Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
He was almost to the window, lifting me by my hair as if to throw me out.
This was when the green disappeared.
The stars blinked out.
The coral starburst ceased.
The sound of crashing waves ended.
And the room lit brightly.
It lit blood red with what appeared to be eruptions of licks of flame.
Licks of flame that erupted in midair.
This happened right before a loud, thunderous snarl rent the air.
The man who had me froze.
It seemed the whole world froze.
And then Mars was there. His big body two-fisting a gigantic sword, he twisted at the waist and let fly, cutting the man who had me in half.
In.
Half.
Torso plummeting one way, hips and legs falling the other, obviously his grip on my hair released, and thus, Mars caught me under my arm and swung me so I was on his back.
I curled around, arms at his neck, legs at his hips, holding so tight, I dropped my dagger, thinking his intent was to take me away from this madness.
But with mighty swings of his sword in the crimson light, he cut through everything wearing black.
Everything.
I heard an enraged female cry and turned my head in its direction, fearing Elena, Serena or Ophelia had been harmed, only to see Cassius had hold of Elena at his front. He was fighting his way to the door as well as fighting her, for she was struggling like a hellcat to get out of his hold.
He made it to the door and she emitted an outraged scream as, with a mighty heave, he threw her out.
Bodily.
I saw no more as Mars swung around, carving through flesh—arms, thighs, middles, necks, men dropping in pieces, littering the floor.
He just climbed over them to get to the next one.
And the next.
I shoved my face in his neck.
He kept killing.
The nauseating thuds stopped, the grunts of effort, the ones of pain, the clangs of steel, and I realized Mars’s chest was heaving under my arms, but he’d stopped moving.
I lifted my head.
We were in the hall.
All of us.
Elena and Cassius.
A covered-in-blood Ophelia with an equally blood-soaked Serena standing not close but not far from her mother.
True, also covered in blood (as were Elena and Cassius, by the way), stood with Farah, who did not mind the blood. Her front was pressed to True’s side, both her arms around him.
Aramus was in the same state, Ha-Lah to his front, pressing herself there tightly, her arms about his waist, his about her shoulders.
Chu, Kyril, several of Cassius’s and Aramus’s men, as well as True’s lieutenants Wallace, Luther and Florian. All held bloody swords or daggers.
And down the hall I saw some of the barons and chieftains, also holding swords, some of their blades blood-stained.
Tril was pressed to the wall opposite, wearing her nightgown, both her hands covering her mouth as if she was trying not to be sick.
Or holding back a scream.
Queen Elpis was approaching on a rush from the end of the hall, Guard, who I suspected had been holding her back, followed her.
King Wilmer’s head was peeking out his door, but Aunt Mercy was standing in the hallway.
My father was out, my mother was still within, and I couldn’t see her.
Carrington as well was only sticking his head out his chamber door.
Men wearing black lay where they died on the ground, though they were but a small trail that went along the hall. Maybe a couple dozen.
A few more.
Two dozen dead men.
Or a few more.
I looked back to my room.
The floor was covered in bodies (and parts of them).
The red hue was gone.
I was going to be sick.
Or scream.
My arms loosened.
Until Mars growled, “Do not fucking let go.”
I thought it prudent to hold tight.
“Get Lorenz,” he ordered curtly.
Chu turned and sprinted down the hall.
“They came through the windows?” he asked Kyril.
“I’ll get a report,” Kyril answered, turned and ran down the hall.
“If there are more, I want one of them alive!” Mars shouted after him.
Kyril just lifted a hand to indicate he’d heard and disappeared around the corner to the stairs.
“If this is you, I’ll watch you walk to the pit, and so will your queen and mine,” Mars went on, his voice terrible in its quiet fury.
I looked to his profile to see his eyes aimed at my uncle.
“I would never.” My uncle, realizing the threat was over, stepped into the hall.
“Yes, you would, and if you wouldn’t, your counsellor would,” Mars ground out.
Uncle Wilmer’s face got red.
“Slander!” Carrington shouted, also stepping into the hall.
“We shall see,” Mars bit out.
“Can I let go?” I asked softly.
“Fucking no,” Mars answered, not even turning his head to look at me.
I held on.
“Where’s Sofia?” Elpis asked.
I went still.
Mars went solid.
Farah let True go and raced down the hall.
“Farah!” True shouted, racing after her.
She got there before True, threw open the door…
And let out a blood-chilling scream that set my veins in ice.