Page 67 of Once Upon a Crown
Cai managed to get out from under him, eyes wide.
I pulled the dagger out, which took more effort than I would have imagined, and the guard dropped like a stone.
My chest heaved, as if I’d been holding my breath this whole time.
I didn’t hesitate to run over to Cai, not caring about the dead guard and the fact that it was like the dagger had sucked the life out of him.
“Are you all right?” I asked, kneeling in front of Cai. He had marks on his neck.
“What did you do?” He breathed out. He didn’t look angry, but he didn’t look relieved either. “What did you do?” he asked again as I inspected him for more wounds.
“It doesn’t matter now.” I tried to reassure both of us, placing a bloodied hand on his shoulder.
His eyes finally travelled to my bleeding arm. “You’re hurt.” His voice was hoarse.
The pain in my arm was growing and I could feel the blood trickling down my skin.
Cai didn’t hesitate before ripping a piece of his shirt and wrapping it around the wound.
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted. “The only thing that matters is that you’re still alive.” Still, I bit my lip to keep a sound of pain from escaping me as he tied the material around my arm.
His eyes wouldn’t meet mine as he helped me up.
“Yes, but at what cost?” he muttered under his breath.
I stared at the back of his head as he retrieved his sword and made his way further down the hall. I was quickly on his heels, grabbing my own sword along the way. I held it with my uninjured arm. My hands and the Myrgonite dagger were covered with the Argonian’s blood. It felt sticky against my skin. I quickly shoved the dagger back into its sheath, blood and all.
At what cost?
“At what cost?” I whispered loud enough for him to hear once we’d reached the end of the hall. “When it comes to your life, it doesn’t matter the cost.”
Cai looked around to make sure there were no other guards nearby.
“I told you, Elara — in fact, I begged you — not to use that damned stone.”
“He was going to kill you, Cai, all right! I wasn’t thinking. My only thought was to save you.”
I wasn’t thinking. I should have used my sword or anything else. But it was too heavy, and I was so overcome with fear that Cai would lose his life that all sense went out of me. In thatmoment, I would have done anything to save him. And I would do it again.
I couldn’t understand Cai’s worry. This wasn’t me trying to make use of the Myrgonite stones for my own power or greed. This was about saving the person that I cared about most in this world. How could I be punished for protecting the ones I loved?
Regardless, I didn’t have much time to consider the repercussions, because Cai and I walked into the throne room.
And on the dais, Thatcher was waiting.
Chapter 28
Cai
There he was.
I finally laid eyes on the man who’d taken nearly everything from me.
I would have attacked him immediately had it not been for the young man who was with him.
I didn’t know what had happened to Conner after we’d left for Argon. He’d stayed behind at Mistwood to continue his training and I’d had no way of knowing if he’d survived the initial attack of Argon’s guards.
But there he was, still alive and breathing... for now.
