I had no other choice but to watch in terror as five guards hurried towards my prince, ready to attack him, their swords already out. I did not expect to see Ansgar break free of them in less than two minutes, striking each one with precision. Not to kill, but enough to injure or knock out.
He rested on his sword, his elbow on the hilt while his jaw situated itself over his knuckles, a curious look on his features.
“Is that all you have for me, king?” he spat, daring the royal. I tried to escape Rhylan yet again, terrified of what would happen, decided to put myself in front of him and be used as a human shield if necessary, everything in my power to protect him from the wrath of the king.
“If you want your mate to taste your blood at her engagement party, I can do nothing but oblige,” the King retorted, clicking his fingers.
Suddenly, an entire army appeared from behind the dais, as armed as Ansgar was, ready to strike.
“No!” I heard myself shout with desperation. “No, please!” I screamed at the top of my lungs until a hand covered my mouth, muffling my panic. “Shut the fuck up!” Rhylan ordered and grabbed my chin, and my entire face along with it, slaying me tighter onto him.
I couldn’t watch this, couldn’t let this happen, but no matter how hard I tried to escape, the fireling’s force stopped me in my tracks.
“You may have many things, king,” Ansgar replied while the guards moved to circle around him, “but the loyalty of your court is not one of them.” His voice echoed rough, scarred even, as if he too understood how dangerous the situation had become.
I turned to the king, ready to beg, ready to do anything he asked for to stop this, but the challenge I observed in his eyes told me that this was it. Ansgar had touched a nerve and no matter what I did, no matter what I said, there was no turning back.
I turned my attention to my prince, and Rhylan surprisingly let me, positioning me in such a way that I had a perfect view of my mate. And the circle of soldiers around him.
Ansgar turned and looked at me. Smiling. His eyes glinted and hesmiled.
“No!” A muffled cry escaped my lips, but before I could do anything else, a whistle silenced me. A whistle coming from Ansgar’s lips, a calling of some sort, and not a second later the doors to the grand hall shuddered as a multitude of soldiers came rushing through. Marreth, one of them. I took a sharp breath as I watched a hoard of soldiers shoving their way inside … and fighting the king’s guard. Fighting alongside Ansgar.
After that everything turned blurry, there were screams and blood, people running to save themselves or running into battle, I did not know. I found myself on the ground, by the dais and only turned enough to spot Rhylan running away with the queen, covering her with his own body as they made their way out of the room.
I started shaking, not knowing what to do, where to go, unable to stand. I was covered in blood. Why was I covered in blood? I couldn’t do anything but look around, even my gaze trembled at the surrounding gore.
“Fahrenor, come,” a voice called for me, grabbing me from behind and shoving me against a hard chest.
“Ansgar…” I turned to see him, blood running down his face. He smiled. He smiled at me and oh my god, how my heart fluttered at the sight of him. He was alive and had come for me.
“Come, my love, hurry,” my prince said as he grabbed me, dragging me along to get me out of the hall, just like Rhylan had done with the queen. I was nestled tightly against his torso, his left arm covering my head and as much of me as he could while the other swung a sword to make way for us to leave, stopping and throwing blows from time to time. I did not want to think, did not want to understand beyond that protective hold of his, and especially, did not want to see what was happening around.
I followed him blindly, focusing on him, on his orange and rain scent that even now, perceived underneath the metallic tang of the blood he was covered in. We were both covered in. I could only focus on him, at the closeness and his heart, still breathing inside his chest. As we took hurried steps through the corridors. I needed to understand that he was alive, that his heart kept beating and this was truly real, soI started counting them, my mind unable to think beyond anything else. He was alive. And he was here.
His heartbeat.
I could sense it.
Every breath, every heartbeat, meant that my prince remained by my side and since I could not control anything happening around me, I focused on that one thing, the most important of them all. The beating of his heart. Nothing else mattered as I started counting every single thump.
Thirty-six…. thirty-seven… Someone found us, a soldier, and rushed to attack. Ansgar’s torso moved and I heard muffled cries. I closed my eyes and continued to count. His heart beat stronger, overwhelmed by the effort. It bothered me, that he was moving. I was afraid I'd miss some of his beats. How could I continue counting if I missed them?
Seventy-three…. we were moving and his arm tightened around me again, allowing me to bask in his warmth. I couldn't see him for some reason. I didn’t know if my eyes were closed or if there was no light in the corridors.
Where are we going? Did I ask him that? I really wanted to ask him that. One hundred thirty...one hundred thirty-one… he shifted again and stopped. Why was he stopping? I did not understand.
One hundred fifty-eight…
“Is it done?” Ansgar’s chest moved, the vibrations making me think he was the one speaking.
“Yes, prince, it is done,” another voice answered far away.
One hundred eighty-three… Ansgar was pushing me away from him, leaving me bare to the darkness, away from his warmth. From his chest.
“No, I have to count,” I shivered. “I have to keep counting,” I said, my trembling hands struggling to retake my place.
“Fahrenor, listen,” he moved my head so I could see him. I blinked. He looked beautiful. Even with the blood and the cuts across his face, he looked beautiful.
