behind us. “Run,” he orders.
I can’t see much. The passage is dimly lit, and I’m stumbling over my dress. Finally, I lean down and gather it in one hand, both of us sprinting down the hall.
“Where does this lead?”
We come to an intersection, and Arix lets out a low laugh, pulling me to the right. “Everywhere. My men are dealing with the traitors as we speak. Whoever is behind this won’t be able to allow me to get away. You need to run toward the dock.”
“What? I’m not leaving you!”
Arix ignores that, his hand clamped around mine as he encourages me to move faster.
Footsteps sound behind us, and the hair stands up on the back of my neck, terror making my knees weak.
“Of course you’d run into these passageways. So predictable. Sorry, Your Majesty, but there’s no way out,” a voice says, and Arix shoves me roughly behind him as a shadow appears in front of us.
“Bevix,” Arix grinds out. “I must admit, I was expecting Rachiv.”
Bevix smiles. “Rachiv is already dead,” he says, and Arix’s shoulders slump slightly. “We offered you every chance to hand over the throne. Now we’ll take it from you. Just another accident in this cursed palace.”
Arix snorts at that, looking completely unconcerned, and I almost roll my eyes. Trust him to face death with that “I don’t give a fuck” look on his face.
“You were one of my father’s closest advisers,” Arix says, as if discussing the weather.
Bevix shrugs. “You lost the last shred of your support when you began negotiating with the barbarians across the water.”
Arix smiles as screams echo down the corridor. “Those who do support me are currently killing each and every single one of your men. Traitors will never be tolerated in my court. It may have been necessary for me to take my time and appear defenseless and exposed while I discovered just who could be trusted, but you were never going to take my throne. Your numbers are much lower than you believe.”
Bevix bares his teeth. Then he turns to me.
“Don’t fret. There will be room in my bed for you. If you’re very good, perhaps I’ll add a second throne next to mine.”
“Fuck you.”
He frowns. “We’ll need to work on that mouth of yours. I suppose you don’t really need a tongue, do you?”
If he’s attempting to enrage Arix, it’s not working. The king doesn’t even look at me as Bevix draws his sword.
The castle shakes as something explodes, and Bevix’s eyes widen.
I laugh. “You didn’t think you were the only one who knew how to blow shit up, did you? That’s the sound of Arix’s subjects joining the fight. You see, they love him as their king. They don’t want you. No one wants you.”
Arix glances at me, surprise in his eyes. No, I didn’t tell him about this little plan. Sarissa and I scrambled to add to his ranks at the last minute. It turns out that of those who trade at the marketplace, most of his largest and strongest subjects much prefer him as king. And they were only too willing to help us. Somewhere out there, Dexar and his tribe have joined forces with Arix’s men, leaving Rakiz’s warriors to keep the main camp safe from the Dokhalls.
This fight needs to be wrapped up quickly, before the Dokhalls realize Rakiz’s defenses have been split in half.
A roar reaches us, the sound so loud it seems to shake the castle, and I slam my hands over my ears.
“Oh, that?” I ask when it’s finished. “That’s Dragix. And you really shouldn’t have fucked with the man who saved his life and helped his pregnant mate.” I tsk. “Dragons are surprisingly loyal creatures.”
Arix laughs, sending me an incredulous look, and I smile at him.
Bevix roars and lunges toward the king. Arix pushes me against the stone wall and draws his sword, his face hard even as a tiny smile plays around his mouth.
Metal hits metal, and I wish I had a sword of my own. Not that it would help, since Arix and Bevix are moving almost too fast to see in the small space.
But I have my own knife. The one Zoey ensured was coated in poison before she handed it to me. It’s currently tucked into a thigh sheath Nevada insisted I take.
I just need to get close enough to use it.
Bevix swings wildly, losing patience, and Arix steps smoothly away, laughing as his adviser’s sword hits the rocky wall.
From the way he flashes