Lord of Embers(The Demon Queen Trials #2)(59)

Luckily, it was incredibly hard to kill a demon, so there shouldn’t be any accidental deaths.

I hoped.

I cocked my head, staring from my perch on the windy tower wall at the army amassed at the base of the tower. They were everywhere.

They hadn’t swarmed the place like this when I’d been here before, so what had changed?

.

Orion

I pieced it together. Of course. He’d entered the king’s chambers, searching for the book I’d lied about. Guilt coiled in my chest. I hoped he hadn’t been captured. But he’d made it clear that I was on my

very

own.

I glanced behind me, searching the skies for signs of him, as if he might swoop in at the last moment and ruin my plans. Only the constellations gleamed above me.

At my best guess, it was around five-thirty a.m. Apart from the army, the whole city was asleep, windows darkened in stone buildings but for a sprinkle of lights. The sun would be rising soon, and with any luck, people would wake to the sight of me ripping out Cambriel’s heart.

Proof I was destined to lead.

With that glorious thought in mind, I took off from the parapet, soaring under the stars. The night wind rushed over me, skimming through my hair and feathers. Around the Tower of Baal, the soldiers shouted and stirred in alarm. A great bell tolled, echoing off the stones.

On the one hand, that was unfortunate. If Orion was anywhere nearby, the noise would alert him to my attack. What’s more, the king would have time to prepare. On the other hand, I wanted the city awake. I needed an audience when I eviscerated their king.

Arrows flew through the air, and I picked up speed, climbing higher and out of their reach.

My gaze locked on a spot a few stories down from where the king slept, a balcony open to the air, an arch of stones overlooking the sea. I angled my wings and swept to a landing. Leaving the balcony, I crossed into a ballroom painted with murals of beautiful, winged Lilu. A golden light glowed in the deep blue marble floor. My five-pointed star had appeared.

Roughly a dozen soldiers in royal blue rushed at me, swords drawn.

I folded my wings and lifted my hands, summoning the heat. It crackled in my chest, surging down my shoulders, arms, and wrists, and I unleashed a stream of fire in a protective arc around me. No one could walk through those flames without burning.

What would Mortana say at a time like this?

“Do you see my mark?” I shouted, my voice ringing in the marble hall. “I was made to rule. If you defy me, you will burn. And you should know that the king who sleeps in his room is a false king.”

The soldiers stumbled back to avoid the fire. Regrouping, they pelted me with arrows. I ducked, but an arrow hit me in the shoulder, ripping through my muscle. I fell to my knees.

Just as Tammuz had taught me, I blocked out the pain and stayed on the offensive. From my knees, I let out another stream of fire. In the ensuing confusion, no one could aim properly. Gritting my teeth, I broke the arrow in half and ripped it out of my shoulder, grimacing as it tore my muscle. As soon as it was out, the wound began to heal.

I got to my feet and pressed on, fire streaming from my hands.

Bright orange flames lit the darkness, warm light that danced over beautifully carved statues. Screams echoed from the tower’s interior, and chaos reigned. People were alight, uniforms burning. They tumbled from the balcony, screaming on the way down. In the tower, balconies overlooked a fire pit far below, and curving stairways led between the floors. Shouting, the soldiers rushed to get away from me, fleeing the heat.

As I opened my wings to take flight to the top floor, another arrow pierced my bicep, hitting bone. Pain sent a shockwave through me. Block it ou t, Row an .

Glancing up, I saw the archer above me. He was protecting the king’s door. I blocked out the noise and confusion, and summoned the calm of the forest.

Taking aim, I unleashed a stream of fire at the upper story. The blazing archer screamed and dropped his weapon. Behind him, the closely packed group of soldiers caught fire and leapt off the balcony to douse the flames, like breath blowing out a birthday candle.

I yanked the arrow out, blood spilling onto the floor. I’d better make this quick before they riddled me with arrows. I’d been focusing on the archer, and the protective ring of fire around me had dwindled. A swordsman lunged at me, and I sidestepped. Grabbing his wrist as I’d practiced so many times with Tammuz, I slammed his hands hard into the stone balcony, and he dropped his weapon.

My wings unfurled, and I took to the air, soaring to the top of the tower. Cool starlight streamed in through an oculus. Soldiers gathered outside the king’s door, swords ready. The alarms were maddeningly loud, making it hard to think.

My heart was pounding hard, my body buzzing with adrenaline.

Why wasn’t Orion here, trying to stop me?

A soldier loosed an arrow at me, but his hands were shaking, and it went wide.

“Go!” My voice boomed over the tower. “You can see by the mark I bear that I am your queen.”

“Not while the king still lives!” another shouted. “Only his heir can kill him. And he has no heir.”

Two more arrows skimmed past my head.

I held up my hands. Fire crackled along my arms and danced from my fingertips. “Cambriel is not the true king. You will understand when you see his heartless corpse lying in your streets.”

They were good soldiers, and they weren’t moving from his door.