Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 117167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“Marcus called as we were leaving. Apparently, some of the Variks were bored,” Junjie explained as he threw another knife, flawlessly hitting his target in the stomach.
“This isn’t about winning or beating them back! Only escaping in one piece!” Rei shouted as an enthusiastic Rafe threatened to get out of control.
But the words had no sooner left his lips when King Ash rode into the clearing on a black unicorn.
Gods, he hated that damn horse.
Its golden horn had given him his first scar. At his father’s command, naturally.
But it didn’t matter. King Ash was here, and he was wearing the Oak Crown with the bloodstone in the dead center. Two birds. Now he just needed a big enough rock.
Rei forgot his own advice and, with a roar, raced through the crowd of elves and vampires, slashing through any foes stupid enough to get in his way. He charged the unicorn first, dodging its kicking hooves as it reared and blocking the horn as it attempted to stab him. King Ash shouted curses at him, but there wasn’t much he could do as he had to use his one remaining hand to hold his seat.
Screams and gunfire echoed through the night. One of the torches fell over and trampling feet extinguished its light. With only one torch left, darkness crowded close. His night vision was excellent, but nowhere near as sharp as a vampire’s. Thank the gods a Varik joined the fun.
He continued to press King Ash, forcing him to jump from his mount. The unicorn ran off for the forest, disappearing into the darkness with an angry snort, but Rei kept his attention trained on his father.
King Ash looked like shit. The man who’d always been both taller and broader than him seemed to have shrunk since their last encounter. His chest was thinner under his armor, and his cheeks were sunken. Dark circles shadowed eyes that blazed with rage. Was it possible that Queen Belladonna had finally found a way to poison her husband? Or was he being eaten from the inside out by his madness?
That wasn’t the only change he’d undergone. A silver arm with a long dagger clenched in the fist replaced his missing right arm, while he held a saber in his left hand. It might not be his dominant hand, but Rei knew better than to underestimate his father. The man could wield a sword with either hand with the same lethal skill.
Tightening his hands on the hilts of his swords, Rei launched his attack. If he could kill Ash now, so many of their problems would be fixed. It would buy them more time. The fae army would have no choice but to retreat. They’d have one less threat, and his Yiyi would be free.
Metal clanged and scraped with every blow. There was no exchange of words to match. What was the point? Ash hated him. He hated Ash. Rei would be too happy to break this particular blood bond at long last.
But no matter what he did, he couldn’t gain ground on his father. Despite his withered appearance, the man was still strong and fast. He had far too many years of experience on Rei. For every attempt Rei made to attack Ash’s weaker right side, his father returned, forcing Rei to put more weight on his weakened left knee.
The injury throbbed and ached with every movement. The walk to the meeting spot hadn’t been bad, but the longer the fight stretched, the more trouble he was in. And the bastard was counting on it.
After too many blocked strikes, Rei took a step back with his left foot, and his knee gave out. Only for a second. But that was all Ash needed. Rei’s attention wavered from him as he caught himself with his right. Ash’s blade sneaked through Rei’s guard and slashed across his throat.
For a heartbeat, there wasn’t even any pain. Just a wash of wet warmth rushing to soak into his shirt. It was Yichen’s panicked scream that made him realize the cut was deeper than he’d thought.
“And that’s our cue to exit,” a strange voice whispered behind him.
Before Rei could react, a hand clamped down on his neck from behind as if the person was trying to stanch the bleeding. At the same time, he was pulled into a thick blackness broken by thin, white ghosts.
Where was he? What was this?
Was…was he dead?
“No!” he shrieked, fighting against the hands holding him, drawing him into the darkness even as the cut in the world closed in front of him. “No! I’m not dead! I’m not leaving him! Yiyi! Yichen!”
Chapter 21
Wu Yichen
“Rei!”
He disappeared!
Blood had been pouring from his throat from a strike delivered by King Ash, and then a stranger came up behind him and dragged him into a hole in the air.