Page 38 of Clash of Kingdoms

I turned to see Vine behind us, relaxed as if he didn’t see us as a threat.

His eyes shifted to Rancor. “And you shouldn’t have crossed me.” He snapped his fingers. “Kill him.”

The gigantic snake prepared to strike. His fangs dripped with venom, and his powerful body tightened as it prepared to drive forward and bite us in half.

I locked eyes with the serpent and held up my hand. Stop.

The snake remained still, but it issued a hiss so high, it hurt everyone’s ears. The sound was so powerful, it seemed to make the earth shake around us.

Your venom runs in my veins.

Huntley looked at me, like he knew I was responsible for the snake’s behavior.

We are the same. I slowly dropped my hand, knowing the snake was intrigued by my ability to speak with him, the fact that we were connected in a way he didn’t understand.

Vine snapped his fingers again. “I told you to kill them.”

The snake continued to hesitate, my words enough for him to question his allegiance.

My hand moved to my chest, showing him the golden snake engraved in my armor. To them, you’re a slave. To me, you’re an equal. I kept my eyes locked on his yellow ones, feeling an undeniable warmth spread through his scales. The emotions of animals were different from humans, similar, but somehow more complex. And I could feel his hesitation once he realized we shared the same venom, that the power of the Golden Serpents was alive in my dead body.

He hissed, but this time, it was unclear who was the recipient of that threat.

“What the fuck is happening?” Vine unsheathed his own blade and moved to strike me down.

But I was too focused on the snake to keep up my guard. I moved for my sword, but I wasn’t quick enough.

But Huntley was. His blade met Vine’s, and he pushed him off me and spared my neck.

Please help us. I kept my eyes on the snake, our only way out of there. Free us.

The other demons rushed forward across the bridge to strike us down. Rancor prepared his blade, but he wouldn’t be enough to stop the onslaught. I wouldn’t be either, not even with my abilities.

I looked at the oncoming attack then back at the snake. Please.

His eyes remained on mine before a surge of anger rushed through him. Then he released a hiss greater than the previous one, a war cry. “Hiiiiisssssssssssssssssss!” He struck, not at me or Huntley, but for the middle of the bridge. His powerful body launched at the stone, breaking it into pieces so the middle caved in. The vibrations were strong enough to knock nearly everyone to the ground. Stones crumbled and fell into the chasm below.

Now the army of demons were stuck on the other side, and all they could do was stare us down with potent rage. Some screamed. One grabbed his sword and chucked it across the opening to strike one of us.

Huntley looked at me in amazement, like I had personally destroyed that bridge. “What the fuck just happened?”

I saw Vine come from behind him, swinging a sword made of gold.

I shoved Huntley to the side and caught his blade with mine, stopping it before it came down on me and the others. Vine’s rage was like wildfire, explosive and combative, uncontrollable. He came at me again with the strength of a mountain and the speed of a viper. I blocked his flurry of hits, but it took all my concentration.

He was different from the others.

He drove me back, sword striking me down, hitting my armor and leaving a mark. He pushed me to the edge of the bridge, his intention to push me over so I would fall into the abyss. Then Huntley stepped in, coming at him from the side with a blow to his neck.

He managed to duck it and turned his ire on Huntley.

It was two-on-one, but Vine could still handle us without a bead of sweat. His speed was unmatched. I blocked his hits because I knew when they would come, but even then, I struggled to keep up.

Huntley got hit a couple of times, but his armor was strong enough to protect him from serious injury.

“Rancor!” I spotted him off to the side, shrinking away because he didn’t want to help us if Vine ended up as the victor. “Get your ass over here.”

Rancor remained off to the side, leaving us to duel the demon that could handle both of our swords with a single one of his. Vine blocked Huntley’s hit then slammed his fist hard into his face, making him fly back. With Huntley down, Vine turned his full wrath on me, coming at me with such ferocity, it was obvious he wanted me dead.