The Dragon Queen (Death #4)

10. Talon

Chapter 10

Talon

I aimed my sword at his chest and met his block. But I was quick to move for another hit, spinning my sword, dodging his attack, and coming down hard on his arm. The dragon scales of his armor protected him from injury, but I struck him so hard I made a serious dent.

Jairo tried to come for me from behind and stick his sword in my back, but I spun around and punched him so hard in the face, he immediately faltered back and lost his balance. I grabbed hold of his arm and flung him to the ground, hearing a scream of pain as his arm broke upon impact with the ground. His brother was there to take his place, his eyes wild with both terror and anger. He struck me with his sword, but I danced out of the way before I blocked Barron’s attack and kicked him back. Without turning to attack Kael, I slammed my elbows into his face and heard him scream when his nose broke.

I came at Barron again and blocked his sword and then blocked it again, pushing him back on the defense while he struggled to block my attacks. The only reason this fight continued was because he’d selfishly taken Constantine’s power for himself. It made him a worthy opponent for me and made it possible for Khazmuda to continue to fight him in the skies. In terms of size, Khazmuda was no match for the behemoth Constantine.

Balls of fire continued to rain down on us from the dragons above, igniting more trees, setting buildings aflame and turning the cliff into a pyre. The dead who watched from the sides banged their swords directly against the bones of their rib cages, replicating the sound of war drums, speeding up their pace the longer I continued to fight my three opponents with a single sword.

I felt neither pain nor fatigue. If there were bruises on my body, I didn’t feel them. If my mouth craved water, I felt no thirst. Every need and every desire had been quieted the moment I arrived at the castle. Nothing else mattered until the job was done, until Barron’s entire world was at my feet, until he begged me not to kill his sons while I forced him to watch.

Barron blocked my hit then struck me with his own attack. I evaded it then slammed my fist into his chest, making him stumble back because he expected my sword at his torso rather than my knuckles.

He quickly recovered, but I took the opportunity to spit in his face.

He flinched as it splattered on his skin then began to drip to his chin.

“You will scream as you burn, and I will smile.” I struck him with my sword, hitting the same spot on the arm where I’d struck him a dozen times, and finally, the pieces broke apart. The chunk of armor dropped to the stone and exposed his flesh, already deep purple from all the times I’d landed my hits. “You will beg me to spare your sons from the fire, and I will fucking smile.”

Talon .

I came at him hard, giving him a flurry of hits that carried the momentum of a running ox. I drove him back farther and farther, leaving his sons behind as they struggled to join the fight with their broken noses and arms. It was all a rush, the greatest rush I’d ever felt in my entire life.

He couldn’t keep up. Even with the power of his dragon, he was no match for the rage that tinted my vision red. He was out of breath, sweat heavy on his forehead, every ounce of arrogance replaced by fear.

I kicked him hard in the chest and sent him to the ground. He collapsed on the stones, and his sword flew from his grasp.

I walked to it and kicked it away before I headed back to Jairo, who had a broken nose that sprayed blood all over him. He could barely hold his right arm because it had been ripped from the socket from the way I jerked him around. When he saw me coming for him, he tried to run.

“Grab him,” I ordered.

The dead at my command rushed his way, barring his path back to the castle. The only way out was to jump over the cliff.

I looked at Kael. “Bring him to me.”

Talon!

Kael tried to fight the mass of skeletons that latched on to him and forced him to me. He was stronger than any of the skeletons, but when he was outnumbered twelve to one, he was at their mercy. He screamed in disgust as the dirty bones of the dead grabbed his flesh and forced him directly into my hold.

The smile on my face didn’t feel like my own. It wasn’t the one I wore when I looked at Calista. Wasn’t the one I’d shown my wife. It felt like it belonged to the God of the Underworld himself.

I grabbed Kael and dragged him to his father.

Barron had gotten to his feet and grabbed his sword, but he seemed to realize the fight was over when I had both of his sons in my grasp.

I kicked Kael behind the knees, forced him to drop to the hard stone, and I grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back, exposing his throat like I might grant him mercy and make it quick.

Barron breathed hard, his sword at ease by his side.

I continued to tug on Kael and get off on the horror on my uncle’s face. “How does it feel?”

Talon!

“How does it feel to know your son will die and you can’t stop it?” I tugged his head to the side just to make him wince.

Barron sucked in a deep breath, glancing at his son before looking at me again.

“Come on, do it.”

When I demanded he fight, it seemed like Barron only wanted to talk. But now his kingdom had fallen to me, and all that was left was the executions.

“Beg for his life.” I jerked on Kael again. “Beg for his life the way I begged for Vivian’s.” I felt the darkness in my soul that had been planted there by Bahamut. I was cruel and vile, and I fucking liked it. The revenge was sweeter than a ripe peach on a summer day. “ Do it !”

“My sons had nothing to do with the coup?—”

“Lies.”

“It was my idea?—”

“I will torture them to torture you, Barron.” I threw Kael on the ground, where he was smart enough to remain. “Hold this one,” I ordered the dead. “The rest of you fetch anyone who remains in the castle. Any relative or friend will burn at the stake.”

Barron moved for his son on the ground.

I put my sword to his neck so damn fast. I pushed in, drawing a line of blood against his thick neck.

He stepped back.

“Who should go first?” I kept it there. “Your wife or your eldest son?”

He swallowed against the blade, giving me a look of defeat he’d never worn before.

Khazmuda dropped from the sky, cuts in his scales oozing blood. Talon! Inferno says he’s about to be killed—and Calista is next.

The blade remained against Barron’s neck, but my eyes glanced at Khazmuda.

He says he probably won’t make it…but Calista still has a chance.

I continued to stare at him as my breaths turned labored. Revenge was right in my palm, right against my blade, but it was shattered by the news.

He’s protecting her in his talons.

My blade shook as it remained against his throat, seeing the dribble of blood that rolled down into the inside of his armor. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. The high was higher than I’d ever expected. The suffering in Barron’s eyes filled me with mirth. I felt the justice for my family flow through the blood in my veins. If I leave…he’ll get away.

Khazmuda let a few seconds of silence pass. I know.

I knew once I left, this moment would never come again. Barron would fly off on his dragon and disappear somewhere far away. There would be no justice for my family. The only satisfaction I would receive was the taunts I’d just issued.

I pulled the blade from his throat and sheathed it. “Bind them to the trees and build a stake. Abandon those in the castle.” The dead I’d already ordered turned back around and moved for Barron and his sons.

I didn’t turn around to see if they scrambled for their swords and tried to fight their way out of their hold. I didn’t want to know if they would overpower the army of the dead. I didn’t want to know if they would get away.

I didn’t want to watch this moment unravel right before my eyes.

Khazmuda dropped his body so it would be easier for me to climb up. He didn’t wear expressions the way humans did, but his presence had a tone of sadness that washed over me. He felt my disappointment. Felt my pain.

I ran up his side and dropped into the saddle. “Hurry.”