by Wendy Knight
She squinted, wishing for Nakomi's eyesight. When the big wolf barked, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Something was very wrong. She turned back to Brodi's window just as he crashed against it, shattering the glass. Kazia screamed, and without realizing it she was running, Nakomi on her heels.
They burst through the wide front doors, flinging them open and leaving them a gaping entrance to the night air as Kazia sprinted to the stairs, lifting her nightgown and robe above her ankles as she took the stairs two at a time. Her heart was in her throat, making it difficult to breathe, and her blood roared through her ears.
"Help! Help!" she screeched as she hit the second landing and continued on to the third, cursing her short legs. She reached the top and spun toward Brodi's room, screaming for help the entire way. Where are the blasted guards?
Brodi's door was open, just a crack, and Kazia didn't pause as she shouldered into it, bursting into the room. Nakomi was ferocious behind her, growling and barking, foam bubbling at her jaws.
There was blood. Lots of blood. "Guards!" Kazia screamed again, slipping in a sticky puddle. She skidded to her brother's side where he still lay by the shattered window. His eyes were wide and unseeing.
"Broderick? Brodi?" She sobbed. There was no life there. Nakomi stood with her back to Kazia, growling while she watched the door.
"Stay, Nakomi. Protect him. I must tell Father." Kazia choked as she pushed herself to her feet, backing away from her brother's lifeless body, her feet making sucking noises as she pulled them from the pooled blood. She could see that Nakomi was not pleased having Kazia leave her side, but she would do what she was told.
When Kazia lost them to the shadows, she turned and sprinted down the hallway, up another flight of stairs to her parents' quarters. Below, she could finally hear the sound of pounding feet — the guards were coming. They were yelling, something about the princess, but Kazia didn't stop. To stop she would have to acknowledge the horror — Brodi, her lifelong protector and best friend, was dead. Her parents would know what to do. Her father always knew what to do.
But when she rounded the corner and saw the door to their room was also slightly ajar, she knew. "No. No no no no no," she wailed as she pushed into the room. There was not as much blood here, until she got to the bed. It looked as if neither the king or queen had put up a fight, and blood still seeped from wounds in both their chests. It had been a messy job, but both their eyes were still closed, as if in sleep.
"Mother? Father?" She went to shake her mother's shoulder, but a sound in the dead silence of the room caught her attention. She froze, hands inches from her mother's still body.
A scuffle. Someone was in the sitting room outside. Kazia's heart stopped in horror. "Mother, Father, please wake up." She sobbed as she pushed at both of them, but there was no response.
A dull thump, like someone knocking into furniture, just outside the door. Kazia stumbled backward, her eyes on the doorway as the handle turned. She whirled and dove for the closet, or what her mother used as a closet — it was actually a small sitting room — burying herself in her mother's many fine dresses. Her bloody hands left smears across the soft fabric, and she was sorry. Her fingers stuck to the knob as she pulled the door shut behind her, making sucking noises as she wrenched her hand away. Her breath froze in her lungs as she heard the outer door swing open across the plush rug in the entryway.
Cowering against the far wall, not daring even to breathe, she waited to be discovered. She wanted to sob. She wanted to mourn, but she was too frightened to even move. What if they're still alive? She had abandoned them.
She could hear footsteps, coming across the room. The intruder was not quiet, not even attempting stealth. This was not a professional assassin, by any means. The footsteps paused and the door to the armoire creaked. She shoved her shaking fist to her mouth to keep from screaming, biting hard on her knuckles.
A low growl, menacing, terrifying, shook the room.
"Nakomi, down. Get away from me." The voice was familiar, even in its panic, but Kazia's frightened mind couldn't place it. Nakomi, no. Run! she thought frantically, but Nakomi barked and the closet walls shook violently as the big wolf pounced.
Kazia struggled to the door, trying to push it open but she was tangled in the clothes. By the time she fought herself free, the sounds from outside the armoire had stopped. She flung the door open, praying she wouldn't see Nakomi as lifeless as her family.
The big wolf stood with her back to Kazia, breathing heavily, but alive. "Nakomi, come!" Kazia sobbed, pulling her into the armoire and tugging the door shut behind them. She wished for a lock and knew, somewhere in a part of her mind that was still rational, that there was no sense whatsoever hiding in a closet, but she buried her face against Nakomi's sticky fur and stifled her sobs. "Are you hurt? Please tell me you're not hurt." She felt for tender spots as she whispered over and over, but her wolf, of course, didn't respond. She had ceased growling and now sat silently, as tangled in the dresses as Kazia was.
More footsteps, lots of them as the room was invaded and light flooded under the closet door. "There's smoke coming from the east wing!"
The armoire door flung open and light blinded Kazia. She buried her face in Nakomi's fur until the light faded a bit, and then she looked up, shielding her eyes. "Luke," she cried.
"Kazia, are you hurt? Where are you hurt?" He pulled her out and she tumbled into his arms. The room was full of guards.
"I was calling for help, but no one came and, Luke, Brodi is… they're all—" She sobbed again and he pulled her against him, his hands stroking her hair.
"I know. I know." He gently pushed her away so he could peer into her face. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, biting her lip to stifle her sobs.
"Then where is the blood—?" He paused as Nakomi limped to their side, finally ridding herself of the silk and satin, and Kazia looked down.
Nakomi was covered in blood.
"Nakomi, no," Kazia whimpered as the room began to spin and tip sideways.
"Captain, the castle is on fire! We have to leave immediately!"
She didn't fight it; the blackness that overtook her was safe and welcome.
About the Author
WENDY KNIGHT is the award-winning, bestselling author of the young adult series Fate on Fire and Riders of Paradesos. She was born and raised in Utah by a wonderful family who spoiled her rotten because she was the baby. Now she spends her time driving her husband crazy with her many eccentricities (no water after five, terror when faced with a live phone call…). She also enjoys chasing her three adorable kids, playing tennis, watching football, reading, and hiking. Camping is also big: her family is slowly working toward a goal of seeing all the National Parks in the U.S.
You can usually find her with at least one Pepsi nearby, wearing ridiculously high heels for whatever the occasion may be. And if everything works out just right, she will also be writing.
Find her online:
Blog: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyKnight
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wjk8099
Instagram: http://instagram.com/wendyjo99
Wattpad: http://wattpad.com/WendyKnight
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/WendyKnight/e/B00BWU9NBE/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1405620608&sr=1-2-ent
Also by Wendy Knight
Fate on Fire Series
Feudlings
Feudlings in Flames
Feudlings in Sight
Feudlings in Smoke
Spark of a Feudling
Riders of Paradesos Series
Warrior Beautiful
Warrior Everlasting
Gates of Atlantis Series
Banshee at the Gate
Stand-Alone
Shattered Assassin
The Soul's Agent
Star-Crossed Hurricane
(also available in Trouble Enough: A Collection)
Coming Soon
&n
bsp; Warrior Innocent
With These Wings
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15