Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
ZANDYR
M y entire army watched as I marched to meet the Serpents. The warriors were armed and tense, ready to spring into battle at the first command.
None of them stepped outside the protection perimeter, as they’d been instructed. Only Ryker and Elysia accompanied me, standing three feet behind.
In case of an attack, I’d take the brunt of it.
My fingers gripped the sword’s handle, itching for the blade’s hiss to slash the air. Its pommel swirled, crying out for fresh blood.
I doubted the Serpents had come here with a reasonable offer, but, if nothing else, maybe they would reveal some of their weaknesses.
The two giant snakes slithered closer; their foul, deathly scent burned my nose hairs.
A hundred Serpent soldiers, all dressed in their jade armor, faced me. There was a disturbing twitch to their movements, as if they were foaming at the mouth to strike.
Kleonos rode in front of them all. His horse also had a special jade armor, small emerald beads braided into its tail. The Battlefield Butcher himself wore a golden armor so glittering the gods could have seen it from the heavens.
They were dressed for a parade, not for war.
Which meant they were either very confident in their own abilities or wanted to intimidate us with their wealth.
Kleonos had a few good decades on him and too many scars to count, with the muscles and stature of someone who’d seen more battles than even Adara herself. His prison time had treated him kindly, though. Too kindly. Nobody with that many jowls had suffered through starvation.
“The famed Blood Brotherhood prince. We meet at last.” Kleonos inclined that big head of his in a sham of a respectful greeting. “You’re younger than I expected.”
Such a lazy jab. “You’ve thought about me a lot, it seems. I’m flattered.”
Kleonos grinned wide, showing his teeth. The rumors were true; they’d been filed into fangs, so he could rip out his opponents’ throats. “So The Dragon does spit fire.”
I shrugged, sheathing the sword, and crossing my hands behind my back. Fire was sadly beyond my power–but I could use my magic. I twisted my fingers, letting my power seep out slowly. Tentatively. In case Kleonos actually came here to destroy, not chit-chat.
“How are you liking the Blood Brotherhood lands?” I asked calmly, as if I didn’t want to split Kleonos in two miserable halves, like I had done with his precious Clan heir.
His dark eyes roamed over my army. “Not as welcoming as I would have hoped.”
“If only we had known you were coming ahead of time.” I sighed dramatically. “Luckily, we’re always ready for surprises.”
“I don’t think you’re quite prepared for this one.”
“Come now, Kleonos. You’ve spent so much time in prison, it’s only right that you receive the greeting you deserve.”
His grin widened eerily, making him look like the monsters from the Bone Bridge lake, which legends said had been flooded with Dria Vegheara’s tears. “The fact that you destroyed all the bridges that crossed the Obsidian River from our side gave me the impression you didn’t want us here. You’re hurting my feelings, Dragon, I swear you are.”
“You managed to cross it just fine.” I eyed the snakes slithering closer still. “I’m guessing they helped.”
The beasts were so long and wide, entire wagons could roll onto their backs when the river currents were calm.
“They’re surprisingly buoyant, though not big enough for my full army. I’m going to give you a piece of advice.” Kleonos winked. “You should have hidden spikes on the riverbanks, too.”
We had .
But I wasn’t about to point out a part of our defense had failed miserably. Under the guise of night, the first thing I’d do was inspect the traps. I twisted my fingers harder, but my power couldn’t detect anything from the Butcher. No pulse in his veins, no heartbeat in his chest, no breath in his lungs.
How was that possible?
“I must admit I’m disappointed, Dragon.” Kleonos licked those fangs of his. “I was looking forward to seeing your precious Lost Daughter and The Huntress.”
Ryker and I went very, very still. The sizzling tension in the air was threatening to spill.
“Rumor has it they’re in hiding. Surprising for descendants of Dria Vegheara,” Kleonos continued. “I’m half-expecting The Huntress to jump on my back when I’m not looking.”
“I’m sure The Viper would be happy to do it, if you’re so keen,” I said.
Elysia twirled her small daggers with glee. “Gladly.”
Kleonos huffed. “She’s ridiculously small.”
“Now, Kleonos,” I chided. “I didn’t mention your many jowls, you don’t say anything about my people. It’s common courtesy.”
