Page 124 of Daughter of the Dark Sea

“Sentinel,” Barron’s voice purred, dragging out every syllable. “You must understand, these aremylands.”

“You are mistaken,” Theron snapped back, his armour shining beneath the sunlight filtering through the hole in the arched ceiling. “You are an extension of theStaghartEmpire. The Talmon Empire—the viceroys—are a hand on the body of the emperor. This final unification will elevate you to a recognised Staghart province.”

Barron threw back his head and laughed. “Do you take me for a fool? I made this empire what it is today. The viceroys are the foundation of everything here. Without us, it’ll all fall apart. Without us, pirates would have run these lands into the ground, impoverishing them. Without us, there are no Azarian Islands.”

“As sentinel, it is my duty to remind you—”

“Enough!” Barron’s voice made Theronflinch. Kora startled forwards.Where was Ivar?“I brought you here for a reason, Sentinel.” Barron clicked his fingers, and a pair of doors in the far corner of the chamber opened. “Or should I say . . . Prince Eli Staghart.”

What. The. Fuck.

Theron stumbled backwards in shock as the crowd gasped, and he shot a look towards Erick, who blanched. Barron’s shark-like smile surfaced as a set of four soldiers marched through the doors. Kora rushed forward, her body moving without thought. The steps were three strides wide, and her short stature made it difficult to race down to Theron.

Where in the gods was Ivar?

“Barron! What are you doing?” Erick shot to his feet, his face stricken, sending his chair flying back.

The four soldiers advanced, covered head to toe in black armour, with malachite slithering throughout it like cracks. They were the size of Samuel and Theron put together, and an acrid, sour stench filled the room.

“Theron!” she warned, and he spun, unsheathing his axes as the soldiers advanced. Even their faces were covered with green-and-black helmets. A small eye slit was the only indication there was a living being hidden beneath the armour.

“Take the traitor away,” Barron drawled in a bored tone.

“No!” Kora flew down the stairs, her mind frantic as Theron wrestled against the guards. The closer she got, the more the cold permeated her skin, into her bones. Her head throbbed relentlessly. Shehadto do something.

“The king will take this as an act of war!” Theron yelled as they dragged him across the stone floor.

Barron spun to face Theron. “Good. I’ve been waiting to make my move on your father for a long, long time. Your defiance against our rule marks you as a traitorous spy for ouroppressors—the Stagharts. You have ruled over us for far too long. Now, it’s our time.”

Kora landed into the ring with a grunt, and several courtiers cried out as she revealed her daggers. They scrambled back, fleeing into the ground floor tunnels connected to the council chamber. Screams and shouts echoed as the viceroys and their families remained on the front rows of seating.

Erick’s face melted into horror as she advanced across the floor, a blanket of red hazing her mind. Bree squeaked across the ring and leaned closer into Blake, wrapping her golden hands around his bicep. His face was blank—not an ounce of emotion as his eyes bore straight into Kora.

She snapped.

“Kora, don’t!” Erick’s voice sounded so distant she barely heard it.

One of the guards released Theron, the remaining three wrestling to force him through the set of doors leading to complete, cold darkness. His hatchet axes swung, his face twisted with rage, eyes flaring as he fought for his life. The guard approached her, and her eyes watered from the odour—or was it just her rage? The ember in her chest ignited as she faced the mysterious guard.

“Stand down!” Erick’s voice didn’t register.

All she knew was rage. Disgust. Pain.

“Stop!”the voice begged her. She shut that out, too.

“Captain!” a familiar voice rumbled. Probably just a stranger.

Her world visibly crumbled, and she threw all her rage into attacking the guard blocking her path to Theron, theprinceof the royal family, who was being dragged to the dungeons by his legs. It was outrageous.

Her dagger shattered as soon as it connected with the guard’s black chest plate and Kora careened in shock, splinteredpieces of silver clattering to the ground, leaving the malachite hilt clasped in her hand.

“What . . .”

A vice-like grip closed around her neck and Kora spluttered, her body lifting from the stone floor as the guard held her with one, impossibly strong arm. His thick grip tightened and she choked, images of Callan flashing across her eyes, merging with the faceless guard.

The sound of the doors closing behind Theron’s screams clashed through her skull.

“Barron, let her go!”Erick beseeched.