The Hearts that Bleed Black

Epilogue

King Cyrus

I watched Kijani turn away, dragging the king with him. I stared at them glumly with narrow eyes before shifting my gaze to the lifeless corpse of King Kedar. His blood had pooled on the floor and spattered my shoes. I knelt down, placing a hand on his chest.

"Oh, I know you were one of the few who were kind to me, but it was for the greater good" I murmured, "It just seems a series of unfortunate events led to this, and you needed to die. I know an admission of guilt will not make me any better than those who don't, which is why I will not be guilty. You're dead and nothing is going to change that."

"Cyrus."

My head snapped up at the sound of my name, pivoting around. Icy blue eyes stared back at me, unreadable yet I knew they were nasty. With the lower half of her face hidden, it was hard to make out what she might be thinking. The sword she held up at me gave me a good guess, however.

"What do you think you're doing?" Queen Iclyn spat, "Murder in your own name? Have you truly lost sight of yourself that you are willing to take your anguish and heartache out on those who didn't hurt you? A mama's boy turned stone hearted killer, what would she think of you now?"

"Don't-" my breath caught in my throat, "Don't you dare speak a word about my mother- "

My feet moved quicker than my head, my sword meeting the sturdy steel of Iclyn's blade. No longer did I need to protect myself from injury, my side was cut deeply yet it healed almost instantly. It hurt, it hurt quite a lot, but I had to endure it. The wounds may heal but I still feel their pain. Iclyn drew back, eyes narrow.

"So, what Sicarius told me is true" she murmured, "You cannot be killed."

"He would be correct" My lip curled into a cruel smirk, "This is not a battle you will ever win; you will follow Kedar into the grave. You are smart enough to understand that."

"You fear me."

I blinked in surprise, drawing back a little.

"What makes you say that?" I demanded, composing myself, "I fear no man."

"I am no man" She replied, voice icy, "You may fear no man, but I am the woman you dread."

Fearful? Perhaps I was, yet this was the most dangerous woman in the world. Those that had tried to oppose her had lost their lives or their freedom, Arden's father had almost certainly fallen at her hands. I knew her to be the only soul that could dare threaten my plans, the only person who could possibly hope to oppose me. I'd long learnt not to underestimate the strength of a nasty woman.

"And what of it?" I snarled, "I will still kill you; you cannot fell me no matter how hard you try. I know exactly what you've always thought of me, that I'm a monster, a force of evil that needs to be controlled. You warned my father when I was only newly born."

"And unfortunately, it seems I was right" Came her quiet reply, "You are the mirror image of your father, and that is why you are destined to only cause hurt and devastation. You've lost the ability to do good."

I froze. Then unfroze, and my blood boiled, driving me forward. My flesh came alive, and I think my vision turns a little red, hazy with bloodlust. My breath is ragged and shaky, my sword in a death grip as I swung it towards the Vraekyn Queen. She needed to be silenced.

"Do not ever compare to my father" I hissed, every limb, line and muscle taught with rage, "I am nothing like him, nor will I ever be. Shut your filthy mouth and take back your lying words, I will not listen to people who do not understand what they are saying." Her sword struck back, striking me cleanly through the shoulder. She yanked it out, and my wound healed over instantly.