Chapter 56
Rosomon
My body fills with fury, pushing aside my grief. Tynan not only ordered my father’s execution, he’s taken my brothers. As soon as we find him, I will drive a sword through his heart before Zogar burns him.
No. I will spare his heart with my blade. Instead, I will drive a sword into many less lethal parts of his flesh, leaving him bleeding but alive for Zogar to burn.
Somehow, Tynan is now heir to the throne. I care not what happened to his grandfather, but I know he had seven older brothers. Given that he killed my father, I fear what Tynan might have done to leap before them in the line of succession.
My husband’s arm wraps around my trembling body. “We should leave this place,” he says as softly as his deep voice is able. “You’ve been recognized. It’s not safe for you here.”
Turning in his arms, I spot Nurse. Her eyes are full of wonder but also fear. “Run,” she mouths. “Flee to the forest.”
Zogar’s arm remains protectively around me, and we all move toward the castle gates, but a group of armed soldiers blocks our path, swords and spears at the ready. We too have weapons, but we’re outnumbered, and the thump of echoing footfalls signals that more soldiers and knyghts are coming.
Suddenly, the footfalls stop. Screams and shouts echo through the courtyard.
I turn. Surath has shifted. Her wings nearly fill the width of the courtyard, and the clothes she wore lie in shreds on the ground beneath her talons.
Surath sends a long stream of fire into the air and then takes flight. I shield my eyes against the dust raised by her beating wings.
“Hurry,” Xendus says. “We must get out of here, while Surath creates a distraction.”
Zogar lifts me into his arms, and the four of us rush toward the gates. A few of the soldiers are still barring our path. Surath swoops around the courtyard, and fire streams from her mouth, incinerating the banners displaying the symbols of Othrix and Khotor.
“Let us pass.” Zogar’s voice booms through me. “Obey or be turned to ash.”
The guards step aside, Zogar and the others relieve some of the guards of their weapons, and we dash through the gates and run well into the field.
Surath lands. Zogar sets me down, but I’m unable to move, full of shock as Zogar and Xendus quickly strip off their clothes.
Saxon stuffs their clothes into his bag, then he runs toward Surath to mount.
I snap out of my stupor. I must wait to process all that’s happened. I mount Zogar’s pommel, and his knot expands. Xendus and Surath are already in the air.
Where should we go? he asks. You need time to recover from this shock, and the rest of us need to make a plan.
“Go to the woods on the other side of the river,” I tell him, thinking of the words Nurse mouthed. It’s where I would have chosen anyway. “We can shelter there long enough to make a plan.”
Can we trust this woman you call, Nurse? Zogar asks.
“Yes.” I don’t know that with certainty, but my instincts tell me we can. Nurse was often harsh with me, but I know that she loves me. “Nurse is the woman who raised me.”