Page 85 of Princess

We turned and ran.Shadow Warriors interrupted the charge.Someone cried out.Then a Warrior’s head flew a few feet away from me.If they couldn’t hold the line, my archers didn’t stand a chance.We had to protect the children and get to the larger force of Warriors.

“Run,” I yelled.

I didn’t turn and look at the sounds of death behind us.

The thing with the hellhounds was Knet.He would not kill my children.

More Warriors ran toward us.I saw Trevor and held up my hand to stop him from running past us.

“Knet is with them, and at least one Warrior is dead,” I said as I gulped for air.“I need to get my archers in the windows, and your Warriors need to protect the tunnel entrances.”

He stared at me for a moment.His gaze finally focused on the road behind us.

“Cal, take three Warriors and guard the entrance to the tunnel with the children.The rest of you with me.We stand our ground here.Knet is with the hellhounds.”

The Warriors split into two groups.

“Hurry,” I told the archers.We lifted our bags and ran again.

“There, there, and there.Find a window and hold your ground until you’re out of arrows, then run for the nearest tunnel entrance,” I directed.“The rest of you are with me.”

We took the stairs two at a time until we were on the top floor.I had a baby less than a month ago, and my lower body ached from the long run.Adrenaline pumped through me, but I knew when it wore off, I would most likely collapse from exhaustion.I would kill my share of hellhounds before that happened.

The first group of monsters rushed in without Knet leading them.Where was he?We fired from eight different windows, working in tandem with another archer.I had two arrows left.

“When you’re out, run,” I told the man behind me.

“Si Señora,” he replied, fired, and then stepped back for me to have my turn.

I had one arrow left when he turned and ran.The others around me retreated and I was the last one there.Over fifty hounds fought against the Shadow Warriors below us.I looked for a hound that wasn’t engaged when my bow was ripped away.

I barely had time to turn when a clawed hand encircled my throat.

Knet.

Thoughts snapped through my head.I wouldn’t see my children grow old.I would never feel Beck’s arms wrapped around me again.I was about to die.

Knet lifted his other hand while mine went to the knife at my waist.He saw the movement and gave me his demon smile.My hand closed around the pommel, and his hand waited to strike, the grin never leaving his monstrous face.

Claws grabbed Knet’s shoulders and ripped him away from me.I flew to the side.I didn’t know if Knet’s claws had punctured skin or not.My fingers closed around the knife as I watched Trevor fight Knet.

Within seconds, I knew Trevor wouldn’t win.Knet was larger and more powerful.The giant jaws opened, then closed on Trevor’s throat.I saw my last arrow laying a few feet away.I dropped the knife, scooped up the arrow, and charged.

I went for the back of Knet’s neck and shoved with all the force I had.I turned my head, knowing I would most likely die when the incendiary device detonated.

The small explosion took me off my feet.I landed on my ass with blood in my eyes and pain in my hands.Did I have hands?

I lifted the blackened appendages and saw stubs where fingers should be.I lay back and draped my arms on my chest.I stared up at the ceiling.

“Missy?”a raspy voice said from a great distance.

I turned my head slightly and saw a very bloody Trevor.His head was still connected to his neck and I guessed that’s why he was able to talk.I giggled then gasped as pain radiated up my arms.

“Tell Beck it was me who killed Knet,” I whispered as the light around me faded.

“No, dammit, you will tell him.”

“Did we win?”I whispered.

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