Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78886 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
At my birth mother’s urging, a guard rushed over to turn a crank on the rack, pulling Juniper’s limbs taunt. Her back bowed, and a muffled scream escaped her gag.
Deco’s scowl deepened. “Stop,” he barked. “I did not give you permission to harm her.”
“Enough!” I screamed, swiping up the dagger Valkara had given me and rushing to the bars.
Viktor rolled his shoulders, grabbed my hand, and I gripped Bodi’s through the bars. We became a berserker daisy chain. Together, we walked out of the cages.
Deco and Valkara cursed. The guards rushed at us. Bodi charged at them. The rage I’d been too drained to summon earlier torched me in seconds. But this time, I didn’t lose my thoughts. I remained present. Ice cold, but focused.
Knowing Viktor would deal with Deco, I locked my sights on Valkara, who paled.
“She’s all yours.” Without taking his gaze from the enemy, Viktor leaned down and pressed a quick kiss into my cheek. “Do whatever you like with her. I care not.”
“You trust me to win?” Wonder filled me for a thousand different reasons.
“From the moment I met you, love, you have always found a way to do so.” That said, he ran at Deco, who ran at him. They converged in the middle of the underground chamber, two wild animals determined to claim the title of king of the jungle. Despite everything I’d witnessed since waking up in a strange new world, their savagery shocked me.
“Consequences go both ways, mother dearest,” I purred to Valkara. High on Viktor’s confidence in me, I tightened my grip on my dagger and stalked toward her.
She stalked toward me, too. To block me from approaching Juniper? We stopped mere feet away from each other. I stared into gray eyes, missing only the hints of gold to match mine. We might share physical similarities, but nothing of importance. I had zero in common with this selfish woman bent on the destruction of her own children.
“Look at me, alive and well, despite your best efforts,” I said, spreading my arms. Heat unfurled deep in my chest and spread along my limbs, collecting in my fingertips, where claws sprouted.
I darted my gaze to Juniper. She struggled to free herself from the rack, and my rage burned deeper. Deeper still.
“I knew it would come to this.” As smug as before, Valkara added, “Just wait till you see what comes next.”
Let her intimidate me? No. Enough chit-chat. I swiped out my claws. With the grace of a gazelle, she leaned back, arching her spine, avoiding contact, ensuring I only sliced through air.
She brushed a piece of lint from her robe. “Is that all you’ve got? Honestly, I expected better.”
Must have vengeance! Must pour all the anguish I’d experienced wondering about who she was, what she was like, if she hoped to meet me as much as I hoped to meet her, into her body until she split apart at the seams. Yes!
A small, rational thought held me steady. Did she purposely antagonize me, hoping I’d lose myself in a berserkerage?
I settled for spewing a taunt of my own. “I might have mourned your loss the first part of my life, but I will celebrate your loss during the time that remains.” This evil woman would never harm my loved ones again.
“You think you can win because you haven’t yet read the writing on the wall. News flash. It spells doom. You cannot defeat me, Clover.” Smile widening, Valkara purred, “Time for Momma to deliver her first spanking.”
I blinked and suddenly she held my dagger, and I did not. Shock didn’t have a chance to form. She shoved the blade into my gut. Agony seared me, and stars flashed over my vision. Grunting, I hunched over. Liquid rushed up my throat, and crimson spilled from my mouth. I was getting really tired of being stabbed.
Juniper screamed and Viktor roared, the sounds seeming to travel through a narrow tunnel as my vision constricted. Dizzying darkness closed in…
“Love!” Viktor snarled.
“Clover,” my twin sobbed.
The darkness retreated, or I stepped from its path, their voices a lifeline leading me into the light. Inhale. Exhale. Good, that was good. My head ceased spinning.
I took stock. Valkara watched me, curious. The battle between kings hadn’t lessened. They used the entire space, doing laps around Valkara and me, sometimes slamming into Bodi and his opponents, the number of which had dwindled significantly. Juniper had released one leg from her shackles and fought to liberate her remaining limbs.
“You killed Lena,” Deco bellowed at the berserker king. “You will know my pain!”
“You killed her when you believed her lies,” Viktor spat.
With gritted teeth, I straightened and plucked the bloody blade free from my stomach. Never had I been more grateful for supernatural healing. “You will pay for that, too,” I told my mother.
“I’ve wrangled primordials for centuries,” she said, oh, so casual. “I’m not new to battle. As you can feel.”