Page 144 of The Eye of the Fifth
Before Kyra’s tongue could even untie itself long enough to come up with a response,anyresponse, Zuriel had beat those great wings and now stood at the end of Gallena’s arm. Blocking her escape.
‘You traitor,’ Zuriel snarled. ‘I told Naal from the start that you weren’t to be trusted. You are a juvenile player in this great game. A murderer. I told Naal, over and over, how can you trust agirlwho has spent the latter half of her life killing for money? You have no honour. I saw that glaring in your eyes from the moment I met you.’
‘You don’t know one fucking thing about me, Zuriel,’ Kyra said coldly.
‘But she trusted you anyway, against my judgement,’ Zuriel continued. ‘And now here you stand. Betraying that trust.’
She might have explained her situation to Zuriel. Might have begged her to understand why she so desperately needed the Eye, that this betrayal was not a switching of sides, or whatever the fuck Zuriel thought it was. But anger had rocked all logic from her. Instead, she said darkly, ‘Get out of my way.’
Zuriel outstretched her hand. ‘Give me the Eye, Kyra.’
‘No.’
‘Give me the Eye.’
Zuriel surged toward her with furious intent, and Kyra had a split second to decide what to do. She knew she was outmatched. Zuriel was a century old warrior, trained by Naal herself, who flew and fought with the most skilled legion in the world.
But she, Kyra, was the fucking Warrior Queen of the Arc.
Maybe Zuriel was right; there was no honour in her heart. If she thought she was nothing more than a dirty mercenary, then that’s exactly what she would become.
And this… this was for Oslan.
Her dagger was in her hand in a flash.
Zuriel collided into her, forearm pinning her throat against the Air Mother’s stone face, whilst the other hand desperately scraped for the Eye clamped in Kyra’s fingers.
By the Void, she was sostrong.
Kyra choked, trying to drag in a breath through her restricted windpipe. But Zuriel was like stone herself. Completely immovable.She knew the Eternal wouldn’t kill her, but a few more seconds and she’d be unconscious.
Zuriel let out a cry as Kyra sliced her dagger along her waist. A flesh wound, nothing more, but enough to make her recoil away in pain. ‘Youbitch!’
Taking the chance, Kyra shoved Zuriel with all her might from Gallena’s shoulder and slid down the Goddess’ arm, readying to swing herself to the ground.
Air was beaten out of her lungsagainas Zuriel slammed into her, knocking her from the great statue and onto the cold hard floor of the crypts. Stars erupted in Kyra’s eyes, and her breath would not come quick enough.
With embarrassing ease, Zuriel kicked her dagger away and pinned her other arm to the floor with her knee. And there was nothing Kyra could do, even as she bucked and struggled against the Eternal, as Zuriel Westerra prized the Eye of the Fifth from her hand.
No. No, no, no…
‘You will answer for this,’ Zuriel panted. Her eyes shone with triumph. ‘Maybe there will be a double trial for you and the traitor prince? Two faithless Wardens, that must be a historical first.’
‘No,’ Kyra whimpered, unable to stop her eyes from filling with tears.
She’d failed her brother.
Oslan would die a slave.
She’d failed.
Zuriel stood, looking down upon her with complete disdain. ‘You’re going to get up and come quietly. Naal will decide what to do with you now.’
Kyra watched as Zuriel pocketed the Eye of the Fifth.
And saw red.
A bloody, furious, unyielding red.
