Uncrowned

Ch 7: I Didn't Catch You You Fell Into Me

A/N: I will be changing the name of my book to UNCROWNED soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I miss.

At the last moment, the Commander turns his back in an attempt to shield the amulet, allowing the dagger to penetrate his armor. The blade embeds itself into the back of the Captain's shoulder, the familiar color of crimson liquid cascades from the entrance wound.

The Dark King instantly uses this opportunity and lashes out with his tendrils, hoping to shatter the jewel once and for all. As I observe the battle from above, a glimpse of white catches my eye. Shifting my attention, I notice a Lucian soldier at the edge of the throne room, match in hand.

A course of adrenaline is released, and my heart begins to beat rapidly against my chest.

"B-"

Before I am able to properly warn His Majesty, the castle implodes.

I attempt as best as I can to protect myself from the destructive blast. Smoke and debris consume my senses, as the balcony shakes violently beneath me. Comparable to everything that has occurred today, luck is still not on my side as the terrace starts to crumble.

It is futile to grab onto anything, so I try to better position myself, in order not to plummet to my death.

The floor rumbles furiously before giving way, and I begin my descent from the balcony. Maneuvering while freefalling is not an easy task, and I find my body tensing, bracing itself for impact.

One thought replays itself in my mind.

I hope I do not fall flat on my bottom.

However, instead of landing on the cruel, stone-hard porcelain floor, I find myself crashing into metal armor. Powerful arms wrap themselves around my body, sheltering me from the tumbling debris as we collapse to the demolished ground.

Soon the eruption subsides, and the trembling of the palace ceases. Letting out a breath of relief, I remove myself from the lightweight armor, only to be knocked aside. I am strewn across the rough floor, and skid to a stop when my back comes in contact with a fallen chunk of the ceiling.

I stifle a painful groan, and glare at my assailant.

"What is wrong with you?" I demand, practically hissing venom.

The Dark King stands, brushing away the excess rubble before turning to me in displeasure.

"You fell on me."

"You caught me," I retort.

His Majesty narrows his eyes, "Do not be delusional, you crashed into me at the same time I was protecting myself."

"Yes, and I have an extra toe growing on my buttocks," I counter, standing up as well.

Ignoring my quip, the dark haired villain scowls, "He escaped."

Taking a moment to search for the Captain's magic presence, I nod my head in agreement. He has completely vanished, not a single trace left behind.

Cursing, the Dark King leaves the room, marching with incredible speed to the battlefield. I follow suit, eager to reunite with Ben. Any remnants of magic left over has completely dispersed, along with the bearded warrior. The Lucian soldiers have been entirely cut down, weakened when their shields were destroyed.

I watch as Marie leads Ben from the foot of the hill. He runs to me as quickly as his small legs allow him and stumbles over, nearly rolling back down the slope. I catch him before he can fall, and scoop him in my uninjured arm, careful not strain myself further.