Page 74 of Kingdom of Today
“Look,” my accuser said, cocking her gun. “For those who don’t know, I’m Lady Dollop Atmans,cousinto High Princess Lolli, and the identity of your bed partners means nothing to me. I care only about results.”
Others nervously readied their weapons.
I forged ahead, anyway. “If cold-blooded murder is what you consider a good result, you aren’t someone I’m interested in following.”
“And now you insult Mr. Vyle and the emperor himself,” she spat.
“Both of you hush,” someone interjected. “It’s not cold-blooded murder if you’re protecting Ourland from a Soalian.” She trained the mini crossbow on Winslet. “And you’re a Soalian, I’m certain of it.”
“Howdareyou?” Winslet exclaimed. She backed up several steps and raised her hands. Considering she’d chosen the dagger, she currently had no defense. “Soalians killed my dad. I want them all dead.”
“Exactly what a Soalian trying to cover her tracks would say,” Dollop snapped, taking aim with her harbinger. “Fact is, you tried to recruit me last night.”
“That’s a lie!” Winslet gasped. “You asked me what I thought of all the glowers dying, and I said—”
Boom!Dollop pulled the trigger, a bullet flying. Winslet jerked, a ragged groan escaping. Her eyes rounded, and she dropped her dagger. Looking down, she pressed her hands over a blood-soaked shirt hole near her belly.
Shock blasted me. Shock blasted us all.
“You said it was a shame,” Dollop stated, as cold as ice. “Now be a good little Soalian and die.”
Winslet’s mouth opened and closed, crimson leaking from the corners of her lips. When her knees buckled, she fell, crashing into the floor. It happened so fast there wasn’t time to react or offer aid.
“Put her on the rack,” Dollop commanded.
In between pained, gasping breaths, Winslet attempted to crawl away. Two trainees advanced. “I said ... it was ... a shame because ... they weren’t dying ... faster.”
“Stop!” I shouted, moving to block them. “This isn’t right.”
They shoved me aside, clasped Winslet by her arms, and dragged her bleeding body to the rack, where they bound her wrists and ankles despite the severity of her injury. Weak as she was, she couldn’t fight her way free.
Right now, Winslet’s affiliation meant nothing to me. Rushing over, I sheathed the netter and removed my shirt. Cool air kissed newly exposed skin. Bra on display, I pressed the material against the other woman’s wound.
“You’re gonna be okay,” I muttered. “You’re gonna be okay.”
Dollop scowled at me and raised her gun, aiming at my heart. “Don’t worry, Roosa. You’re next.”
“Actually, you are.” The retort came from Roman, who punched her in the head. Her knees buckled, and she fell, slamming into cold stone. The weapon skidded from her grip.
She moaned and curled into herself as he collected the harbinger and aimed.
“You should have listened to me.” He fired, shooting her in the temple, ending her life.
Hot blood and brain matter splattered across the room, raining over my face, and I sucked air between my teeth.Get it off, get it off, get it off.
A dark shadow rose from her dead body, and my frenzied wiping ceased. The being zipped around the room, going faster and faster until I couldn’t keep track. But I felt the moment it rammed itself into me. Cold froze my veins, and fear gobbled me whole. I stood panting, my thoughts whirling as fast as the shadow.I’m soon to be unmasked. Killed.A failure to Cyrus and to Soalians worldswide. To Dom and to Ember, especially, who put their own lives on the line to save mine. My mother will mourn and grieve my loss, inconsolable. I’m going to die.The mantra played on repeat inside my mind, growing louder. Louder still.
“Obviously,” Roman stated matter-of-factly as I spiraled, “Lady Dollop blamed someone else to hide her own guilt. Otherwise, she would’ve taken the time to be certain.” He sheathed the extra weapon in the waist of his pants, but that didn’t make it—or him—any less of a hazard.
Anchor, Arden!
I frowned, looked around. Domino?
Going to die.
Anchor!
The two voices collided, and realization came. The fear. It was fueled by the shadow.
