The Crowned (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga, Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page B

white
paint peeling and smoldering as the ashes of enemies floated slowly through the
air to the ground below.
    Again and again Seth sprang into the air, only to land once
more and extinguish the lives of his foes within moments. When nearly all upon
the walls or climbing them were destroyed, there remained yet another task for
the dark prince. Reaching into the city, he found those infected by the change.
There were nearly two hundred, and the number was rapidly growing. Focusing his
mind he tugged at the sparks of life from each and every one of them, wincing
as he separated the life of a young baby and its mother. Power rushed into him,
but with so few foes remaining he turned as the battle came to an end, and
strode towards his brother, the king.
    * * * * *
    Anna watched as the beast-man nearest her exploded in size,
howling as it turned to look down the wall of overrun defenders. There a winged
man settled upon the wall, and even at this distance she recognized him. It was
Lord Seth, the prince of Valdadore. She had met the man once, in the tavern
where she had been employed. She had personally served the man and his young
wife. Essentially, he had made her who she was. For that reason she did not
know whether to praise the man considered a god among mortals, or loathe him.
    She watched as he snuffed out the first round of enemies
with nothing but a thought. The defenders cheered. Though she was not the
enemy, she truly wasn’t an ally either. Anna realized that if she did not flee,
her end was near. Unlike these fledglings that fell from the wall to splatter
on the ground below, Anna leapt into the darkness, digging her nails into the
stone of the wall as she plummeted downward, slowing her descent. She had been
feeding unhindered for weeks. Her spawn already numbered near a hundred and
they had spawned hundreds more. But most from outlying towns had gone south
seeking prey, instead of coming here to Valdadore.
    She struck the ground, jarring both her ankles and knees, and
waited a few moments until her ligaments repaired themselves before sprinting
away from the city, careful to avoid Sigrant’s camp as well. Looking back over
her shoulder, she glanced to the top of the wall where she could see the
immense king in all of his shining glory. Something about him called to her. He
had looked upon her differently than any other man. She would return to
discover why, after the prince departed. That is, if Valdadore survived
the war.
    * * * * *
    Garret strode towards his brother, releasing his blessing,
not really believing what just happened. In that moment, nothing in the world
made sense. His head spun, as if in a dream, and he found it hard to breathe,
let alone wrap his mind around what it was that he saw. He had seen his
brother’s corpse. Seth had died. Nearly the entire kingdom of Valdadore
had witnessed his body impaled on the battlefield. This was an apparition, his
brother’s ghost of some sort. Seth had died.
    “Garret,” Seth said smiling, his eyes wet with emotion.
    “Seth?”
    “Of course. Who else?”
    “Seth… You’re dead.”
    “I was, yes, but now I’m not.”
    “You can’t come back…” Garret paused, his tortured mind
spinning. “Is Dad with you?”
    “No, Garret,” Seth replied with a choking sob, obviously
fighting his emotions. “It’s just me.”
    “But Dad died too, right? And Jack?”
    “Yes, Garret, and I am sorry. It is all my fault, and I
can’t fix it.
    “But… how?” Garret managed.
    “I struck a bargain with Ishanya to return, it seems she has
yet more plans for me.”
    “But you’re really you?”
    “Yes, Garret.”
    “And you have wings?”
    “Yes.”
    “What do we do then?” Garret asked, his mind still unable to
understand what was going on in entirety.
    “We prepare to hold your city against an enemy, the likes of
which the world has never seen.”
    “So what should we do?”
    “They won’t attack during the day. Get everyone healed and
rested, you