Series: Lords of Rathe Series by Meagan Brandy
Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 98580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“Go,” Mother shouts. “I can handle these ... things.”
I hesitate, as do my brothers, this is our Queen. Our mother.
Vicente understands, bowing his head. “I will protect the Queen. We will find you.”
We take off, watching as their portal begins to close, but London opens her mouth, and the demonic smoke shoots out like a fucking cannon, straight into the small opening and someone screams, loud and bellowing.
“Gotcha,” London mutters to herself.
We reach the portal, and Silver closes his eyes. Slowly, the portal opens, just big enough for us to climb through. We come out on the bridge of Rathe, just as flames engulf it from one side to the next.
Haide blows and it scatters, but the moment she stops, it returns.
Through the flames, I spot Agro tugging Odin along, Magdalena just ahead of them.
“Fight us, you cowards!”
The smell of burning flesh surrounds us but London drops, pressing her hand into the cobblestone. Slowly the flames turn to icicles and when she leans forward, sliding her tongue along one, it melts like lava.
“I'd fuck you,” Haide nods, her head snapping forward. “They’re getting away.”
She takes off, and with a scoffed chuckle Legend follows, the rest of us right behind.
Sinner throws a wall up in front of them, and Magdalena turns it to ash.
She sends power forces at us, but we block, throwing them back at her.
Agro calls to the thunder and London turns the thick clouds to rain clouds, and he yells into the skies.
They spin, taking off, Odin tripping at Agro’s side, but just as they reach the doors of the Ministry building, Vicente, his men, and our mother appear.
They step forward.
The Ministry members freeze, spinning.
We step forward, and then the clouds clear, the red of the skies dulling to a sparse pink. Doors open and close, footsteps beat against the pavement as the whispers and screams of the people of Rathe reach us.
“Our Lords!”
“It's the Lords!”
“The future King lives!”
“Our Queen has risen!”
“We’ll fight with you, my Lord!”
Pride and warmth burst in my fucking chest and we look around as the Stygian, as our fucking people rage, running right for the still open portal angry Argents are charging through.
They meet in the middle in loud booms and harsh cracks as Dark and Light magic collide.
A small hand slips into mine and I look to London, the black of her eyes having cleared, the icy-blue brimmed with tears as she looks at the sight behind us. “Those are our people.”
My heart leaps in my fucking chest and she looks to me, a softness I've craved, that I need, in her gaze. “Those are our people, my King. My mate,” she whispers for only me to hear.
“Baby—”
“Not now.”
It's not a refusal. It’s a promise.
I face forward, moving to stand two feet ahead of the others, my Queen at my side, her eyes black once more.
London
Oh, fuck me, it’s too good, the way the Ministry members gawk at me, wide-eyed.
Yeah. Just like your dead King.
I tense slightly when one jerks forward, lowering to one knee.
“This gets you out of nothing, Odin. You are a traitor just as they are,” Knight seethes.
Odin, that’s his name, I'd forgotten.
His eyes lift and when they do, they’re glossed over. "I am no traitor.” He hurries to his feet, coming forward. “I don’t know what—”
His hand comes to my arm, and Knight pulls me away from him, baring his teeth.
“Touch her again, Monster, and I’ll take my fucking time killing you.”
Odin’s eyebrows knot together. “What—”
“What—” Magdalena clears her throat, plastering on a wide smile. “Knight, think about this, we can start over and—”
Knight’s hand is on her throat and he’s lifting her off the ground before she can get in another word.
“Listen up!” His tone is forceful. “As I said before, the Ministry is over. If anyone intends to challenge this, be sure you’re making the right choice.” Knight’s fingers sink into the flesh around her throat as blood drips over his hands. “Because it’ll be the last one you ever make.” He yanks his hand back and her body falls to the ground. He squeezes what’s left of her throat in the palm of his hand as residue and blood molds around his fingers. He tosses it down on top of her body as a small giggle breaks out from behind me.
Haide claps her hands excitedly, her eyes bright like Christmas morning. “My turn!”
Legend grabs her from the back of her throat to stop her, only she spins in his grip, grabbing him from around his own, and slams him onto the ground. He coughs a splatter of blood, holding his stomach.
He laughs, leaning up until his nose touches hers. “Oh, this all you got, baby? That was barely foreplay...”
“Haide!” I snap, looking between the two new enemies. Jesus fucking Christ. What we don’t need is to have an obvious crack in our apparent “strong side”.