Page 62 of Warrior Princess
“Are you mad?” Draco shouted. “You just killed our brother, you bastard!”
Caelan smirked. “And you’re next.” He charged toward his brother with hate swimming in his eyes.
Ringing steel shrieked through the room, sharp and ominous, as the two princes dueled in a heated battle to the death. Their swords glinted menacingly under the dim light of the chandeliers, sparks flying with each violent strike and parry. The crowd pushed back against the walls and watched in horror and disbelief, their terrified whispers drowned out by the deafening sound of battle.
Ronan kept me shielded behind him, his eyes scanning for any signs of further danger. His body was coiled, ready to move at the slightest provocation. “Stay close to me!”
Caelan was relentless, his attacks precise and fueled by cold fury. Draco, a less experienced sword fighter, struggled to keep up and his blocks became increasingly desperate. The clash of swords was a dance of death, each movement calculated and lethal.
Shiro found us in the crowd, his eyes narrowed and calculating, his bristly white tail swishing behind him agitatedly. “This isn’t a mere family dispute,” he muttered. “Caelan’s making a power play, and he’s willing to spill his own family’s blood for it.”
Prince Fintan, the second prince, joined the fray, attempting to flank Caelan and aid his younger brother Draco. But Caelan was prepared to fight dirty. He kicked back and caught Fintan off-guard with a swift, brutal punch that sent him reeling.
The chaos escalated as Caelan’s secret army—previously hidden among the crowd—drew their weapons and began to clash with the royal guards that were pushing through the crowd to reach the remaining princes. The grand hall turned into a battlefield. Brutal combat echoed off the stone walls, mixing with the cries of the injured and frightened.
I clutched Ronan’s arm and tried to quell my galloping heart. “We need to do something!”
Ronan’s jaw was clenched. “If we intervene now, we’re dead. He has too many on his side. Caelan was prepared.”
Shiro stepped up to my other side. “We need to keep out of it. It’s best not to get involved.”
“But—”
“Leila,” Shiro stopped me. “This isnotour fight… not yet.”
A scream pierced the crowd and we turned to see Caelan’s sword plunge into his older brother Fintan’s chest. In a fit of rage, Draco ran toward him with his sword raised and murder in his eyes. Smooth as silk, Caelan spun around, pulling a dagger from his belt, and slit Draco’s throat before he could even blink.
I watched his brothers die, one by one. “By the goddess!”
“Lyanna!” Marcellus pushed his way through the crowd and gripped my arms. “I have to get our parents out of here. I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay, Marcel. Keep them safe.” We embraced quickly and I watched as he shuffled our parents away from the melee.
It was in that moment that I saw my mother’s expression. Instead of terror, she was biting her lip to keep from laughing. I wondered what she thought was so damn funny about this situation, but I didn’t have long to consider it because Ronan threw himself in front of me when someone threw a chair against one of the windows in their haste to escape. Shards of glass rained down and I watched in horror as they fell over Ronan.
I shouted his name, visually checking him for cuts, but he held me tightly until we were in the clear.
“I’m okay,” he muttered. “My leathers took most of it. Don’t worry.”
He was always doing things to protect me, even when it cost him.
“Where is Prince Adler and Princess Avery?” I didn’t see either of them in the hall and hoped they’d managed to flee.
I peered around at the chaos of the grand hall. Dead bodies lay strewn on the exquisite marble floor and arcs of blood were splattered everywhere, painting the room red.
Just then, Caelan’s voice boomed across the opulent space. “Adler! Where are you?” His sing-song voice had a maniacal twang as he searched for his final brother in the crowd. The only remaining threat to him taking the throne.
With a sinister smirk, Caelan maneuvered through the disarray, his sword dripping with his brothers’ blood. He bypassed duels and dodged desperate civilians, his focus sharp and unyielding. The tension thickened as he approached a shadowed corner of the hall where a figure lurked, trying to blend with the darkness.
“Adler…” Caelan's voice sliced through the air, smooth and menacing. “Come out, big brother. You can't hide from destiny.”
Prince Adler emerged from the shadows, his expression a mix of fear and defiance. Unlike his brothers, Adler was a known coward who always took the easy way out. “This is madness, Caelan!” Adler's voice trembled slightly, but he held his ground. “You've gone too far!”
Caelan laughed, a sound that sent chills down the spines of those who heard it. “Too far? No, Adler, I am merely taking what is rightfully mine. If you stand with me, you can share in the glory.”
Adler shook his head and tightened the grip on his sword. “You would never let me live. While I breathe, I will always be a threat to you. I just can’t believe we never noticed your thirst for power. You did well hiding it, little brother.”
“Yes, you’re right.” With a feral grin, Caelan lunged, initiating a deadly dance.
