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CHAPTER TWO

Ryker

When the guards finally recovered enough to start toward me with their swords raised and wary expressions on their faces, I smiled as lightning rose from my fingertips to encircle my wrists. The guards froze as the color drained from their faces.

“Fire!” Gaius roared.

He was shouting at the archers on the stage, but when I flicked my fingers toward the guards, waves of lightning unleashed. It splintered apart as it branched toward them; many of the bolts detoured toward the lightning rods some of them held, while others succeeded in hitting a few guards.

The impact lifted them off their feet and flung them backward. A couple toppled off the back of the stage, while others bounced across the wooden planks.

Some of the remaining guards threw their lightning rods away in time to avoid the bolts. Others weren’t fast enough to avoid the blow that knocked them from their feet but didn’t kill them.

The dead guards lay in scattered locations; some of them had come to a smoking stop near the feet of Gaius and my father. Gaius and the duke stared at the remains before hastily stepping away.

“KILL HIM!” Gaius bellowed.

As the new head of the king’s guard, Gaius had catastrophically failed at his position, considering he was only five feet away when I killed Ivan, but the guards would listen to him.

“No!” my father shouted.

I had no idea why he was trying to keep me alive, but if he had his way, it would be a fate worse than death; I was certain of it. Turning, I sprinted toward the edge of the platform.

“Stop him!” my father commanded.

At the ledge, I leapt into the open air and twisted to unleash more lightning directed at the duke and Gaius. My father threw himself to the ground as Gaius ducked behind Ivan’s throne.

The rest of the nobles screamed as they either fell over or trampled each other to get off the stage. I had only a second to see them scatter before gravity pulled me beneath the platform. Their shouts followed me as I fell toward the crowd of women and the thousands of guards among them.

“Kill him!” my father bellowed as my feet hit the ground.

The realization I’d kill him too had changed my father’s mind about trying to keep me alive. I had no doubt I’d destroy him and all those on the stage with him as soon as I could, but right now, I had to get to Ellery.