Page 42 of The Forbidden Dragon King
I feel a rib break even through my chain mail. I cough, spitting up blood.
“Little fae,” War smirks, “why don’t you just surrender? Your featherglass are dead. You’re defeated. Kneel, and I won’t kill you.”
“I’m flattered but I’m not into fellow Alphas, beautiful.”
War growls. “I’m going to wreck you.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
Wound up, as I’d hoped, War launches herself at me, but her blows aren’t coordinated like they should be.
If they were, I’d be dead.
I’m still weak and barely able to parry her blows. Likethis, however, I’m faster than her, dancing between her wide swings and thrusting my dagger under her guard.
Can I truly win?
For Ciara. The featherglass.The Shadow Fae.
My legs are unsteady, but I’m high on the thrill of the fight now.
When War lands a blow that slices open my arm, I don’t even feel it. Blood is trickling down my temple into my eyes from a punch that she’s struck to my temple; I merely blink it away.
Savage and driven by desperation, I’m caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
Unexpectedly, War lowers her sword. Her expression is unreadable, as she takes a step back.
What’s going on?
My knees almost buckle, but I force myself to raise my daggers. “Aye, you’d better run.”
But then, I look around, finally coming down from the intense focus of the fight.
My heart sinks.
I am surrounded by dozens of soldiers who are dressed in the gleaming golden armor of King Aurelius. In unison, they point their drawn swords at me.
I snarl, twirling in a circle.
War sheathes her own sword and crosses her arms. “You have more balls than I was expecting. That was a good fight for a feathered bitch. Well, at least it was a fun warm up spar. But now…”
She holds out her hand, and the closest soldier passes her a pair of manacles.
Ones made out of iron.
I recoil, shuddering.
On the sacred ash, she can’t mean to put those on me…?
Iron binds a fae down to their very soul, supressing their magic and tearing away their access even to flight.
It’s like stealing our senses.
It’s a cruelty like chaining a vampire with silver. Some things are worse than death, and being caged by iron is one of them.
I can’t stop myself from taking a step back, but wince when a sword tip presses into my back.
“Hands out,” War commands, gruffly.
