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“How many did we lose?” I asked, seeing as no one else seemed to care.
“Not even a tenth of the army. Most are still chomping at the bit to continue the fight,” Vadim grinned wolfishly, as though the father of one of his closest friends hadn’t just fuckingdied.
We all coped with grief in different ways.
I tuned them out as they continued to debate how to proceed, nodding at the appropriate times. I wanted nothing more than to find my tent and collapse onto my bedroll, but it appeared that was not an option. What I could do was find something to eat, so I excused myself and went in search of a fire that would have a cook or two providing hot meals for the soldiers.
After accepting a steaming bowl of stew and some bread, I scarfed down the food, hungrier than I thought. I returned for a second helping before deciding I’d had enough if I didn’t want it all to come up in a few hours’ time. Fighting was much easier on an empty stomach – especially with what Kazimir was asking me to do.
We rodeinto Vlisa with a trail of fire and blood in our wake. The Night Realm’s soldiers tossed torches into buildings along every outlying town between our camp and the capital of the Crystal Realm, and villagers who joined up with the retreating army were slaughtered alongside them. Those who fled were allowed to race away, because our target was Blire Palace, where King Airre and Queen Immonen were no doubt watching our advance. Their palace was beautiful, with a strategic advantage of being able to see for miles in every direction, but that night, the only thing visible was red.
The crystal palace reflected the color of the water, and the once ethereal structure looked more like an omen as we approached it. Residents of Vlisa had already taken refuge – either outside the city or in their homes. I cared not, so long as they weren’t in our path. The streets were barren, save for the remaining Crystal Fae soldiers, who took one look at the advancing army and retreated to the palace courtyard.
Kazimir split the line of the Night Realm’s army as he rode to the gates. “Surrender and no more harm will befall you!”
King Airre appeared behind a dozen rows of soldiers, his white hair disheveled as if he had been pulling at it while he watched us destroy his realm. “You will pay for this!”
“From where I sit, it looks like I have already won. Who will make me pay for this? You?” Kazimir tipped his head back and laughed, an obnoxious, grating sound designed to intimidate but only serving to irritate me.
The king of the Crystal Realm punched the side of his palace, before turning to converse with someone out of view. “Fine. We surrender. On one condition.”
“Name it,” Kazimir shouted with a wave of his hand.
A stone settled in my stomach because I knew what King Airre would ask for, and had no doubt that Kazimir would not hold to his promise.
“I want my mate to live.”
And there it was.
“Done,” Kazimir replied. “Open the gates.”
They swung inward noiselessly, and Kazimir guided his mount through them, followed by the rest of his nobles. The sea of Crystal Fae parted for him, quickly cornered and surrounded by our own soldiers.
Kazimir dismounted, handing the reins to Kaztar, and King Airre stepped from within the doors of his palace and into the night. He threw up a smattering of floating lights, the rest of the Night Fae adding to them so the space around us was nearly as bright as day. No one wanted to miss what happened next, and it made me sick.
Slowly, the rest of the Crystal Realm’s male nobles trickled out, mothers clutching children to their chests as if they could protect them from what was about to happen. Blire’s inner halls were lined with witnesses, and I only hoped that some could find away to escape this place and tell someone, fucking anyone, what had happened.
King Airre knelt on the ground, lifting his ceremonial sword and dipping his head in deference to Kazimir. Then, he spoke the official words of surrender.
Air caught in my throat as I watched the scene unfold in slow motion.
Kazimir accepted the blade, and in one smooth motion, drew it and sliced through the neck of the king of the Crystal Realm. A shriek like nothing of this world shattered the shock around us, and Queen Immonen burst from within the palace, helpless as her mate’s head hit the ground. She fell at his side, a sob wrenching free as she grabbed at his falling body.
She never managed to close her hands around his tunic. Her long, platinum hair fluttered to the ground, mixing with her husband’s as the mates joined each other in death.
Bile rose in my throat, and it took all my focus to breathe slowly through my nostrils and keep the contents of my stomach down.
Beside me, Vadim and Viktor were stone-faced, not even flinching as two Fae we’d spent considerable time with were mercilessly slaughtered. Only Kaztar had the decency to glance away from the scene and gather himself.
The Crystal Realm’s nobles stood in utter shock, blinking and unable to speak as the blood of their monarchs pooled at their feat. Kazimir cast them a dismissive glance before addressing his army.
“We have won a great victory on this day. The Crystal Realm is ours!” A roar rose up from the soldiers, riding the high of their victory. Then, he turned to the Crystal Realm’s forces. “Anyone who will pledge loyalty to me here and now will keep their lives. Otherwise, you will be executed.”
A fucking tyrant.
The thought crossed my mind before I even realized it, and in that moment, I knew that staying in the Night Realm was no longer an option for me. I had to get out, I had to find Liliana, and I had to save the rest of my friends from Kazimir’s madness.
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