Scarlett landed gracefully next to the two Hova. Prince Marcellus groaned, while the assassin finally managed to lift himself from the ground. He had lost one of his knives, but he quickly grabbed the other one and held it out in front of Scarlett. “I don’t want any trouble with you, Karaina,” he said, taking a few steps back. “Oh, but you’ve already started trouble by hurting your prince,” Scarlett said, edging closer to him with her swords raised.  It was hard for her not to take her eyes off Prince Marcellus’s body. A dark pool of blackish blood was already forming beneath his face. It stained his cheek, and his breathing was becoming rougher. If she had any magic, she would have been able to end this so quickly. But all she had were her swords. So she charged. The assassin was fast, as he had proven before while fighting Prince Marcellus. He swayed out of the way just before Scarlett’s sword pierced his torso. Then he took a s

Mimbi woke up feeling like she had been run over by a prancing horse, one that had stepped on her and then danced over her with gusto. She had never experienced such pain, not even when she had been burnt by her fellow trainees or thrown back while sparring. The wounds on her legs and begun to heal, but the bruises and pain would take longer to subside. Trying to ignore the pain, she focused on her other senses. Her tent was dim in the early morning light, and the cool air caressing her skin was a blessing. Outside, the birds were beginning to sing. She also heard the stirring of the camp rising. Someone poured a bucket of water out. Another person was hauling things that clanked against each other. She managed to turn around and realized someone had changed her bandages during the night. There was a basin of bloodied bandages sitting next to her cot. Part of her wanted to burn everything to the ground. She was confident she could

In the topmost tower of Castle Sang, King Davorin looked out into the city below him. The sun was setting behind the infinite blue ocean, but he wasn't the kind of person who noticed those things.His eyes were set on roofs, streets, and people of Hovania, his pride, and glory.He had built the city from scratch, turning a small, sprawling port town into a proper city with almost a million inhabitants.Today had been a long day of meetings, planning, and debating. But he was extremely satisfied with his council. Everything was in place for the upcoming, and hopefully, final attack on the realms of men.He lifted a copper goblet and drank from it. The blood was still fresh, and he downed it in one go. It tasted slightly tangy as if the person had been eating some kind of citrus fruit the day the blood was extracted from him or her. Soon, he wouldn't need to send scouting trips to get more humans to feed off.It was true that he had a big stock, over

"That's impossible," Scarlett said. "No one can wield lightning."  Marcellus began to fiddle with some of the knickknacks on the boudoir, examining the hairpins and accessories that the maids had been so insistent that Scarlett wear to the dinner party the other day. "Hello?" she said a little louder.  "Sorry, I was just thinking that we're living in interesting times," Marcellus said, facing Scarlett again.  "Interesting? You call everything that has happened to the Karainas interesting? There's nothing interesting in seeing the people you grew up with, cut to pieces and burying dozens in the same day. There's nothing interesting about leaving the place you call home to search for your best friend and children because they've been kidnapped. CHILDREN!" Scarlett began to yell, and she didn't care who heard her.  "You really do have a flair for the dramatic, don't you?" Marcellus said with a stoic look on h

Edda's hand was beginning to get cold despite Luca holding it in his. He didn't know how long he had been sitting on the bed by her side, but he didn't want to let go. She looked asleep, albeit a little pale, as if she was bound to wake up any moment now. But no amount of wishful thinking was going to bring her back.  Luca was no stranger to death; he had become a soldier at thirteen and captain of the Golden Company at seventeen. He sat with many a soldier until they gave their last breaths. But Edda was her aunt, and the closest relative he had. Even if they had grown distant throughout the years—she being too busy ruling the kingdom and him with his soldiers—she was family, nevertheless. The door behind him opened and the soldier part of his brain told him he had to turn around immediately. Rule number one: never give your back to a door when you're vulnerable. Especially now when the kingdom was without a monarch. He didn't think anyone would oppos