The Death Kingdom

Chapter Twenty-Three

Auden whips his gaze to me and everything he needs to say he says with one tumultuous glance back at his brother.

I grab Auden's hand to gain his attention. "I'll protect him with my life. He's the future of this kingdom and the one who can set it all right."

Auden's gaze softens and he looks at me with relief and veneration. Then he does something that I'll never forget and brings my hand up to his lips. He presses a light kiss to the inside of my hand, his lips warm and soft. "Thank you."

It's all the time we have before the Guardians are upon us. I break my hand from Auden's hold and turn to face the battle head-on. This will be my last stand, everything I have ever trained and worked for since my father taught me how to fight when I was fifteen. This is what it's been leading up to. I've always been better than everyone else, always had that extra edge to push through the pain and continue to fight. This will be a true test to see what I'm made of, and what I can do.

This isn't just fighting for my life, but fighting for the hope of the kingdom. It means so much more than ever before. It's a battle for the future.

I slide into a fighting stance, a killing calm washing over me as the first Guardian reaches us. Instead of immediately engaging in hand-to-hand combat he slows, studying me with careful eyes. We shift around each other as the second Guardian reaches Auden. I want to say I'm shocked the Guardian doesn't hesitate to swing at the prince, but he's acting on the king's orders, nothing will stop them now.

The Guardian in front of me steps closer, it's like he knows I can fight and wants to go about this fight strategically. I guess the king had enough time to warn them of my abilities.

I try to swallow down the fear bubbling up, I was hoping for some element of surprise, to go into this fight being underestimated. Now, I have no upper hand beside the dagger I'm hiding, and it's going to be down to who's better, who's smarter. The dagger is my last resort.

I refuse to lose.

I attack first, tiring of playing cat and mouse. I strike fast and true, my first swing he ducks, but my second lands, my fist connecting with the side of his ribs.

The Guardian lets out a hiss of a breath, and quickly parries all my next moves, slowly gaining ground. I'm forced to back up a few steps, closer to Kavi who stands behind Auden and me.

I hear Auden cry out, but force myself to stay focused on my fight. I can't spare a glance in his direction, can't be distracted for the slightest of seconds, or I'll pay dearly for it.

The Guardian is taller than me by multiple inches and has way more muscle mass. In this fight, I have to rely on my speed and try to use his strength against him. I purposely let my hand drift down to give him an opening on my left, hoping he takes the bait. He does and releases a quick jap to my cheek that I take, holding in a grunt as I do so. But while I take the hit I grab his extended arm and turn, using his forward momentum to flip him over my shoulder.

The Guardian topples to the ground with a groan and before he can take another breath I jump on him, trying my best to hold him down as I throw punch after punch at his face. I know I don't have long before he can easily lift me off him, so I pull out the one surprise I have left.

The dagger hidden under my shirt.

The idea of killing the Guardian surges through me, even though I know what it would mean, how awful the idea even is, but there's some dark messed up part of me I've always had that begs me to do it. To slit his throat, and revel in the kill.