“Let him.” Elysia pointed one of her daggers at his head. “I don’t need to be as tall as a fir tree to slit his throat.”
“We’re here to talk, not kill.” I squared my shoulders, readying myself for another insane Serpent request. “You didn’t come all this way to meet me. What do you want, Butcher?”
Kleonos chuckled. “Such cheek.”
I remained silent. The Butcher was more than a violent brute, I’d give him that. Malevolent intelligence shone in his squinted gaze. Even so, the Serpents must have been desperate to release him onto Malhaven once more–or absolutely certain they would win this war.
“Our terms are simple,” Kleonos finally said. “You give us all the Protectorate heirs, their pretty little heads still attached to their bodies, and the Blood Brotherhood admits defeat and becomes a tributary Clan to the Serpents.”
I raised my brows. All the Protectorate heirs and my Clan? Kleonos must have had a death wish.
“Is that all?” I asked, still eerily calm.
“And your head, of course. Can’t have you starting a rebellion, can we?”
“Sorry to disappoint, but I am rather fond of it.” Though I’d give it to him if my death would protect Evie and my Clan. “This is your idea of avoiding bloodshed?”
Kleonos set his mean eyes on my army. “I’m looking at thousands of souls who would love to go back home alive.”
“Speak for your own soldiers,” Kylian bellowed. “The Blood Brotherhood does not cower.”
“You will,” Kleonos said simply. “What do you say, Dragon? I’ll cut your head off myself. I’ll make it quick, I promise.”
“I have another idea.” I stepped forward. “A single fight to decide the fate of the war. You and me, weapon of your choosing.”
The Butcher was right. My warriors wanted to fight, but they deserved to go home to their families.
“No. I know what you can do with that sword of yours, I’m not risking it.” Kleonos shrugged. “You can also stop trying to choke me.”
My fingers froze behind my back.
“After what you did to Edrion, you think I wouldn’t protect myself?” He laughed and patted his armor, as if that explained why my powers didn’t work on him. Either he had protective runes hidden in the metal or he was trying to distract from the real reason I couldn’t shatter his heart with one swipe of my wrist.
“I wouldn’t have put it past you.” I dropped my hands to my sides. “You thought it wise to fight my Clan, after all.”
“I came prepared. So…the terms?”
I wasn’t giving Evie and my Clan for anything in this world. “Laughable.”
“Then we fight.”
“We fight.”
“Shame. I would have liked to gouge your eyes out and keep them over my mantle. But that queen of yours…I will enjoy the moment I meet her. Draw it out–”
“Choose your next words carefully, Butcher.” The first tendrils of anger creeped into my voice. “It will be the difference between a fast and a painful death.”
“And they say you don’t have a heart.” He hesitated. “You can’t stop the inevitable, Dragon. You’re fierce, but you’re one man, leading one Clan. Others have tried to run away from their fates and regretted it.”
“My fate is right here, protecting my Clan.”
“ Fine .” Kleonos jerked his chin at one of his soldiers, who stepped forward with a large sack.
He stopped a safe distance away from me and opened it.
A metallic scent wafted through the air.
Blood.
The soldier flicked the sack, emptying its contents at my feet.
Small pans, a ripped panel of a tent, bloodied clothes, and three small dolls. All of them had dried blood on them.
I crouched and picked up one of the dolls. Weaved from straw, it had scraggly sheep fibers for hair, and wore a rough linen dress. It had been sewn crudely, by small, inexperienced hands. Someone had crafted it with love, from the harshest poverty.
I fisted it in my palm as I rose, my gaze slashing to Kleonos.
“Some of your own people decided to take their chances in the mountains instead of seeking refuge in the Capital,” he said gleefully. “We just wanted to help them back to civilization. But our snakes got hungry. Not enough deer on our way here and they have mean appetites. I’ve never heard more terrified screams.”
Cold fury erupted within me. “You fed my people to your beasts?”
“And I’ll feed many more. Not you, though. I’ll parade your mangled body around the entire continent, so everyone will know I defeated The Dragon.”
I nodded. Once.
Then I turned to my warriors, armed and just as hungry for vengeance as me.
“Let’s give the Serpents the welcome they deserve.” My sword hissed through the air. “For the good of the Blood Brotherhood!”