Page 1 of The Blood Crown

Prologue

Black flame burst from his fingertips, turning demons into ash at every side. Eyes watering from the acrid stench, Ven’s blade slashed and hissed through the haze.

A caw broke through the din of battle.

Ven tore his eyes away from the gory scene to look overhead as black wings burst through the canopy of dark pines.

She’d done it.

Aurelia had gotten the ring. Cog never would have left her side, otherwise.

Lanthius had sealed the wards minutes or hours ago—he wasn’t sure, but the human realm was safe.Shewas safe. Protected.

So why couldn’t he leave this damned place?

Gripping the hilt of his sword, Ven reached for the dregs of his power. Black flame licked across the ravenstone, consuming the sword and turning the veins of bronze and gold into molten ore. Karro stood at his back, shadows whipping through the air as he brought down the demons clawing closer.

Throughout the forest, bursts of shadow magick emanated from the Wraiths still fighting beside them. The injured had been cast back to Ravenstone once the wards had been sealed shut, and only a few dozen remained now.

“Nira!” His shout cut through the battle-soaked night.

The Wraith whipped her head toward him from where she’d just embedded Deathsong in the abdomen of a vorak, her booted foot landing on a pile of ash as its large body disintegrated and she pulled the sword free.

Her dark sheet of hair was lank with oily blood, grime smudged across her sharp cheekbones as a single look passed between them.

After centuries of fighting together, training together, it was all she needed before her eyes flared with understanding. It was partially why she was his second. Mostly, he'd chosen her because he knew she was feared enough throughout the kingdom that no one would question the transition of power if he did not make it back.

Putting a fist to her chest, she gave him a shallow nod. She knew how much he hated when people bowed to him—so it was as much reverence as she would offer.

She let out a shrill whistle that cut through the air and the Wraiths disappeared one by one in wisps of shadow and black mist, until only Nira, Karro, and he remained.

Casting one final look toward him, Nira was enveloped in a whirlwind of smoke before vanishing as well.

His shoulders dropped just a fraction. Ravenstone would be well in hand.

It was the only comfort he allowed himself before he let his magick flare once more, dark flame burning through the crowd of demons around them and sending them scattering back into the pines like torches.

Karro’s heavy sword fell with a slick rasp as he cut down another demon. “The wards are sealed! She is safe!” he called back, raising Flamecleaver once more, black blood dripping from its sharp edge.

She is safe. She is safe. She is safe.

The words ricocheted between his ears, but his body couldn’t be convinced. It was like his feet were buried in the ground. And no matter how much his head raged at him to go—that there was nothing more to fight for here—it was done. Hecouldn’t.Fucking. Leave.

“Go!” he shouted to Karro.

Shadows pooled around Karro’s feet, gathering as he lashed out, cutting a wide circle around them with his magick, impatience knitting his dark brows together when Ven did not do the same.

Ven gave a single shake of his head.

A knowing look passed over Karro’s face.

The shadows pooling around Karro dispersed in a blast of dark wind, the force of them ripping through the demons that had crowded nearby and raining down black blood in thick, glistening droplets.

Karro nodded once, gripping the hilt of Flamecleaver tighter.

“Then we die together.”

Chapter 1

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