Endure - Sara B. Larson Page 0,7
shriek from the hallway, followed by the thud of a body.
“What was that?” Jerrod said in alarm from the other side of Damian.
And then the door closest to us flew open. “Your Majesty! He’s com —”
Whatever the soldier standing guard had been about to say was cut off when a sword impaled him from behind, thrusting out through his belly, then disappearing again. With an agonized scream that faded to a gurgle, the man slumped to the ground, dead.
And standing behind him, holding the bloody sword, was the man in the black-and-white robes who called himself Manu de Reich os Deos.
“How did he escape?” someone shouted over the dull roar of blood in my ears.
There was no time to worry that I’d tried to warn them too late about what he’d done to me in the dungeons. I unsheathed my sword, along with the rest of the guard. The general did as well, rushing to stand in front of Tanoori and Lenora. Lisbet had already grabbed Jax’s hand and was running to the back of the room, to the other door. I had a glimpse of his eyes growing wide with terror before she pulled him away.
“Ah, the would-be king and his pathetic entourage of subjects and advisors.” Manu stepped over the body and moved forward into the room, his pace slow and deliberate. His eyes met mine across the expanse, and his lips curled into a hideous imitation of a smile. “Did you tell your lover about our little visit in the dungeons yet?”
“Your little what?” Damian whirled on me.
“Apparently not.” Manu laughed, a maniacal crow of glee. He paused before moving within striking range of the general or anyone else.
“When did you talk to him?” Barely controlled anger flashed in Damian’s eyes. “I gave strict orders to keep you away from this man.”
“Now’s not exactly the best time to be having this conversation,” I hedged, pointing my sword at Manu, who stood still, watching us.
“He’s just an old man. He poses no true threat,” General Ferraun said.
“An old man who managed to escape your dungeon and make it all the way up here without being stopped,” Manu countered. “An old man whom you are all so afraid of, no one has made the first move yet.”
“You’re no sorcerer,” Damian said. “So whatever you did to escape must have been impressive indeed, but I guarantee you are no match for me and my guard.”
“Not a sorcerer? Hmmm … maybe not the kind you are familiar with, it’s true. But the king I serve — the true king — dreams of a new world and a new breed of sorcery. And I am at his side, helping to create it for him.” He reached into his robe and withdrew a small vial with a dark red liquid inside of it. “Behold, the power of The Summoner.”
“Stop him!” I shouted, lunging forward, but it was too late. He threw the bottle to the ground, where it exploded. The minute the liquid hit the air, it turned into a dark vapor that swirled and grew, larger and larger. It was as though he’d unleashed a storm in the middle of the throne room. It hid Manu from view, then expanded to the general, Tanoori, and Lenora, billowing toward the rest of us. Someone screamed, but I couldn’t tell who it came from.
“Damian!” I cried out. “Run! Leave this place!”
There were more screams from within the depths of the black cloud as it swirled to where the first few members of the guard had begun to back up, bumping into one another in their haste to get away but still trying to protect the king, with swords raised.
Damian lifted his hands, and the ground began to tremble. But an earthquake would do nothing to stop whatever evil Manu had unleashed on us. I grabbed his arm. “Damian, go,” I shouted, shoving him behind me and lifting my sword. “Captain, get him out of here!”
“No, I’m not leaving you!” Damian yanked free of Deron’s grasp, but the captain of the guard was bigger and stronger than the king. He wrapped both arms around Damian, trapping his arms at his sides, and physically forced him away from me, dragging him down the stairs with the help of Mateo and Asher, who had to grab his legs as he thrashed and shouted, cursing them and me, as his men rushed him away.
The ground began to shake again, as Damian continued to fight against his own guard.
“Alexa!”