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 could hardly believe their new kinship. Didn’t realize how important it was to me for them to get along until I witnessed it with my own eyes.
Huntley dropped his hand first. “Haldir and Necrosis are headed to HeartHolme, so time is of the essence for our departure. You need to lower as many men and horses as you can to the bottom of the cliffs with the pulley system, and in my absence, you will rule the Kingdoms.”
Ryker’s eyebrows immediately hiked up his face in surprise.
“You’re next of kin. I trust that you’ll take care of my people if I don’t return, and you’ll be prepared to destroy Necrosis in the event Ivory and I fail. Do you accept?”
Ryker took a few seconds to process this before he gave a nod. “It would be my honor.”
“I know you’re unwell at this moment, but Commander Brutus is here to serve you. I’ve told him to return the soldiers to their respective Kingdoms and then to reside at the Capital to keep things in order. You’ll rule from Delacroix.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Huntley turned to me. “We leave first thing in the morning. Say your goodbyes now.” He departed the tent and left us alone.
A silence settled on us for a while. Ryker stared at the entrance to the tent as if Huntley might return and say more. Effie remained in the chair, her arms crossed over her chest.
I looked at my brother. “I know the Kingdoms are in good hands. If the Runes fail, you’ll be our second chance for victory.”
“Can we not talk like that?” he said quietly, his eyes averted. “I don’t even want to think about that…” He stared at the ground for a while before he finally looked at me. “You better kick ass, Ivory. Because I can’t live a life where you don’t exist.”
My face had been stoic a moment ago, but now I battled the dampness that formed in my eyes. “I believe in Huntley. He’ll win this war. He’s the strongest, smartest person I know.”
“Really? Because you’re the strongest, smartest person I know.”
“Ryker…”
His arms embraced me, and he held me for a while, his arms strong like the grip of a viper. With his chin on my head, he squeezed me, his breaths deep and uneven. “I love you.” It was something he never said, only when our parents forced him. But now, he said it freely, from his heart.
“I love you too.”
The fires had been put out, but smoke still filled the dark sky. The deepest part of the night had passed, and the sky had turned a light blue, the color of twilight. Stars would normally blanket us overhead, but they were invisible behind all the destruction the battle had caused.
I moved across the camp until I spotted the royal flags that marked our tent. The perimeter was lined with guards on duty, protecting Huntley from any enemies that hadn’t been killed. We would normally stay in the castle—but there was no castle anymore.
I stepped inside the tent and found Huntley sitting in a chair at his desk. His armor had been removed, and now he was shirtless, scribbling on a piece of parchment in dark ink. He finished his thought then added his signature at the bottom.
Huntley rolled it tightly before he secured the ribbon around the scroll. “I’ve explained the plan to my mother, so she knows we’re coming. Doesn’t matter if it’s intercepted at this point. It won’t make a difference anyway.” He rose to his feet and marched out of the tent to hand it to one of his men then returned a moment later.
That was when I saw the beating his body had taken. He didn’t bleed from flesh wounds, but large areas of his skin were bruised from all the hits he’d taken from swords and axes. Black and purple marred his normally tanned skin color. It pained my heart just to stare. “Are you okay?”
He dropped into the chair again, his knees wide apart, his heavy shoulders slack. “Just anxious.”
“No.” I stepped toward him, my fingers lightly coming into contact with the large bruise on his arm. “This.”
He didn’t turn to look. “Didn’t even notice.”
“They’re everywhere…”
“I’m fine, baby.”
My fingers continued to outline his hard body, to glide over the deep discoloration from the blood underneath his skin. He didn’t have time to rest and heal. He had to keep moving, barely getting a full night of sleep. “Is there anything I can do?”
That intense expression was on his face, his thoughts immediately going to the one thing he cared about most. I was still in my armor, and my hair was matted from the sweat caused by all the fires, but he looked at me as if I’d just stepped out of the shower buck naked. He untied his pants as he got to his feet, pushing them down and kicking off his boots at the same time. Then he lay flat on the bedroll on the ground, his hard dick against his stomach.