Page 22 of The Demon King's Destiny

Another cut appeared next to the first. He could feel himself slipping away.

“Marrok?” she whispered.

He opened his mouth to tell her to try calling for him in a few nights, but no sound came out. He blinked and the ceiling of his chambers came into view.

The outlines of four large heads focused above him. Favin and Petr on his left, Danil and Lazlo on his right. These were the only males he’d ever thought of as brothers.

His face stung, and not from absorbing Evelyn’s negative energies. He worked his jaw, making sure they hadn’t broken it.

“Who cut me?” he demanded of his men, pushing himself into a sitting position.

Favin lifted the blade in his hand. “I did, Sire.”

“I assume this was because the blow to the side of my face failed to rouse me?”

“Yes, Sire.”

The soldiers all shared a look.

“And?” Marrok’s head swung to each of them, landing on Danil, the most verbose of the four, and the only one of them with a white head of hair.

“You were talking in your sleep. Talking nonsense. Nothing was working and we feared …” Danil gulped, diverting his eyes.

“You thought I might have succumb?”

Favin sheathed his blade, answering when Danil couldn’t. “Yes, Sire.”

“I was dreamwalking. Nothing more, nothing less. Understood?”

All the men gave curt nods and he commanded, “Now tell me, Favin, what has the four of you in my chambers at this hour.”

“Rogues. A group of them breached the perimeter walls.”

“Did they reach the fortress?”

“No, Sire. They didn’t even try to.”

“Then where did they go?”

Again, they exchanged a look.

“Where?” Marrok barked.

“They went straight to the tombs.”

The tombs? There was nothing there but earth and stone and the bodies of the dead. Only a handful of guards would have been anywhere near there.

“Were there any casualties?”

“No, but they desecrated one of the crypts. Broke it wide open. They—they removed the body and left it in the courtyard. It’s why we woke you.”

Marrok froze. “Whose tomb?”

Favin faltered.

Marrok’s rage came fast this time, faster than Favin could say, “Your wife’s.”

* * *

Evelyn awoke, filled with a fury that was not her own. Clutching the chain around her neck. She dropped to her knees beside the bed and prayed for Marrok’s safety.

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