Page 53 of A Kingdom of Lies

This was not Cedarfall soldiers, but a single person.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Gyah said, pushing beside me with a hand raised to shield her eyes from the rain.“Fuck.”

I caught movement from the Hunters. It was Duncan, turning over his shoulder as he looked directly at me. His face dripped with rain, hair sodden and plastered to the sides of his head.

“He found me,” I breathed, reading the warning in Duncan’s eyes.

“This isn’t good,” Gyah growled, slamming a palm onto the cage bars.

I knew it washimbefore the cloak’s hood was lowered from his head. It was his outline, one I had studied with my eyes, my hands; I would have recognised it no matter the conditions, time, or place.

Erix was here.

CHAPTER 18

Sheets of cold rain slapped down across the world around me. I was soaked to the bone, gripping onto the cage bars as though they’d break beneath my hold. My grip intensified with the horror of seeing Erix, knuckles white, mind screaming a maelstrom.

Gyah and Althea were huddled close to my side. It was clear that we all shared in the panic conjured by Erix’s presence.

What it meant, how it would end.

An intense shiver had begun, one I could do little to prevent. It prickled across my skin, chattering my teeth as it sent my jaw into a never-ending spasm, encouraged by the anxiety that had seemed to replace the blood in my veins. It pumped around me with vigour, causing a shooting pain to caress my heart as though a hand gripped and squeezed it relentlessly.

“Both of you,” Duncan shouted above the pounding of hooves in muddy ground. “Deal with this straggler.”

The two Hunters Duncan spoke to jumped from their horses. Feet squelching in the muddy ground, they pulled swords from their scabbards and approached Erix with confident strides. I winced as one almost slipped on their arse; lack of coordination wouldn’t help them when they reached Erix.

“Duncan,” I shouted, pressing my face between the bars. “Duncan, look at me!”

Reluctantly he turned, squinting through the rain with a displeased snarl. With my eyes alone I tried to display my honest concern. It was not that I cared if the Hunters were slain, but I needed Duncan to escape the impending slaughter and help me make it to Lockinge.

“I’ve told you, one man is no threat. We will be moving shortly,” Duncan shouted through the sleet, tipping his head in salute. “Sit back and relax.”

My hair was plastered to my face and head, encouraging a constant stream of water to fall into my line of sight. Blinking it away I shouted, unable to hide the frustration within my tone.

“You don’t understand! Your Hunters will not stand a chance, Duncan. Erix will kill us all, believe me, I have witnessed the twisted determination of his will.”

My mind replayed visions of Erix caving Tarron Oakstorm’s head in with his bare fists. What could he achieve with the weapon beside him?

“Then this will be fun,” Duncan replied, dropping my stare and turning back to face the doom before him. “Allow me to do you the favour of dealing with him. It would be my pleasure.”

“Fucking listen to me!”

Gyah gripped my shoulder, strong fingers anchoring me and chasing away the panic. “Let them face their end, Robin. Let us only hope Doran’s control on Erix spares us.”

It was not a risk I was willing to take. “Free us, Duncan,” I pleaded a final time. “You are going to need us.”

Duncan didn’t look back, but his deep laugh reached me.

I couldn’t catch my breath. My chest heaved and my hands grew numb. My legs would’ve given out beneath me if I hadn’t been strangling the cage’s bars.

The two foolish men that Duncan had commanded were close to Erix now. Erix had hardly moved a muscle since we’d first seen him. His swords still at his sides, stabbing into the muddy ground as he waited patiently.

All I could do was watch the final moments of their lives unfold before me. Perhaps they followed blindly because no matter if they died, they would have the promise of meeting their god, Duwar. Did they believe the entity was watching even now – judging their loyalty?

They reached Erix and stood before him with blades raised. I couldn’t hear what they said, but it was clear they spoke with him, the conversation one way. Erix simply looked past them as though they didn’t exist. His attention was entrapped elsewhere.

On another.

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