The Blood of Darkness

Chapter 47

Val

The fire has just been lit, which means that the stairwell is full of frenzied, fleeing people. I shove my way through the worried crowds, on my way to the main entrance, following the sound of the screams. The remaining half of the spies must have finally begun killing people.

As soon as I reach the chaotic lobby, I survey the situation while casually cutting down any spy in my range. The main doors are closed--locked, so nobody can escape. Zyair better change that soon. I spot Neve fighting some spies, but she's clearly overwhelmed and outnumbered. Quinn is busy trying to heal people who are already hurt. Furniture is overturned with frightened guests hiding behind it, and some braver people have raided the kitchen and are armed with knives or heavy pans while others have fled back into the rapidly-growing fire, hoping to make it to a different exit. The situation could be worse, but could also be much better. That damned entrance needs to be opened, and fast.

I go to draw my second sword, ready to really start killing, but then I remember that I left it with Kye so he could fight the General. Kye. I'm about to grab a dagger instead when someone appears next to me and shoves another sword into my free hand. Lucine.

"Thanks," I say, looking at her expectantly.

She shakes her head, then points forward, toward the main entrance. I curse under my breath when I spot Arden with a group of spies gathered around him, probably giving them orders. I glance back at Lucine, and her face is devoid of emotion. Still, I'm not surprised when she says, "I can't do it. I can't kill him." Her voice doesn't quaver. She's simply stating a fact that I should have already realized.

"Then I will," I tell her, already walking away, my eyes back on Arden, who is still standing by the doors but without his group of men. He's staring straight at me, a challenge in his gaze, a challenge which I will gladly accept.

He looks so much like Manar, and for a moment, I wish that that is who he is, that I'm about to kill the man I have wanted to kill for so long. But I know the truth: I'm not ready for that fight, not yet. I'm not ready to face all that he did to me, all that I went through during that horrific year I spent imprisoned.

I'm almost to Arden when out of the corner of my eye, to my far right, I spot a ginger-haired spy approaching a young, light-haired girl who holds some kind of large, pointed metal utensil out before her.

Words Zeke once told me echo in my head as I stop in my tracks. Never turn your back on your opponent. Unfortunately, my decision is already made, because that little girl's hair is white just like mine was when I was a child and that's all it takes for me to put her life above my own.

In less than a minute, I'm on the other side of the room and the ginger-haired spy's head is no longer connected to his body. The little girl stares up at me with wide eyes. Wide eyes filled with fear.

We're in a corner. We're backed in a corner, and I can sense that Arden is approaching us.

"Run," I tell her, my voice harsher than I intended. "To the doors. They're going to open." Come on, Zyair.

She doesn't move, frozen with fear. Her eyes are still on me, because I'm the person she's scared of. I must look like a monster.

"Go!" I yell, stepping toward her and raising my bloodied sword in warning.

The girl screams and takes off towards the main entrance. I whip around and thrust my sword out blindly, meeting Arden's blade just in time, right before he cuts the girl's head off.

"Those doors are locked," he says, eyes following the young girl as she runs toward the entrance. "She'll be killed by another of my men in minutes."