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Queen of Roses
-- EXCERPT: “Please–” I tried to say, but the knife tightened, cutting into the soft skin of my throat. I felt something warm trickle down my chest. Blood. My blood. “She’s bleeding, you fool,” Baudwin exclaimed. “You’re hurting her.” “Hurting the Pendragon fae-blooded bitch? The tainted heir?” The man holding me gave a nasty chuckle. “And you expect me to care when—” Abruptly, his words ceased. The knife against my throat slid swiftly away, nearly cutting me again as it fell to the ground still clutched in the man’s hand. I turned to see my would-be-captor lying on the ground with an arrow through his chest and blood spilling from his still-open mouth. Behind me, Baudwin and the other man were shouting to one another in confusion. I didn’t know whether to face them, join them, or run out of the alley. Before I could finish deciding, I heard the sound of pounding hooves, then caught a glimmer of steel flashing past me. I fell back against the wall of the alley as a stallion sped past me. I glimpsed a man in the uniform of a Royal Guard sitting tall and upright in the saddle, his weapon drawn and ready. The shouts behind me rapidly became screams. By the time I had stood up again, it was already too late. Baudwin and the cloaked man were crumpled on the ground, blood pooling around them. I stared at their bodies, horrified. The guard on the horse dismounted quickly and strode towards me, gripping me by the shoulders. “Are you all right? Did they hurt you?” I recognized the voice. I forced myself to focus. The white linen and black leather of the guard’s uniform. The glint of a silver ring in his ear. Dark hair falling over his brow. I pulled away from Kairos Draven as hard as I could, stepping backwards until I hit the wall. “You,” I said in disbelief. “You’ve killed them all. Why? Why did you do that?”
GIVEAWAY! --
1 Comment
Sue G.
4/19/2023 05:23:25 pm
Sounds like an intense read! Leave a Reply. |
