Chapter 66 #3
The snakes in her hair struck at Zion, but the shadows writhed, keeping the serpents at bay.
If one of them bit him, his body would be paralyzed and the fight would be lost. It was an even match: the shadows were canceled out by the serpents, and the victor would be whoever had better skill with the sword.
“Last chance, Sirena.” He dodged the blade and nearly had to drop to one knee to absorb the blow. The woman was incredibly strong—gorgon blood had always been superior to fae. “Give up, and I won't kill you.”
“Kill him!” Elitium screamed at the general's back, but he couldn't rise from the throne.
“Fool!” the gorgon hissed, licking her lips. When she smiled, two pairs of long, sharp fangs emerged. “I've craved your blood for far too long to give up now that it can be mine. When we're done here, I'll hunt down that sweet-blooded one you call your partner.”
Zion attacked, and the blade severed two serpents from her head.
Sirena's scream echoed through the royal chamber, and the general seized the moment to draw a dagger from his belt.
When the woman recovered enough to strike back, he let her get close enough to think she'd succeed.
But when the blades clashed, Zion drew the dagger.
“I didn't want to have to do this.”
She didn't have time to understand what he meant.
The general dematerialized and reappeared behind the woman. It happened so fast that Sirena barely managed to raise her hands to defend herself. The blade sliced across her neck, and blood gushed forth, pooling on the marble floor. The gorgon fell to her knees, unable to believe she was dying.
Soon a squadron of forty guards arrived at the chamber door, and Zion glared at them with fury.
“Kill him!” the king shouted at the top of his lungs.
But these were also his men, and the general saw the reluctance in their eyes as they fanned out around the room, clearly confused.
“I'll ask one more time, with politeness and diplomacy: release Zafira,” Zion said through gritted teeth, confident his soldiers wouldn't attack him.
“I'm not afraid of you, Zion Voluz!” Elitium snarled, foaming with hatred.
“No?” He smiled—an unhinged, lethal smile. The shadows crawled across the throne and surrounded the monarch as if they wanted to swallow him whole. Elitium stared at him, swallowing hard. “Then you're a more foolish king than I imagined.”
The sovereign didn't even have time to scream before the shadows knocked him unconscious. After the king went limp, Zion heard the guards collapsing to the floor. Serguei was taking control of their fragile minds.
He hurried to Zafira and lifted her into his arms while the psychic examined him, finally showing interest.
“You know what you're doing is irreversible, don't you?” The storm in Serguei's eyes met the ocean in Zion's.
“It's the only way.”
“Be prepared for the consequences, son,” the psychic replied, and Zion was struck by the emotion the word carried, a blow straight to his chest. It was a title lost years ago, a neglected bond that made his chest burn.
“I won't answer for your actions anymore. From this day forward, you are the master of your own destiny.”
Zion nodded and swallowed hard. There were so many emotions in Serguei's eyes that his heart raced, churning with feelings he couldn't identify. But Kyller was in danger, and he needed to go.
“Is Zafira at risk of being killed by the blood pact?”
“Not while the king is unconscious, so I'll make sure he stays asleep until she returns.
But you'd better bring her back soon—we won't be able to control the situation for long.
It's only a matter of hours before chaos erupts in the other nations and their leaders come demanding answers from Elitium.”
“Let me know if problems arise.”
The psychic nodded.
“I'll help you with what I can from here, but I can't do anything beyond the walls—my mental control only reaches the outer wall. I also can't go with you. Elitium is unprotected, and if he dies, I die.”
Perhaps this was the only time the general had seen fear in Serguei's eyes. Yet there was also a different gleam, something that had never surfaced during all his years as a Pillar.
“Will you have problems with the king?”
Serguei smiled mockingly.
“I'd be disappointed if I didn't.” The psychic had always acted as if the world were nothing but a game, yet he seemed out of place in that armchair. Zion had never stopped noticing that.
“I need to go,” he said, hearing Kaori calling him from the command base.
Serguei stared at him for a moment and finally said:
“Save our girl.”
Then Zion bid farewell, looking into the eyes of the man he couldn't call father.
They were two forces of nature recognizing each other: the violent storm and the furious ocean that, combined, could cause unprecedented devastation.
He adjusted Zafira in his arms, tore off his general's medal, and threw the small object at the king's feet.
Then he vanished into the shadows, casting one last look toward Serguei.