Page 70 of Crowned A Traitor
“I wasn’t there,” Klara said, thinking how she wasn’t there to protect Arthur. “I wasn’t there to train with them, fight with them, earn their loyalty, or at the very least understand them,” She marched on towards the enemy, but Frendall leapt in front of her.
“Another choice that was stripped from me, while you became a Commander, I was taught which fork to use, to sit up straight and how to slaughter a village with a single drop of potion.”
Frendall’s eyes went wide as she barked at him.
“If I had stayed in Hell maybe I would see what you see, but all I know is that for the last seventeen years I have had a target on my back and I’m done,” Klara said.
“You can come with me or kill me,” Klara barked looking towards the noise of those approaching. Her blood lust distracted her. Hell was his home, but it wasn’t hers. “Don’t do this,” he pleaded using her distracted state to take her arms and pull her against his chest. He wasn’t there, but she could still feel him.
Klara’s body hardened until his familiar scent edged its way through her senses, and she clutched his Commander’s jacket. There was only one thing she could do to secure his rule and keep Hell out of Abadan’s talons.
Klara grabbed his face. Her revealing magic flowed from her, and his shadowed form was now real and firm. Klara’s power wouldn’t hold long without her touch, so she pressed the axe to her palm.
“What are you doing? This shouldn’t be possible.” He watched her breathing hard as she sliced open her palm, the blood pooling in the centre. She prayed that the soul bond would work.
Logic and the six hundred-year-old grimoire she had stolen from Lilith said it would since it was his soul that stood before her.
Frendall’s eyes searched her, worry creasing his forehead.
“Trust me,” Klara said, as she pulled him down to her. She brought the tip of the axe to his cheek and he tried to pull away.
“If I fail and you don’t want to see Abadan rule then we have to do this,” she said, and he remained still as she dragged the blade through all three of his scars just below his eye. Klara rose her bloodied hand to his cheek but not close enough to touch. Tiny glowing droplets rose from her palm and sunk into his wound. His eyes flashed black then white as her blood mixed with his own.
“Ut animam tuam,” Klara recited the ancient words, my soul to yours.The same words her Father had spoken during her creation. “Find Lucifer, show him your eyes and he will know what I have done.”
Klara watched as Frendall’s wound sealed itself. “I feel different,” Frendall said, unsteady on his legs. “What have you done?” Frendall said frantically. “You hold a fraction of my soul. With that, I grant you the right to rule in my stead.”
“No, I won’t be your excuse.”
“Why do you obey everyone but me?” Klara preached. “You can raise an army in my name and destroy Abadan’s allies. It’s a win-win.
“Are you still going after her?”
Klara dropped her head in her hands. He wasn’t going to give up the idea of her on the throne.
She could feel Abadan’s presence in her bones, but she suppressed her rage.
“You said the reason you wanted to leave was so you wouldn’t have to kill, then don’t. See how peaceful living suits you.”
“You want me to let go of everything she has done.”
“If you want to be free and want me to rule, yes.”
“Are you trying to save your mother now?”
“No, I guarantee you’ll be back before the war is over and there will be plenty of time to kill her then.”
“Careful your ego is showing.”
“When you return the throne will be waiting for you,” Frendall said, pressing his forehead to hers. She hoped her Father would honour her decision, should Frendall find him.
“Try not to blow up the place,” Klara joked trying to lighten the mood. “Is this truly what you want?” He asked, and for a moment, her heart faltered afraid Abadan would kill him before he had a chance to raise an army. Klara pushed the thought aside knowing she had made her choice. “I’m sure. Even if my Father disagrees, the Council of Demons will protect your right to rule. They now have an Heir who doesn’t cause ripples. If your army fails in killing Abadan, my soul will keep the High Queen and Mila from the throne.”
The snarls of the returning Hounds and scouts became deafeningly close.
“I’ll hold them off,” Frendall said, and she pressed her lips firmly against his as he slipped back into soul form. “You can’t kill them in this state.” Klara looked to the red and yellow eyes in the distance, feeling the anger inside her swell.
“Maybe not, but I sure as Hell can distract them. They won’t know what to do when I stand before them.”
