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Chapter Forty

RUNA

Idris,assured of his victory, grinned down at me and Victor, his eyes glinting with cruel satisfaction. “Do it, my love,” he purred to Raelynn. “Open the—”

“Sire!” One of the king’s soldiers stumbled through the front door, a crimson stream trickling down his face.

“Not now!” Idris barked, gleaming eyes locked on his sibling.

“But, sire! It’s the villagers. They’re here.”

Idris blinked, finally shifting his focus to the shaken soldier. “What? How many?”

“All of them, sire,” the panicked man squawked. “They’re attacking the castle. And they’ve brought reinforcements.”

Hope surged within me. The villagers had finally joined the rebellion. Nothing short of a miracle could have accomplished such a task. A miracle or a lost vampire king.

Idris’s face darkened. “What kind of reinforcements?”

A shadow stretched across the windows. Shouts rang out from the courtyard. The scent of brimstone thickened the air. Mybreath caught as the horrifying memory of my final moments in the pit twisted through me.

No. It couldn’t be.

Flashing flames and a gust of wind roared in the entryway. The terrified messenger glanced over his shoulder, uttered a shout of fright, and bolted. Smoke swirled in his wake, clearing enough to reveal a familiar fire-breathing figure standing in the doorway.

Cocky grin. Sparkling blue eyes.

Thorne.

“Hey there, beautiful. Miss me?” The shifter winked, standing with his hands on his hips and legs braced like he captained some great ship. His eyes flicked toward Victor. “You started a war without me? I’m hurt.”

“You,” Idris roared, thrusting out his arm. “You’re the one who stole my dragon.”

Thorne’s grin widened. “And you’re the one who dared to enslave him.” His voice dropped to a threatening purr. “You should know, he’s rather vexed with you.”

He cast a quick glance over the room. “Flark. Civilians. That could pose a problem. Nothing we can do about that now, though. Hard to stop him when he has his mind set on something.”

His attention swung upward toward my unconscious brothers, and he winced, eyes flicking back to mine. “Shit, wasn’t expecting that. Figured they be in the dungeon. If I remember correctly, your brothers are both fireproof, right?”

Not waiting for my answer, he shoved those standing closest to the main isle. “Idiots. Why are you still here? Run! All of you, take cover!

I sank my fingers into Victor’s arm. “No. He wouldn’t, would he?”

“It’s Thorne,” Victor said by way of explanation.

“Everyone, clear out!” I shouted as Victor’s palmsshimmered, casting a protective barrier around me.

Screams echoed. People ran for cover, diving under benches.

Heavyswoopspounded the walls, the colossal hammering of wings stirring the air. Emerald scales flashed outside the window. Then, a single reptilian eyeball appeared, followed by a set of bone-crushing teeth. The teeth parted, red embers glowing deep in the beast’s gullet.

Not again.

The window exploded, launching shards of glass. Fire roared into the room in a narrow stream.

“Raelynn! Run!” I shouted, some deep-seated instinct overriding my hatred. The fiery blast struck Idris dead center.

My sister’s high-pitched scream sliced through the madness.