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Katmor, one of the high-ranking generals, stepped partially in front of Aldrich. A close acquaintance with his father who’d been around Thane since he was but a boy. “High Prince Thane, you must do the honorable thing and face the consequences of your actions. You attempted to assassinate the High King of Palenor. There is to be a tribunal. The War Council has made this decision, not Tenebris.”

Thane slowly shook his head. “I will not go with you.”

“We want to hear your side. Are you going to run forever, hiding in shit holes like this?” He held out his arms gesturing around. “Being a coward who won’t face the repercussions of laws he swore to uphold?”

Thane’s arm twitched to raise his sword, but he instead he gripped the handle tighter. It didn’t bother him to be called a coward, he knew he wasn’t, but he didn’t like the way Katmor accused him of things he knew nothing about.

“Don’t speak to him like that,” Layala snapped. “Your High King is a war criminal and the one who should be subject to a tribunal, not blindly followed. He has aligned himself with Mathekis and he will be the fall of this kingdom.”

Katmor turned his fiery gaze on Layala. “Hold your tongue when males are speaking.”

Thane growled quietly. That was not the thing to say to Layala. Before Thane could say anything, Layala threw her hand out and a black vine shot from her palm, wrapping around Katmor’s neck like a serpent.

“You want to say that again?” she snarled. “Males think they can rule over us because of physical strength, but guess who holds the power between me and you, pig?”

Tifapine clung to Layala’s leg but held out her stubby middle finger. “Pig,” she repeated.

“Poor choice of words, Katmor,” Thane said. “You’re the only one who needs to hold his tongue, or I might cut it out.”

The clatter of Katmor’s sword hitting the ground was loud in the quiet shock of the soldiers. He choked for air and clawed at the vine tightening around his neck. “Thane, please,” he gasped.

“It’s not me you should be asking mercy from.”

Katmor’s eyes shifted to Layala as if seeing her for the first time. “Lady Lightbringer,” he wheezed. She must have eased her magic’s hold because he said easier, “Please release me.”

She raised her chin slightly. “I’ll let you go if you get on your knees and ask for my forgiveness.”

“Layala,” Aldrich said slowly. “Remember whose fate rests in your hands.”

Without uttering a word, Layala thrust out her other arm and vine shot forth, coiling around Aldrich’s chest and neck like a boa constrictor. “Yourfate by the looks of things.”

One of the soldiers lifted his sword; Thane held up his hand. “Don’t.” With wide eyes, and a back step, the soldier lowered his weapon. “What’s it to be, boys?” Thane’s smile couldn’t have been broader. “Your future queen commands respect.”

Katmor slowly lowered, one knee hitting the ground, then two. Aldrich’s red face began to turn a dark shade of purple before he followed the general’s action. He looked up at her, his fingers dug into the vine strangling him and a white milky substance oozed around his nails. The satisfaction this brought Thane was beyond words.

“Please forgive my disrespect,” Katmor said.

Aldrich pressed his lips together like a stubborn mule.

“You’re both going to walk outside,” Thane said, and lifted his finger, pointing down the hall, “and tell your soldiers to let them go.” Neither of them moved.

Thane laughed. Katmor always was a stubborn bastard, and he likely believed that Thane would be more merciful than Tenebris. Aldrich knew better. When it came to Layala, mercy wasn’t in his vocabulary. “Snap their necks if you wish.”

“Wait—wait.” Katmor crawled forward to clutch at Thane’s pant leg, his ragged breath growing weaker. Aldrich’s bloodshot eyes were fixed on Layala as if she might give him grace if he didn’t break from his stare. He was in for a rude awakening.

The magical vines slowly twisted more until Katmor couldn’t pull in a breath at all. “Thane,” he wheezed. Her magic eased off. It appeared Layala wanted to give him a chance to live.

Layala shrieked and the vines went slack, falling to the ground. Thane whipped around to one of the soldiers with a handful of her hair and a sword pressed against her throat with enough pressure it indented her skin.

“Help the general!” the soldier shouted. “Save Aldrich.”

It took a lot for Thane to truly lose his temper and a blade at her throat snapped what little patience he had left. His magic flared like a lightning strike through him, coursing through his limbs with a buzz of energy. He thought about breaking the bones in that soldier’s hand, and not a moment later, a snap and sickening crunch followed. The soldier cried out in pain, his sword clanked to the ground and Layala shoved away from him.Shaking, the soldier held his wrist, eyes fixed on his fingers curling in the wrong directions, and Thane snapped his forearm, too. He screamed louder as his arm sagged. He stumbled back into the wall mouth agape in horror. The other soldiers backed off several steps, including Katmor and Aldrich scooting backward. “No one ever learns, do they? I put the word out long ago that I would kill anyone who touched her.”

“Thane, wait,” Katmor blurted, reaching for him like he could stop what was coming.

The soldier’s head twisted with a quick jerk, and he collapsed, never to rise again.

With a snarl, Thane whirled around. The soldiers charged in attack, and blind with fury, he slashed his sword across the chest of the closest soldier. A chilling wail followed, and then another, and another. Warm blood arced through the air, splattering on his cheek. Screams barely pierced his senses. The ringing of metal on metal an all too familiar tune. His swords hacked and slashed, finding their way through armor, crunching through bone. Not one of them would make it out of this corridor, alive.