Page 71 of Savage Is My Kingdom

Who to help, if I won’t be a complete and utter hindrance.

Raziel, crushed beneath a pile of blood splattered creatures, fought on, the thunk think thunk of his blades a dull echo in my hollowed-out ears. I must have hit my head when I was thrown, because everything kept spinning, my wobbly knees barely keeping me up. One of the stonewraiths broke away from Raz and streaked toward me.

I swung the sword and the point cut a clean furrow across the wraith’s chest, as easily as you’d carve through butter. But the weight of the weapon took me down to my knees, rocks and dirt shredding my legs apart. I used the sword to push myself back up, shoulders aching.

But my pain disappeared beneath pure fear, when I lost sight of Raz completely.

Tristan and Zor fought, Tavion was too far away, battling with a handful of wraiths. Not winning…but not in danger, either.

The dust filled breeze ruffled my hair, as I ground my teeth at my own helplessness. This was foolish and I would probably die in this hideous place.

But there was no one to help Raz, no one except me.

Gripping the huge hilt with both hands, I kept going, the point dragging on the ground. Another wraith turned toward me and I speared the hideous creature through the stomach, while a third lifted its blood-smeared face, its hungry gaze fixed on me.

“Come on.” I called. “It’s me you’re after. Come and get me.”

“Get back with Tavion where its safe.” Raz growled, a wraith clawing gouges out of the side of his face as he bellowed. “Fucking go, Anaria.” But the crushing pile had lessened, he could at least move.

“I’m not leaving you. I’m saving you, you idiot.”

I could barely lift the sword, my wrists aching from the weight, but there were two more wraiths, so I kept the tip up in front of me, like I’d seen the duke do during lessons with his sword master. The thing lunged, and I fell forward, the point splintering the creature’s chest as the blade passed through stone.

I went to my knees, Raz’s panicked shouts fading away as I pitched into the dirt beside him, tasting nothing but dust.

31

ANARIA

Istared out the window of the sumptuous room, trying to figure out what time it was.

What day it was.

If my rescuers were still alive, or if they’d died defending me from the stonewraiths. At least I didn’t remember crossing that horrible bridge. And Raziel…I bunched the blankets up in my hand, replaying his being crushed to death beneath that pile of wraiths.

My foolish heart squeezed at the sight, the utter horror at the blood streaking down his beautiful face, how he’d fought and fought, even when there was no hope.

Fought to save me…so he could collect his reward.

A chill went down my spine, a stern reminder of the reality of my situation.

These males are not your friends. Do not make them into avenging knights, when all they were doing was collecting a bounty. I rubbed the tight knot of hunger in my stomach, then slumped into the admittedly soft sheets.

Gods, how I ached, but I was alive.

Alive…and still in the disgustingly dirty dress. Thankfully, none of my rescuers thought highly enough of me to see I had clean clothes, and I pulled out Torin’s crumpled note, read the final piece.

“…never touch the magic. Such evil power will corrupt everything it touches. Be smart. Trust the commander, he is sworn to protect you.”

I snorted. Torin didn’t know the same commander I did.

As for the Shadow King…I shuddered. How was I supposed to stay ahead of him, when I didn’t even know whatthe planwas?

No, Adele gave me the best advice. Claim my power, while I had the chance. But I’d missed my opportunity on the way here and I doubted I’d ever see those four males again. I had to lose my virginity, if I wanted to survive.

But what had once been the hardest thing to protect, now seemed like the most difficult thing to lose.

The city was a tangle of streets below me, surrounded by miles and miles of armies. A maze I would never make it through alive.

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