Page 75 of Crowned A Traitor
Distracted by the Demons circling Wolfgang, Mila shot an arrow at Klara’s chest piercing above her heart. It would have stopped her heart had the iron arrow struck. Breathing heavily, Klara flung her axe at Mila and pulled the arrow from her chest.
Two of Klara’s Demons charged Mila, but Mila dropped them in seconds with the edges of her razor-sharp bow. Klara tried to get closer, but Mila darted to the Demons guarding Frendall. Klara raced to catch up, making it as Mila gripped the back of Frendall’s neck.
“I never thought my own sister would be so utterly pathetic. Weakness forced you to hand your birthright to Him!”
Klara stepped towards her sister, who kissed Frendall’s cheek. “Weakness is settling for a life based on what others want of you and from you,” Klara said shoving Frendall out of the way just as Mila was about to strike.
“Hurt him, and Abadan will take your life and your mothers.”
Klara tried to get Mila to see reason, but her eyes blazed there was nothing in Mila’s soul but rage and jealousy. “Abadan needs Frendall to guard Malum. She has no intention of killing him and do you think she will allow you as a Daughter of Lucifer to get close to a throne?”
This was the first time Klara had noticed that Eve was not on the field.
“Abadan merely stands in my way. My mother has been overlooked for too long. I will take anyone’s head that tries to stop me from taking what’s mine by right,” Mila spat as they circled each other.
The sisters fought axe against bow, fist for fist until they were both bloodied and exhausted. Mila drew another arrow and Klara wasn’t fast enough to move from its path. Before she could think, Klara’s wings cocooned her, and her white eyes flashed. The arrow ricocheted off, and Mila stepped back in horror as the skies crackled with thunder and lightning.
“You can’t be,” Mila whined. “Why not? Because you aren’t? I was created from Lucifer’s bone and blood.” Klara grabbed Mila and flew high in the sky, the storm raging around them as Klara soared above the battlefield, “I’m sorry,” Klara said and dropped her sister from a great height.
The battlefield went silent as Mila landed in the middle of the battle. The Demons that stood against Klara bowed at her feet as she descended.
Abadan’s cheeks flamed red as Klara’s white wings stood proud at her back. Klara walked across the battlefield to stand before her Guardian. The closer Klara got, the tighter Abadan’s grip grew on Frendall. Klara couldn’t believe she had once feared someone who would use their son as a shield.
“This isn’t over,” Mila coughed and struggled in the mud as she tried to crawl from the hole her fall had created. Klara’s fist connected with Mila’s jaw and her sister collapsed in the filth.
Klara gripped the back of Mila’s neck and looked into her sister’s roaring red eyes, “I wouldn’t hesitate,” Mila spat blood in Klara’s face. “I think you ought to know that the rats in Malum are well fed, there was plenty of meat on Lilith’s bones.”
Klara was ready to deliver the final blow when a shock wave ripped through the battlefield. Demons recoiled while others vanished. Klara released her grasp on Mila to see Lucifer standing with Abadan, “Father?” Klara shouted in disbelief.
The hate in her Father’s eyes told Klara what he saw, her white feathered wings. While his sat black and leathered high on his back. The King’s eyes went black, and she knew what he was about to do. Klara remembered how she had lied about her wings and here she was with her hand at her sister’s throat. The King saw it as the most profound betrayal.
“Seize my daughter,” the King said while Abadan ordered Lokey to be shackled. Her Father not sparing a second thought for his oldest friend. No Demon Higher or Lesser stood on the field, no one dared stand against him. A wicked smile bloomed in the High Queen’s eyes.
“Where have you been?” Klara’s heart broke he stood with the Mother of Demons.
“I do not need to answer to someone who has betrayed me.” Her Father’s words cut, and Klara knew it was the King that stood before her. Klara saw Wolfgang from the corner of her eye. He was only a few feet away from them. Lokey was taken away and disappeared into a crowd of the King’s Guard that stood behind her Father.
Demons surrounded Klara and Wolfgang charged to her. Mila’s iron blade pierced Klara’s side, and Mila twisted the knife deeper until Klara landed beside a crumpled Frendall.
“I’m sorry,” Frendall panted, and Wolfgang shoved Mila and the Demons away. Wolfgang’s shaggy frame stood over her body as her blood seeped into the mud.
“Bring her through, protect our Queen,” Frendall whispered to Wolfgang.
“Stop the Lycaon” Abadan ordered, as the King rose Demons from the mud.
Wolfgang bared his teeth as his instincts told him what Frendall was.
“I can help you,” Klara said, and Frendall smiled sadly, “You need to get out of here.”
Wolfgang flipped Klara onto his back, and she gripped his fur. Before Klara could reach for Frendall, he ripped himself free from his shackles and shoved Wolfgang away. Wolfgang ran through the appearing Demons until they reached the stone wall.
“I can help him,” Klara said as she bled onto his fur. Klara threw herself from Wolfgang’s back and rolled onto the grass, ducking and diving over those trying to kill her. Klara was taken aback to see some of the rising Demons were fighting each other. Her allies hadn’t abandoned her just yet.
The portal door opened behind them as Klara saw Wolfgang fight off the Demons. Klara tried to get back to her family, stopping too far away to help as Mila stood over Frendall. The King and Abadan stood at Mila’s side. The twisted family she had never belonged to stood before her.
Lucifer bowed his head in disappointment. He should have protected her. Instead, he was corrupted by his jealousy and paranoia.
“A traitor’s death,” said the King.
