The Fall Of Imbria (The Fendara Series. Book One)

Chapter Ten: Victoria

After flinging open the giant wooden door at the end of the hall, me and Nell turn left. I don't know if it's the way out. I've never been here before but the hurried footsteps of guards running down the turning hallway to my right has me knowing better than to venture that direction.

So we go left. Then right. Then right again. Then left and back to right. Scurrying down hallway after hallway until I make a turn and smack straight into the cold armored chest of a armed guard. Fuck. I back up a step and he looks at me with wide eyes. He goes to reach for his sword but before he can, I use the element of surprise against him and lift my leg. kicking as hard as I can right into his knee cap. The snapping sound of his bones filling the hollowness of these tunneling walls. With a shreak of pain he drops his sword and slides to the ground cupping his knee with his palms. The look of bone protruding out of his flesh almost makes me vomit. Unfortunately I've seen worse and it will take more than that to have me come undone.

I know we can't leave him here. He'll yell and alert the other guards if his screams or Theo haven't already.

I don't have to tell Nell that. She just walks behind him and grabs his head between her hands and smacks it against the stone cut wall. The mans bleeding head just lulls over as he goes unconscious. Being surprised to see that I just blink. I'm not quite sure why they brought Nell back here to be locked up. I honestly haven't even thought of it until this moment. Seeing her crack a mans skull against the wall has me raising a brow in curiosity but what can I really say? How can I really question it when I just broke someone's leg without a second thought?

We're in survival mode. That's what I keep telling myself.

But in all reality, is that an honest validation or a unself aware excuse?

We don't say anything, I just grab his sword and continue on down the torch lit path until we finally come upon two doors. One to my right and one dead in front.

I reach for the one on my right and push.

Locked.

I reach for the one in front of me and with a slight press onto the dark oak, it creaks open slowly.

Looking to my side at Nell I see as her eyes begin filling with questions as she steps closer to the door. Turning back I use my free hand to nudge it open, just a smidge and peek out though the crack of light drifting in between the door and it's frame.

Far in the distance across the sea of blue marbled floor there sits a throne made of gold pointed tendrils raising higher than the head of the man who sits their himself, even taller than his bold silver crown that rests upon it. Puffy black cushions embedded in the tall arm chair, covering the back and bottom where he sits, his sheer weight enough to press so deep into the cotton I could no longer see it. As if he sits there so much he may as well become one with the dark fabric, maybe even with the darkness itself.

But when I trail my eyes further I realize who that black and golden throne is made for. There sitting before us is King Barron. His big broad shoulders and torso covered with shiny metal armor and silver chainlink shirt that sits over his black leathers stretching to his wrist. Even his pants are layered in heavy armor. His shadow grey hair falling to his pectorals, meeting the length of his beard.

"Shit." I whisper. We're screwed. If we go back the way we came we'll run into Theo and the other Guards I'm sure. If we go into this throne room we will either be executed on the spot or maybe even beaten to a pulp and put right back in that cage.

"What? What is it?" Nell prys as she squeezes in front of my unmoving body, peering through the crevice.

I watch as the light from the sun flooding through the window in the distance shines in and washes upon her ice blue eyes. Showing every detail of color on her flush cheeks and pink lips. I notice now what I haven't before in the past 9 days. A white scar scratched down her right jaw. She's beautiful. Truly. What a beautiful warrior I have in a friend.