Page 67 of Tethered Thrones

Another jump and this time, he went running, leaving the palace with nothing but the clothes on his back.

Next to me, Clem let out a little sigh.

“...I almost feel sorry for him.”

“Don't. He was part of this. He probably knew what his father was up to but didn't care.”

“Maybe,” Clem said doubtfully.

Suddenly, a new sound echoed down the deserted corridors.Laughter.

As one, we turned toward it and there, at the very end of the corridor, the emperor stood, head thrown back, his laughter growing.

“Good riddance to the snivelling brat!” he shouted, and his laughter was a bellow now.

He looked the same as always, regal, with his gray hair pulled into a tight bun atop his head, his mustache and beard perfectly trimmed, his outfit immaculate.

But his eyes, they were so damn twisted. How had I never seen it before?! How had I been so blind?!

“Your time has come to an end!” I shouted and he fixed his dark gaze on me, his teeth bared.

“Oh no, Sun, I am afraid it is you who will now meet your end.”

He lifted the book, still in his hands, whispered a quiet word and suddenly, black smoke billowed from him, quickly submerging him,hiding him.

“No!” I shouted and ran forward, straight into the thick fog, almost immediately choking but still pushing forward.

“Sun!” Clem cried and then suddenly wind buffeted against my back, clearing the stuff away.

To my surprise, Clem was using his wings to create the windy protection.

Behind him, Haru followed anxiously as we moved forward, pushing the smoke back further and further until suddenly, the emperor was once again exposed.

His eyes widened, going fully round as we made eye-contact.

“You just keep underestimating us,” I said as we drew closer.

I pulled the blade from my pocket, and he started to read from his book with growing urgency.

Suddenly, to my disgust, a rat noc burst from the smoke, then a mothian.

They both dove for us, but it was ridiculous.

Haru alone, rearing with a screech stomped on the advancing rat and he crumbled and then burst into smoke again and before the mothian could even reach us, Kiar suddenly slithered before us, finally having caught up. He blocked the thing and easily broke its neck. It hit the floor and disappeared into the smoke once more.

The whole while, we were advancing, never hesitating.

“What next?” I asked.

The emperor didn't answer. No, with a sudden flourish, he turned and ran, bolting into his chamber, only turning to slam the door behind him, but Kiar was too fast for him. He caught the door and with one quick swipe, he ripped the book from his hands and threw it down the hall.

The smoke evaporated leaving nothing but the pathetic sight of the once great emperor realizing that his reign of terror had finally come to an end.

His eyes were panicked, his movements even more so as he stumbled back and then turned toward the large windows, ready to throw himself through them just as the last of my harem made their appearance.

Hadi rose to his full height from the back of the room, having to bend his head to stop from being on the ceiling. I was reminded of what an intimidating creature he was at first, a massive spider's body, a human torso, four arms, black eyes with red irises, and pincers on his hips. There was a reason he had been feared far and wide.

Then a shadow darkened the doorway, and I realized that Bracken had arrived, the guards finally taken care of.