Page 109 of A Reign of Roses
Far too many for us to get through.
Kane’s brow dripped sweat as his blade sailed through six men at a time. Fighting to get to his wounded commander.
But more soldiers were coming, hauling Mari back despite her pleas. More and more and more…
And it was futile.
This was all…futile.
“We need to run,” I said to Kane under my breath.
“How?” Kane grunted, blocking an elbow to his face and sinking his sword into a man’s thigh. The guard groaned in agony and crumpled to the floor.
My eyes found the wide glass bow window. “We need—” I cut myself off, dodging a fist. But the next one connected with my temple and I flew backward into the solid gold trunk of the mighty sculpted tree.
Leather-bound tomes toppled and smacked me and my assailantboth. Metal fasteners at the base of the sculpture creaked and snapped. Delicate golden branches thudded to the carpeted floor.
Kane’s quicksilver eyes locked on mine. We’d had the idea simultaneously.
He gave me a single steadfast nod. “I’ll cover you.”
Despite the lilium still sagging my limbs and clouding my mind, I threw myself into the trunk of the behemoth sculpture. Two guards lunged for me, catching on. I dodged, faster than them even as my entire body felt as if it were wading through a thick bog.
I flung myself into the teetering gold elm tree once more. Pain sang in my shoulder, my side, myteeth, but I only slammed the gilded trunk again. Then again. All the while Kane blocked each shrieking blow and lunging strike that sailed toward me.
Until a mighty, near-deafening creaking sounded—
An earsplittingcrackas the towering work of art teetered, groaned, and…came crashing down across the parlor and through that massive bow window.
I covered my head as glass and pages and gilded petals rained down upon us all.
A barrage of colorful leather-bound books and branches of fine metal. Ethera screamed so loudly I wondered if her fragile, antique lungs would collapse.
I could only hope.
Cold winter air scented with hydrangea and freshly cut grass whipped at my face. The window was gone, and in its place, an escape route through the palace garden.
“Go,” I yelled past Kane to Mari and Griffin. Even in his bloodied state, the commander still sliced his sword through any guard that even breathed near them. Mari shot a single agonized look in my direction as she ran, and then they leapt together from the second-story room.
“Arwen.” Kane sounded like he was chewing through cast iron.
When I turned, I saw that I hadn’t been far off. The blades near his throat were dangerously close to making irreversible contact. I lunged with my sword.
The soldier gurgled, steel clattering.
And Kane and I leapt over the body to sprint for the gaping hole where the parlor windows had once been. But I knew from his labored pants—and my own heavy breathing—we’d never make it. Not when I could see the energy draining from Kane’s eyes, his wrath only flickering as his body grew weak and tired. Being drained was grueling—we wouldn’t have the fight in us much longer. And all the Rose men—they only wantedme. Ethera had called for them to seizeme.
And I thought I’d screamed it, but maybe I’d only whispered the words, “Keep going,” before taking off in the opposite direction of the whipping wind and that broken window, and instead toward the interior doors of the parlor.
“Stop her!” Ethera wailed.
And as I’d hoped, the guards who were still standing—not crushed under the metal trunk of that sculpture, nor wasted by Mari’s spell—did just that. They followed after me as I hurtled over the floral couch and dodged pillars, out the painted parlor doors and through the gilded, rosy hallway, lush peonies and bronze harps painted onto the walls.
I’d only seen two or three men go after Kane. Child’s play for him, Griffin, and Mari. With or without their powers.
And even as my jaw careened into the floor—the crushing weight on my back telling me multiple guards now held me there—and pain bloomed in my spine and shoulder and lilium coursed through my system…it was relief that flooded me.
They’d gotten out.
