, the weight of my sword becoming an extension of my very being.

Catarina, seated in her carriage, has underestimates the sheer ferocity of those who fight for our home. Each fallen comrade only serves to strengthen our resolve, igniting a flame that refuses to be extinguished.

The clang of blades peals out, fusing with the cries of pain and defiance. With every swing of our swords, with every drop ofblood spilled, Eleanna and I push forward. The fate of our realm hangs in the balance, but we refuse to surrender.

But somehow, tides turn.

The enemy forces seem endless, relentless. Our own troops are dwindling, being slaughtered.

“Stand firm,” I command, parrying a thrust and counterattacking with ruthless efficiency.

My voice is a clarion call amid the dissension, a symbol of hope for my warriors to rally around.

“General!” a voice cries out—a warning too late.

A shadow looms behind me, and I spin, bringing my sword up just in time to block a strike from a towering brute of a vampire that would have cleaved me in two.

He presses his advantage. “Yield or die!”

“Neither.” With a surge of strength born of desperation, I shove him back.

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