Ashrain

28. The Crown Prince

Blood and death warning

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Mingi's hand grabbed Hongjoong's arm the moment the jarring screeching of half a dozen swords being unsheathed sounded through the halls. He bodily blocked him as he crowded Hongjoong backwards. Eyes flickering between the six guards that advanced in on Yunho, they retreated behind a decorative table and blocked themselves off. Wooyoung came with them, body as taut as the string of his bow as he fixated on the most threatening enemy.

They all picked Yunho as their first victim. Once they defeated the mighty centaur with their combined strength, they had an easy time finishing the humans.

Yunho awaited them, hooves squared on the ground as his bulging arms grabbed onto his swords. They were two curved sabres with the breathtaking grace of elven weapons forged into the filigree decorations, but their blades thirsted for blood. Both of them came down at once when the first guard dashed at Yunho.

For a moment, their song entranced Hongjoong. They cut through the air with the hum created by a flute. Their arch was so lithe, the blade seemed to become a shooting star, cutting through the shadows.

When they found their goal, blood splashed. In a red spray, it hit Yunho's body and specked his arms to match his horse half. The guard's hand cluttered to the ground, detached from his body as he dropped his sword.

Before the man got to marvel at Yunho's speed, his eyed dropped to the second blade that had slashed across his chest. He dropped to his knees, awe and terror bleeding out of his eyes. When he crumpled to the ground, death had taken him away.

Yunho stood up with a huff, blades flicking to his sides. They sent blood flying to stain the carpet as they remained smooth, nothing stuck.

Hongjoong's stomach twisted as he looked at the dead man. His blood pooled around Yunho's hooves and alerted the other guards with displeased grumbles. When they all came at him at once to heighten their chances of success, Hongjoong's fingers on Mingi's waist tightened. He wanted to clench his eyes shut to avert them from death wreaking havoc, but he was too scared to see Yunho fall.

Yunho knew the dance of death as if he had been born into it. His blades whirled through the air and his hooves followed, creating a macabre beat of excitement that came to a jarring end whenever blood spilt. He hacked at the men left and right, striking them down before their swords could do as much as graze him.

Three were left in the room and Yunho was occupied with two, while the third snuck up on him. Hongjoong bit his lip until it bled, terrified to open his mouth, for he knew he would scream, but he didn't want to distract Yunho.

A deafening crack right next to his ear had Hongjoong flinch. The arrow hit its mark before he understood Wooyoung had let go of it. Stuck in the man's unprotected eye, it killed him instantly.

Wooyoung observed the situation with eyes that were cold as ice. His fingers relaxed when Yunho remained as the last one standing. Blood stained his fur, but it wasn't his own. The men had quietened, receiving merciful deaths.

Yunho didn't bother putting his weapons away. The gate was still open and whirled snow into the place of the massacre when he beckoned them to follow him. Eerily, the clop of his hooves led them through the stone castle.

Jongho waited a room over and he was not pleased to see them alive. He stood with his arms crossed in front of his broad chest, his robe tucked tightly together to fend off the coldness following the group.

"If you want to avoid war with my people, you stop this now. I will slaughter every soul in this palace if need be and my kin will do even worse to your family if you wager war with us," Yunho said, as he halted. Another warning and Hongjoong recognised it as the last one.