Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
I walked to the front, my sword at my hip, my shield and bow on my back. It was a sunny day, the perfect weather to storm a castle. They would see us coming from miles away and be powerless to stop it. They’d have time to prepare their defenses, but they would also have time to panic. “Are you ready for this?”
Storm lowered himself to the ground so it would be easy for me to climb up. I’m always ready to kill.
“That makes two of us.” I climbed up his side and reached the saddle secured to the armor that protected his spine. Elora had made a pommel too, something for me to hold on to when in flight. I turned to look at Pyre.
Ivory climbed to the top and got herself into the saddle. Her beautiful hair was hidden under the helmet, but her eyes still sparkled when they were directed at me. She gave me a nod, telling me that she was ready.
“Let’s go.”
Storm pushed off the ground and opened his wings wide. They caught his weight immediately, and he soared higher into the sky, almost going straight up. He righted himself once again, and that was when Ivory came into my view.
The dragons flew side by side, gliding through the air, while the soldiers rode their horses below.
I didn’t wear my helmet. Instead, I kept it hooked to my armor. I needed my men to see my face, needed my enemy to know exactly who was coming for them.
Ivory shouted to me from Pyre. “I can’t believe this is real.”
I could. It’d been real in my head for a long time. I’d imagined how I’d take the Kingdoms so many times, but doing it on the back of a dragon had never been a scenario. The siege would be better than any I’d ever imagined. I could already feel the victory in my palms, feel the vengeance in my heart. I shared my father’s likeness. I forgot how similar we were until I saw his portrait in the basement of the castle. I had his blood in my veins, his strength in my muscles, his heart inside my chest. I would take everything back in his name—and do it as brutally as possible.
The dragons circled over the army, keeping watch from the sky. The horses couldn’t match our stride below, so we doubled back many times, keeping an eye on the action on the ground. We set out first thing in the morning, so we’d arrive at Minora at sunset. It would make the fire from our dragons that much more terrifying. The night would deepen, the flames would grow brighter, and if they didn’t surrender, their entire city would be engulfed in the inferno.
Right on time, we approached the gates. Minora was northwest of Delacroix, the Kingdom farthest away from the Capital. It was similar to Delacroix because it was situated at the edge of a cliff, but not one of the cliffs that divided the continent. Below was the ocean, the waves beating the rocks and the cliff face.
When the army left the cover of the forest, we could see that the city was preparing for our arrival. They’d probably spotted the dragons hours ago, but that wouldn’t be enough time for them to make a difference. The Capital would have enough time to construct large crossbows to pose a threat to the dragons, but not Minora. They probably had no idea that Delacroix had been seized in the first place.
What did they expect to do against us?
“Huntley.”
I turned to look at my wife on the other dragon.
“Shouldn’t we ask them to surrender first?”
“Why?”
Ivory’s face paled slightly. “I just don’t think it’s necessary to start burning and killing unless they refuse to surrender. Isn’t that the proper way to do it?”
“Did your father give my family the opportunity to surrender?”
Her eyes went dull. “My father isn’t here, Huntley. You executed him. And Rutherford is at the Capital, waiting his turn. The people of Minora did nothing to you. I know you’re better than this.”
“I’m sorry if I gave you that impression.” I faced forward again.
Ivory didn’t say anything for a long time. “Huntley—”
“This discussion is over.”
So, we burn?
“Yes. We burn.”
Storm flapped his wings and took off, approaching Minora ominously with his powerful wings outstretched. He dropped his head and released a line of flame, burning the grass that led into the city, just to show Minora what was coming.
Ivory’s voice came again. “Is that the kind of king you want to be?”
I ignored her.
“Because that’s not the kind of king your father was.”
That got my attention, and I was forced to meet her look.
“He would have asked for their surrender first—even if they deserved to burn. Save your wrath for the Capital. Rutherford is the one who deserves it. Not these people.”