Page 90 of Of Kings and Thieves

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

People screamed as the once-solid stone rolled underfoot like a storm-tossed sea.

“Fuck!” I grabbed the nearest guard to stay upright. Surprised lined his features, but he didn’t pull away.

The shaking intensified, the walls groaning in protest as the castle’s foundations strained. The Harrow’s rage shifted from frustration to fear. His gaze snapped to Moredanea, as if expecting her to stop the havoc.

“Stay close!” Col yelled. I nodded, fighting to keep my balance, but the panicking crowd was pulling me farther away from him and my guards.

The tremors strengthened, the castle crying out in protest, old stones grinding and groaning as if the very foundations would collapse into rubble.

Without a word, Moredanea and the other Deviants vanished just as suddenly as the tremors arrived.

The bitter, metallic taste of fear coated my tongue as the cracked floor rippled in waves, growing more violent by the second.

The castle couldn’t take the strain anymore. Jagged fractures split through the ancient pillars, sending fragments crashing down around me in a hail of debris. I struggled to stay upright, my boots slipping on the uneven ground as I dodged and weaved through the falling rubble.

In the chaos, I had strayed even farther from Col. He was still on the dais when his hazel eyes locked with mine. He shoved forcefully through the panicked crowd, fighting his way closer to me. I pushed against the press of people trying to get to the door, reaching for him. Just as his muscular arm stretched toward mine, an earsplitting crack resounded through the air.

A massive pillar groaned under the weight of its own destruction and toppled toward Col. He dove out of the way at the last possible second, hitting the floor hard as the pillar shattered behind him. It took out a swath of nobles, some of their cries quickly cut off. I screamed Col’s name, sprinting toward him through the dust.

But he had avoided the pillar. Col scrambled up, dark hair matted with debris, and blood flowing from a cut on his cheek. Another tremor rocked the hall, and the deafening sound of shattering glass filled the air as the ornate windows exploded. Razor shards rained down, glittering like stars as they fell. I shielded my face as broken glass peppered my skin.

“Samara!” Col’s voice was at my side. He shielded me as more rubble tumbled from above. I clutched at his muscular forearm, and we spun together toward the towering doorway, though nowhere inside these disintegrating walls felt safe.

“Look out!” I yelled as The Harrow appeared, blocking our path, a sword in his hand and his face twisted in anger. His icy eyes gleamed and he lunged for Col, sword raised.

Col shoved me aside and then dodged the first savage swing of The Harrow’s blade. He stepped in toward the usurper, grabbing his sword arm. They grappled for control, muscles straining. Col’s fist smashed into The Harrow’s face, splitting his lip. But The Harrow was tough despite his age, and barely flinched. He slashed at Col again, who narrowly slipped the bite of the sword.

I stood frozen, desperate to help but knowing I would only hinder Col. He needed space to fight without having to worry about protecting me too. I opened my mouth to sing, but someone rammed into me. We both fell, and I landed hard on my shoulder. Scrambling to my feet, I saw a panicked woman rise and run on. I spun around, looking for Col.

He and The Harrow were farther away. They broke apart, then crashed together again like warring stags. Col landed another punishing blow to The Harrow’s scarred face before having to twist away to avoid being gutted. But The Harrow rebounded quickly, kicking out and catching Col in the chest. Col staggered back with a pained grunt. The Harrow pressed his advantage, sword carving through the air as he lunged at Col once more.

Col dodged and they became locked in a vicious struggle for dominance as the ancient hall fell apart around them.

A powerful shockwave blasted through the collapsing hall, as if the ancient stones themselves fought back against the unseen chaotic force tearing it all asunder. The blast roared like a thousand gale force winds, the deafening din drowning out all other sounds. It knocked everyone off their feet, sending bodies crashing and tumbling across the rubble-strewn floor. My world spun as I was lifted up and flung hard to the ground, all the air forced from my lungs. I gritted my teeth against the pain, my spine and shoulder screaming as I struggled to rise.

“Samara, move!” Col’s voice cut through the roar and I rolled myself away as massive chunks of stone fell, the reverberation making my ears ring and my teeth vibrate.

And then, the shaking stopped with one final tremor. A few more stones crashed to the floor, but then the sound of chaos was replaced with people crying for help. Dust hung in the air, making everything look gray, and I coughed as I assessed myself for injuries. Other than some cuts and scrapes, I had survived.

Before I could call for Col, iron grips enclosed my arms. No matter how hard I fought, they held fast. The pain in my shoulder intensified as they twisted my arms behind my back.

The Harrow’s guards had found me.

“Let me go!” I snarled.

Half a dozen guards in black and gold livery swarmed Col in the same way, wrenching his arms behind his back and dragging him away from me. I couldn’t make out what had become of The Harrow in the confusion and rubble—whether he lay dead or had slithered away.

I kicked and clawed savagely at the guards’ mailed arms, my nails scraping uselessly against the steel as I fought with all my strength to break their hold. It was useless. They hauled me, stumbling, out through the ruined double doors, even as masonry continued to rain down around us.

“Fuck you!” I snarled at the guards. One backhanded me across the face in response, making my head spin.

“Shut your mouth and keep moving,” the soldier growled, fingers digging painfully into my upper arm as they propelled me along. My cheek and lip throbbed, but I swallowed the coppery blood without a sound, refusing to give them the satisfaction.

The moment the guards threw me inside the confines of my bedchamber and slammed the heavy door shut, the sounds of chaos faded. In their wake, an eerie, oppressive silence settled over the room, seeming to suffocate me. My heart continued to thunder rapidly in my chest, adrenaline still firing through every fiber of my being as I sought to calm my breathing. Surprisingly, this tower seemed intact, though around the shattered window, there were new cracks in the wall that branched up beyond the ceiling.

I hurried to put on my ruby ring, flooding with relief at Col’s presence through the bond. My thumb brushed over the curved metal band now back in its rightful place, its warm weight anchoring me.

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