Page 59 of Tethered Thrones

I didn’t look back as I jogged towards Daaku, drowning out Clem’s screams to stop, to come back. Then I broke into a run that would surely blister my feet. The world vanished outside of my target. And then there was only one emotion left inside of me.

White hot rage!

Chapter 20

Sun

Fury blinded me. Anger unlike anything I had ever felt coursed through my veins.

My family had been slaughtered before. That anger had driven me for all my years, but it was nothing like this.Thiswas vitriol. It was poison.

My Bracken. A literal part of my soul being taken from me and for what?! For a corrupt emperor. He had done this.

I had minutes, maybe even less than that left but I would not go without taking every last person who opposed me with me. I would not leave this earth with Daaku breathing. I would not rot while Emperor Gaulu remained on the throne. I would not damn Bracken in exchange for my soul.

If the emperor appeared before me now, I would tear his heart from his body with my bare hands. But for now, I had Daaku, the disgusting beast that towered over us all. The one who had made Bracken fall.

With a cry, I dove forward with the wave of soldiers, all of us focusing on Daaku's monstrously large frame.

He fell forward, hitting the ground, crushing those in his way and we closed in on top of him, stabbing him, slicing him, tearing off limbs.

If he felt any of it, he did not respond, instead, lifting back up, throwing people off of him and slamming back down once more, crushing more bodies.

When he lifted again, I clung to him, hands around two of his tiny limbs so I was gripping something. He lifted high in the air. Even after often flying with Bracken, I was surprised by the sudden height, but an idea struck me.

Using his limps as foot and hand holds, I began to climb him like a ladder.

Our attacks on his body had done little to nothing, but perhaps his head was weak.

He threw himself down once more. My legs went flying into the air, but I held tight, not allowing myself to let go. Not even when he slammed into the ground and my body collided with his hard shell, winding me.

When he lifted up into the air again, I began to climb as though nothing had happened, determined to kill the bastard while I still had the chance.

He moved to fall once more, but I was so close, dammit. With a burst of speed, I hoisted myself, throwing myself higher, catching him around the thick throat just as he began his descent.

But my blade was ready and I knew this was it.

Without hesitation, I sliced through the bastard king's neck, pulling the blade clean from one side to the other. I felt how deep it cut into his flesh, the satisfying release of blood and gore as black gunk sprayed from within him.

I hit the ground, still holding tightly to Daaku, feeling his body twitch beneath me and a cry of celebration filled the air from those who had been fighting him with me.

I'd done it. I'd defeated the false noc king at least and by some miracle, I was still here... which meant that Bracken wasn’t quite dead yet, right?

Unless Clem had severed the bond… but no, he wouldn’t have without our consent. And I would have felt Bracken leaving us. I was sure.

Before I could dwell on it, Daaku's body gave a great heave, a last sign of his life draining away, or so I thought until suddenly, he lifted again, carrying me up into the air as though nothing had happened.

“What the hell?” I shouted.

His deformed head fell back limply, exposing bones and flesh. His eyes were open and unseeing.

What was happening?! It was like something was controlling his lifeless body.

For some reason, I looked beyond the city walls and that was when I sawhim.

Emperor Gaulu.

He stood on the fountain by the entrance just out of sight of the battle, but close enough to watch the proceedings and he held a book in his hands.