Page 90 of Marked By the Dark Lord
Slowly, the air cleared, and an audible gasp went up from the crowd as they realized I was still standing. The gates were dull and listless now. Stripped of their power.
“My turn,” I smiled and unleashed the ball of energy I’d been holding. It flew forward, blasting open the gates and heading up the cobblestones to the front of the house, where it exploded outward, shattering every window and announcing my presence with a shriek.
The shockwave ripped out in every direction, pulling at my hair and clothes, but I leaned forward, absorbing the impact and stepping through the ruined gates onto the property.
“Let the Lord of House Duloke come forth!” I bellowed, wondering if my brother would recognize the true reason I’d come.
I doubted it.
My arrival was loud enough that it didn’t take long for a response, which came in the form of the entrance opening wide, spitting out two columns of Fae warriors in full battle regalia.They came marching at the double toward me but slowed far enough away that they weren’t coming to fight. Not yet at least.
Then, with the entrance glowing blue to hide him in shadow until he had exited the house, my brother strode forth, flanked on either side by women who clearly would have preferred to be anywherebutat Kraw’ok’s side.
“Come for something?” he called, stopping shy of the line of guards, though they had opened a space for him and his entourage.
“Yes,” I replied stonily, ignoring the taunting call behind his words.
Beside him, Mila shifted slightly, her eyes looking at me, then away, then back to me. She was looking at Fahll’ok, I noted, curious as to why she kept looking at the other woman.
As for Fahll’ok, she looked much the same as two centuries earlier. Tall, lithe, beautiful … and no longer interesting at all. She looked worried and concerned, but her attention wasn’t on Kraw’ok, or even me. It was behind her. Within the House? I glanced back at the open doorway. What was my brother up to in there?
“You don’t honestly think that I’m going to just give them up, do you?” Kraw’ok replied, trying to sound confident. I could see how his eyes darted past me at the crowd, eyeing the large group of Fae.
I laughed, the sound ringing loud and clear. “You misunderstand …brother,” I said, the last word a snarl that produced audible silence from all parties. “I’m not here for the women.”
Mila’s face fell at that, but I didn’t let it distract me. I couldn’t. After all, the recognition was just forming on Kraw’ok’s face as I laughed my denial.
“That’s right,” I said, speaking clearly now, so there would be no doubt. “I’m here foryou! I name you traitor and usurper of a throne that rightfully belongs to me. Here, now, in front of the people of our House, I challengeyou.”
Mila’s head snapped up at that, eyes wide. I gave her a wink. Hopefully, she would take it the way I intended. That I intended to fight my brother for the right to rule House Duloke. And that when I won, the first thing I intended to do was—
“I accept,” Kraw’ok hissed, suddenly flying at me with outstretched arms, propelled by a wave of magic.
I should have seen the poor faith but technically legal attack coming. Hehadaccepted the challenge before coming at me. By a millisecond. Technicalities were all that mattered to the Fae, however, and as he slammed into my midsection, I was forced to remember that.
We went down, Kraw’ok raining blows on me as I fought to get my arms around to protect my face. His surprise allowed him to strike first, and he made the most of it. By the time I threw him aside, my face and forearms were streaming thick blood from a number of cuts. None debilitating, however.
I summoned a circular shield of magic as my brother returned, delivering a thunderous blow to my protection, courtesy of the sword he’d taken from one of his attending guards.
With a snarl, I flung out a hand, magic yanking a second sword free of its sheath and sending it flying toward me. I gripped the hilt just in time to block another strike, my forearms ringing from the blow.
“I’m going to kill you, just like I killed them,” Kraw’ok growled, just loud enough for me to hear.
My foot swept out, scything through his legs in response, sending him falling to the ground. I leaped to my feet and stabbed down with the sword, but he swatted it away, using his other hand to throw more magic at me. I batted it aside, but the movement forced me back several steps, giving him time to get to his feet and set himself.
“Give it up,” I said. “And I’ll let you live.”
And I would. The Fae didn’t lie. I just never said for howlong.
Kraw’ok, of course, knew this, which was why he didn’t bother with a reply, just swept in with lightning-fast strikes, the sword blurring as he attacked. The speed and fury were expected, but his skill was not something I was ready for. He drove me back, step after step, toward the remnants of the front gate.
Clearly, he’d been practicing.
His mouth pulled back in a sneer as we crossed through the gates into the city that sprawled down the hill around the massive house.
“You’re going to lose,” he taunted as our blades clashed, sparks flying. With a shove, he pushed me backward. “All of this for nothing. What a waste.”
I kept silent, waiting for him to come at me. Predictably, my silence goaded him on. We fought back down the hill I’d climbed, the people of our House silent around us, watching from either side.
