My grip tightens around the hilt of the dagger and a vicious smile splits my lips. This will be a satisfying end to the war that plagues me and my people. They can return home. And we will return Alnembra to its former glory. If I don’t die tonight, that is.
I steal across the room in silence, the plush carpets at my feet stifling any sound. My eyes narrow as a tuft of black hair comes into view. I see Sadal then, sleeping on his back, arms at his sides. His chest doesn’t rise and fall with any breath, but I know he’s alive. I watch him for a moment, studying his body for any signs that he might be awake. His eyelashes flutter as his eyes rove behind the lids. He’s dreaming. I suppress a scowl. I don’t want to know what he dreams about; I can only imagine it’s as violent and cruel as him.
The blade is growing heavier in my hands by the second and I can feel an itch between my shoulder blades. I’m anxious. Eager, even, to kill him. Time is running short. My army should be in position by now, ready to slaughter the demons when the Bloodbane lose their control.
I close my eyes, picturing the bruises on Verity’s neck. Images flash through my mind; torn corpses on the field, the pile of bodies and gore I was trapped in, my people fleeing from their homes. Anger coils deep in my chest, tightening around my heart. I open my eyes, finding Sadal’s peaceful face. He deserves this.
Fore Verity. For my people. For me.
I lift the dagger over his chest, the deadly blade angled towards his heart. With this single strike, I’ll make him mortal. And in the next, I’ll carve his heart out. Suddenly, a horn sounds and my gut lurches. My army has been sighted by their scouts. There’s a flurry of activity beyond the tent walls as Bloodbane awaken and rush to their deadwood brooms. All of this in a single instant, before my blade has even punctured his flesh. My eyes dart back towards Sadal.
His black eyes fly open, already locked on me. He grins.
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Chapter One
Altair
Sadal slashes at me with an ebony dagger and I leap back, breathing hard. Sweat shines on my forehead as I dance around Sadal’s deadly attacks. Beyond the walls of the tent, I can hear my forces clashing with the demons and the Bloodbane witches.
I block one of Sadal’s blows with my own short blade and dart away to create some distance between us. His eyes are dark, but they’ve lost their otherworldly glimmer. He’s nothing more than a Fae like me now. I lunge forward, the thought giving me courage. I swipe at him and blood blooms on the white sleeve of his loose tunic. He growls, glowering at me. A flash of satisfaction flits through me at the sight and I grin.
“How does it feel, Sadal?” I ask, breathing hard.
“I’ll tell you how it feels when you’re bleeding out at my feet,” he snaps.
I duck as one of his daggers flies through the space my head just occupied. Gritting my teeth, I rush him, blade raised. He dodges me, his dagger digging into my ribs. Pain flares in my side, like a hot poker against my flesh. I hiss in pain, dancing out of his reach. I touch my ribs lightly and pull my hand into the light; it glimmers with blood. He grins wickedly, prowling around me like a predator.
“When I’m done with you,” he purrs, “The demons will spread across the continent, killing everything in their path. You’ve failed, Altair.”
“I won’t have failed until I’m dead,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Just prolonging the inevitable.” His smile stretches wide.
I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks now, since I saw Sadal sling Verity over his shoulder. My blood pounds loudly in my ears, drowning out the sounds of battle around us. Flashes of light in the distance, and I know the sun soldiers are lighting huge swaths of enemies on fire. But I have eyes only for Sadal.
My enemy and I lunge for each other’s throats. We clash violently, bodies slamming together. We wrestle, my arm locked tightly around Sadal’s throat. He claws at my face, tearing gashes in my cheeks. I grit my teeth and force the dagger from his hand, tossing it aside. His eyes bulge as my arm squeezes around his windpipe. Suddenly, the tent flap flies open, the light of dawn spilling into the room.
“We have to retreat, the demons –”
My head snaps towards Maaz’s voice. Her blue eyes are wide, locked on Sadal, slowly suffocating in my grip. She snarls, perfect lips curled back over perfect teeth. I roll to the side, releasing Sadal, just as she leaps at me.
She swipes at me with her poisoned tipped blade, looking wild. “Altair,” she cackles. “I should have known you were behind this.”
“Behind what?” I ask, dodging her dagger.
“The demons are loosed,” she hisses. “What have you done to him?”
I slam into her, using my height and weight to knock the slight woman off her feet. Her dagger falls from her hands when she crashes into the floor. She rolls to the side, but I leap on top of her, dragging her away from her blade. She writhes beneath me, screaming for Sadal. He’s coughing, hand on his throat but he can hardly rise. I grin, a sense of victory welling inside me at the sight of him crippled.
Maaz punches me, her nails raking
