Page 120 of King of Knights

“This might be bad timing, but have the rings returned?” Ardan asks.

I knit my brows. I would have felt if the Riccis’ rings returned. “No, they haven’t,” I reply.

“We are all mated. Now the eldest son is dead. What seems to be the problem?”

“I don’t know, but we will get to that. I think we need to focus on what’s coming.”

“You’re right,” Ardan says.

“Anything else?”

“All good here,” Reilly says.

“Meeting adjourned. I’ll see you, brothers, on this side.”

“See you soon, brother,” my brothers say in unison.

Are We Ready

Three days later…

Istand in the church with the bishop. We’re waiting for the others to arrive with their report. It’s been three days since our numbers were diminished.

My head hurts as visions invade my mind. This always happens before and after I have to refuel. I have not used the girl yet. The bishop wanted to wait until we confirmed our next move.

I close my eyes as my past bombards me. Visions of my loss and the journey I’ve made to get here hit hard, making my stomach quiver with my anger and rage.

“How much longer?” The bishop’s voice pulls me from my vision of the last time I came across one of those monsters in the flesh. The day that changed my fate forever.

I shake my head clear to see Xavier, Ferg and Arlo have entered the sanctuary. The bishop is becoming impatient. I can feel it and hear it in his voice. With our numbers depleted, we need everything else to fall into place. We need the weapons.

Arlo steps forward and bows. Like me, Arlo wears a face covering with his hood. I can see his eyes and his dark-brown skin but nothing below his cheekbones.

“The test was a success. Our allies are in place. We are ready when you are,” Arlo says.

Arlo is one of the wiser kings and he’s a great warrior. He’s an asset we can’t afford to lose. His knowledge of the sciences and history alone has been invaluable.

It was Arlo who designed the weapons needed to hold those abominations so we could free our master. Tanri’s biggest mistake in the accords was allowing blessed iron to be a weakness for his offspring.

Arlo was able to figure out how to exploit that weakness. All we needed was to find an alchemist and blacksmith able to create his designs. Greed allowed us to find willing participants.

“Are you sure?” The bishop says, his eyes gleaming with more light than I’ve ever seen.

“Yes. I am sure. Capturing the older three will be simple. What has taken time to perfect has been the containment of the youngest brother,” Arlo begins.

“I know this,” the bishop bites out in frustration. “Are you sure this will work on him? He is the one we have to worry about. None of you will be able to get close enough to him to run him through.

“If you’re not sure you can contain him, we arenotready. Look around you. This is what we’ve become. Our allies are no longer a distraction for us. They are our brothers and sisters in arms.

“So I will ask you again, Arlo. Are you sure?”

Arlo straightens and lifts his head. “I am sure. I have perfected my calculations. The work has been done. We will succeed. I am sure.”

“Very well. Then it is time. We will destroy them all before the child is born into existence.

“Once they are all destroyed. We will have the key. He will wait no more,” the bishop croons with excitement.

He turns his gaze to me. “Come, we need you at full strength. Bring me the girl.”

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