Page 60 of The Demon King's Destiny

“Which ones?”

“All of them.”

Marrok’sfists clenched, angry heat surged from his core through his limbs. He leapt out of bed, gathering his clothing and dressing quickly.

“Even the one here?” he asked his Second.

“Yes, Sire.”

Marrok secured his sword, along with a handful of other blades, striding out the door as he sheathed the last of them. Danil and Favin were close on his heals.

“To attack them all at once means it was coordinated. There are too many for it to be mere happenstance,” he thought aloud, making his way down the stairs. “All this work, and now we learn they’re organized enough to launch a strategic attack.”

The longer he thought, the more enraged Marrok became. To be strategic in this manner, someone had to be controlling the rogues, leading them.

Not all rogues were shells. Brennen had enough of his wits to command his army and play mind games with others. Marrok would find the demon responsible and remove his heart.

“Sire, where are you going?” Favin asked.

Marrok didn’t reply. He withdrew his sword as he approached the main doors. “Open them,” he yelled at the guards.

They swung open and Marrok took off into the night, his two friends drawing their weapons and running to keep up.

Favin shouted orders to the guards behind them. What they were, Marrok didn’t know. His singular focus was to contain the intruders.

Killing them would have been easier. He was tired of running in place, tired of taking one step forward, only to be knocked back ten. He dug deep for the will to fight for them, despite their continuous aggressions.

The courtyard was empty and he made his way west, following the exterior wall. The station was just around the corner. He could hear heavy thuds and the splintering of wood.

The torches lining the high security wall, running parallel to the fortress, would make it easy for Marrok to be seen. He made no attempt to hide his approach. He wanted the rogues to know who was coming for them.

His mind knew there was no chance they would surrender. His heart held out hope they would recognize their king and lay down their weapons. It was foolish to hope such things.He also knew he was incapable of giving up on them.

A figure sprinted towards him, crazed and uncoordinated. Marrok side stepped, snapping his arm out straight to close line the demon. The unarmed rogue landed on his back with a loud oomph. Marrok brought the pommel of his sword down hard enough to render the demon unconscious.

“Put him in a cell. I’ll disable the rest and check if they’re salvageable later.”

Favin didn’t move. “Sire, let us round them up. I’ll then check their minds, as you wish.”

“No. Any who were corrupt prior to succumbing will be executed. I won’t lay that on you. Tonight, this burden is mine alone.”

Marrok didn’t want to announce he planned to interrogate the captured rogues—or how he intended to get answers from them. He considered himself a fair male, but he would employ drastic measures to cut off the head of the snake. That was a regret he alone would assume.

Favin started to protest but Marrok had already moved on. Snarls and shouts carried through the air. Metal clashed against metal in the near distance. His instinct was to raise his weapon and defend his king.

He stepped towards the sound of chaos when Danil’s big hand gripped him hard. “Leave him be, Favin. No rogue is a match for Marrok in hand-to-hand.”

“There are at least a dozen of them, Danil.”

“Lazlo’s already got archers all over the roof. If Marrok needs help, he’ll get it. For now, he needs to work some of this out of his system.”

Favin lifted his head to the parapets and saw twenty guards with their bows notched and ready to fly. The cries echoing off the stone walls were not those of his liege. His shoulders relaxed and he returned his sword to its sheath. It was going to be a long night.

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