Page 145 of To Kill a King

Elessan clenched his jaw until the tendons snapped. He needed to end this quickly, or the inquisitor would stall him until it was too late to save Aliya.

This snake would be biting back. He lunged forward, crossing swords with Brooks several times in underhand and overhand attacks as they spun slowly around the room.

Red light flowed down the Inquisitor’s blade faster than Elessan could blink. As they clashed together, a jolt of fire exploded from his fingers up through his arms and into his torso. His vision flashed white as he sailed through the air. He slammed into the wall with a crack as the oxygen exploded from his lungs.

Stars twinkled in his peripheral vision.

Brooks chuckled, raising the fine hairs on Elessan’s neck.

As far as skill with a sword went, they were evenly matched. But with the addition of magic, Elessan was sorely outmatched. It would only be a matter of time before Brooks defeated him yet again. And this time, he wouldn’t have Zadé around to patch him up.

Brooks’ slow, self-satisfied cackle rasped against Elessan’s ears. “Give it up, knife-ears. Your race is inferior, and once my king drains your girlfriend of her power, we’ll have enough Whisperers to wipe out your entire army.”

No!

He shook his head. No way could he let either of those things happen. Not just for him or his race, but the entire world that would suffer if the elves were no longer able to stand up to the Cerels.

Brooks pulled back and lunged, aiming to skewer him through the heart.

Elessan groaned, raising his arm and deflecting the blade just enough that it slammed into the rock just past his bicep. The metallic tip sheared off, flashing in the light as it flew across the room. Raising his right leg, he drove his heel into Brooks’ gut.

The inquisitor stumbled backward, cracking his head and landing in a sprawl beside what looked and smelled like a waste disposal shoot. He opened and closed his eyes several times, his gaze unfocused as he stared off in the distance.

Pushing himself away from the wall and blinking to dispel the last of the flashing lights from his vision, Elessan strode to the man. Wedging his sword between Brooks’ hand and the guard, he flicked the weapon across the room, where it clattered against the wall.

Grabbing the inquisitor’s hair, he wrenched the man’s face up until he could stare into the whites of his eyes. “This is for Aliya, your queen.” He rammed his blade between Brooks’ ribs and into his heart, which exploded with a satisfying pop he felt more than heard.

Pulling his weapon free, he wiped it on the man’s tunic and shoved him down the disposal chute, face-first.

Good riddance.

Now all he had to do was find Aliya.

Taking a few deep breaths to settle his heartbeat, he shoved his sword back in its sheath.

Elessan kicked in the door at the end of the lowest level in the dungeon.

Malkov whirled around. “How did you get in here?” The book in his grip tumbled to the floor with a thud.

Elessan’s heart leaped into his throat. Aliya lay on a stone table in the middle of the room. Various torture devices hung from the walls, most of which he was all too familiar with. Heat rose from his chest until the back of his throat and mouth burned. If Malkov had hurt her, he’d use each and every tool here to extract the maximum amount of pain from the despot.

“Aliya! Aliya!”

She didn’t respond as he called her name.

By Abaddon…

He couldn’t be too late. Not with how they’d left things between them.

He lunged at Malkov. The king dodged his sword, but his reactions were surprisingly sluggish.

Malkov seemed drained. Whatever the cause, Elessan intended to take full advantage. He’d finish the king here and now. With Aliya on the human throne, they’d usher in a new era of peace between the races. Even if he had to drag the sun elf king and the dwarven thanes to the treaty convocation himself.

He swung his swords at the king again.

Malkov backpedaled, tripping over a stool. He crashed to the floor and held his arms over his head. “No!”

The king flicked his wrists in the same manner Aliya used to conjure her magic. Elessan threw himself to the ground as the fireball flew overhead. The conflagration exploded against the bookshelves in the far corner.