Page 128 of Fractured
Rune’s hand closed around mine, and he slowly brought it up to his lips and kissed my knuckles.
He was smiling.
Meanwhile, I could barely contain the ice that was scratching me from the inside.
“I’m not going anywhere without her,” Rune said. “And my memories. I’m going to get back all that you took from me tonight.”
A second of silence.
I looked at Rune,beggedhim in my mind to listen, but he only had eyes for the king now, and all he did was squeeze my hand. A part of me wanted to scream at him, grab him and shake him and demand he walk out of here right now—I could handle this guy. I could—I had magic, didn’t I?
But the other part of me reminded me of a moment ago,when the way to the door was open and Rune told me to run—I didn’t even consider it. Leaving him behind was just not an option, and it wouldn’t be one for him, either.
I couldn’t even beg him to save himself.
“Very well,” the king finally said, and every inch of my skin rose in goose bumps. “Bring me your best, bastard. Do not insult me with less.”
Rune moved, let go of my hand, stepped forward.
That my heart didn’t stop in that moment, it never would. I moved, too, lightning fast, and I was in front of him, hands on his face, my lips on his. In that short second I prayed harder than I ever had before—to God and the stars and anyone or anything that would listen.
Please survive…
“I will be okay, Wildcat.”
“Rune,” I choked, my throat closing again as if I had hands around my neck.
“Look at me.” My eyes opened. I hadn’t realized I’d closed them or that I was crying. “He has nothing but a kingdom to fight for. I haveyou.”
Those words would remain with me for the rest of my life.
But the moment was over too soon, and Rune kissed me again and moved, around me and toward the king, his father who’d indeed cost himeverything.
A moment later, the room shifted. The daiscollapsedon itself. There had been seven stairs to the throne chair, and now there were only three. The throne chair had disappeared, too, and I didn’t even seehowbecause I couldn’t look away from the king. The monster wearing a fae’s face.
Then the fight began.
Myhands wereover my ears.
How-how-how did I get here?!I wondered for the fiftieth time in a row because I was standing in a throne room that kept changing with shadows that tore from the floors and the walls and the fucking men who moved about one another so fast I hardly saw them. They both wielded silver swords but you could hardly hear them clashing—they were too fast and they used magic with much more precision, the same shadows turning against one then the other within seconds.
Raja was beside me, her sword still in hand, and she kept herself under control, her chin raised as she watched the fight and tried not to flinch too hard with each of their movements.
I admired her for it, but before I knew it, I was on my knees, and Vair was beside me, and I was chanting out loud—please, please, please…
It might be the most terrifying night of my entire life.
I reminded myself that Rune knew how to fight. I’d seen him do it countless times—and he really could. But then, as I could see right before me now, so could his father.
The king was lightning fast, ruthless—and quicker to call on the shadows around them. They slammed against Rune and wrapped around his neck for seconds before he was able to make them let go, and by then the king’s sword would slice his flesh and he’d fall, and my heart would all but explode until I caught a glimpse of Rune on his feet again. Not dead. Still fighting.
My God, when will this nightmare end?
And I realized, it would be a long time.
“It will be all right,” Vair told me, standing beside me, his eyes ahead, just like all of ours. Even the soldiers hadn’t moved an inch, hadn’t bothered to even touch the bodies ofthe dead ones near their feet. Too caught up in the fight, and even though nobody else was in the room, I could have sworn that the walls themselves were watching. The whole of Verenthia was witnessing this madness.
But this palace was sentient, too, I figured. If the one in the Frozen Court was, then this would be as well.
