Shae, the High Queen of Erya, has one rule:
Not to fall in love with her husband.
Three years into their arranged marriage, Shae is still ignoring her attraction to the handsome king. A simple task when everyone knows the rumours of his love affair...
Shae let out a yelp as Felix tugged her to the floor of the carriage and protectively hovered above her.
"Stay down," he hissed when she tried to raise her head to peer out the window. "We're under attack!"
Biting back an acerbic reply that he was stating the obvious, she remained low, listening to the unmistakable sounds of battle outside. The clanging of the soldiers' armour and shields protecting them from blows, weapons clashing, and the soft swoosh of arrows. The door to the carriage flew open and Castel, the captain of the King's Guard, waved them outside. Blood stained his armour, and his arm hung limply at his side.
"Get out!" he yelled. "There are too many of them. Two horses are ready for you. We will try to hold them off as long as we can, but you must leave now!"
"No!" Felix protested. "I don't want to leave my men."
"Your Majesty," Castel urged. "You're unarmed and exposed. Erya needs you. We cannot lose another High King."
It looked as if Felix wanted to argue further, but was forced to pull Shae out of harm's way when a man came charging at them with his sword raised. Castel blocked him with his shield, knocking the man to the ground.
Looking back at them, he yelled, louder now. "Leave! Before it's too late!"
Nodding grimly, Felix took Shae's hand and pulled her along towards the two horses. They had to step over the bodies of fallen men, the metallic sounds of the battle accompanying their every move. There was so much blood. Shae's eyes scanned their surroundings. The quiet country road had turned into a battlefield with men fighting all around them. Her breath quickened, her heart beating wildly in her chest. It was almost as if she was back in her father's castle the night the zealots attacked.
Felix let go of her as he bent down and grabbed a sword and shield from the body of a soldier on the ground. A man came running towards them, and he used the shield to bash the attacker. Without his hand on her, she was rooted to the spot. The sounds of the battle echoed through her head, the tangy smell of blood stinging her nostrils. She closed her eyes, trying to shut it out. Her mother and brother lying dead on the cold floor of the throne room. So much death...
"Shae!"
Felix's voice brought her back, and she opened her eyes to see him under attack again with a second man closing in on him from behind. Without thinking, she grabbed a bow and quiver from one of the dead and put an arrow in the approaching man's chest. Having knocked out the other attacker, Felix turned his head to stare at her in shock, his green eyes wide.
"Let's go!" Pushing the memories aside, she could finally move.
He ducked from an enemy arrow before shielding her with his arm as they ran to the horses. Hoisting her up on one, he then mounted the other. With a final, wistful glance back at his soldiers, he smacked the back of her horse to set it in motion before following.
"The forest," he called after her. "We need the cover."
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