Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Panic sparked anew, my breathing growing choppy. I looked to Callen for help.
He turned into me and lowered his head, putting his mouth directly over my ear. He whispered, “You are a queen, and you do whatever you wish.” He nuzzled his cheek against mine before straightening.
Shivers rained over my spine. He made it sound so easy. But okay. All right. I lifted my chin. Never mind the tingle spreading from my cheek and the almost irresistible urge to lean into my unexpected harbor in the storm. For the moment, I was a queen. More than that, I was a teacher. I’d corralled my students every year. I could do anything.
“Let’s begin again while I’m no longer starstruck.” I pasted on my sweetest, first day of school smile. “Welcome, Malachi. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. I ask only that you behave yourself while you’re here and not seek the attention of those around you.” Callen gave my hand another squeeze, this one a clear warning. “What?” I asked him with mock innocence. “That is what we say to royals attending this ceremony, yes? I know it’s the greeting I received.”
Malachi snorted before swinging his gaze to a smoldering Callen. The two exchanged words in a lovely language I didn’t understand. Judging by their wry tones, I was the topic. But their semi-pleasant tones soon morphed into barking tenors, and I stiffened. Exchanging insults now?
On instinct, I geared up to run. But then the two stepped closer and slapped each other on the shoulder. Callen did this without releasing me, and I heaved a sigh of relief. They were friends?
Hubby Dearest lifted my knuckles to his lips and kissed, leaving me reeling. He didn’t look at me, and he said nothing, but he let me go and gave me a gentle nudge toward Buzz and Ponytail, who stood at the front of the crowd. “Not a scratch,” he told them.
Where? On me? “What’s the plan?” I asked as the pair ushered me forward. All the other warriors were currently backing up, forming a circle inside the stones.
The two guards remained silent, working together to herd me toward the rest of the crowd without ever actually touching me. As soon as I reached a spot distanced from the other spectators, my escorts took posts at my sides.
Prince Jamie approached. Buzz moved aside, making room.
“The plan is simple,” Jamie said, his attention fixed on the royals. “Both Callen and King Malachi forwent gelu root to allow the spark of rage. They will fight. If Callen can hold his temper till the end, which is far worse than that of any other sentinel. Our army must accept that you are his firebrand and a reason they, their families, and innocents are forever safe from the king’s wrath.”
“And if his temper is triggered?” I croaked.
“You will calm him and prove the same. Though I doubt they will respect you as much.”
“And if I fail?”
“Then most of us will die today as we attempt to stop him.” To punctuate his words, thunder boomed and lightning flashed, electrifying the air.
Bile burned a path up my throat. “Maybe we should give him the gelu root, just to be safe.”
The prince frowned at me. “Everyone would know by his scent, and no one would ever accept you.”
I didn’t care about their acceptance when lives were at stake!
In the center of the ring, Callen and Malachi faced each other. Aggression mounted, far worse than what I’d sensed before. I expected a countdown. Something. But faster than the next flash of lightning, Malachi threw a brutal one-two punch. Callen’s face whipped from side to side, blood spraying from his nose and mouth.
Gasping, I flattened a hand over my heart. Right before my eyes, the bone in his nose snapped into place and his jaw realigned on its own. Cut skin wove back together. Crimson ceased flowing.
No one cheered the healing. Everyone remained on edge, watching Callen and me. Expecting him to erupt?
“Your make-the-enemy-strike-first strategy will get you into trouble,” Malachi warned. “One day, an opponent will deliver a blow you cannot recover from.”
An icy smile lifted the corners of Callen’s lips. “That opponent isn’t you, and that day isn’t today.” Whoosh. He nailed the other man in the center of his throat—with a dagger. A dagger he cruelly twisted before removing.
I blanched, smashing a hand over my lips. Malachi healed quickly, too, at the same time slamming an elbow into Callen’s wrist, forcing him to relinquish the blade.
From there, the fight was on. My eyes widened. Oh. My. Goodness. They were wild animals. Punching. Kicking. Clawing. Kneeing. Stabbing. Hacking. Neither showed mercy. Streams of blood slung here and there. Skin split, and bones shattered. Someone spit teeth across the dirt. They sometimes spoke in that lovely language, but they never cursed or screamed in pain. Occasionally, they grunted.