Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Damn,” Everand muttered under his breath and tightened his grip on Hugo.
“If the king of Wulia is so eager to send his regards, he could have chosen a more civilized manner than attacking my guests,” King Hubert bellowed. His deep voice thundered through the room and crashed into the high ceiling and walls. “Release that woman!”
“I would, but holding her means I have your full attention, which is what King Victor requires,” the attacker countered.
The king’s face reddened, and his voice trembled in his rage. “Guards! Guards! Seize this man!”
But no guards rushed out. There was banging on the various doors around the room as the palace guards attempted to enter the ballroom, but all the entrances were barred. Hugo’s heart leaped into his throat as he scanned the ballroom to find steely-eyed men in suits holding daggers and swords. There were even a few positioned up on the second-floor overlook. They’d shoved aside the orchestra and had small crossbows trained on them.
Everand released Hugo’s hand, and it felt like Hugo’s heart stopped. Hugo latched on to the prince’s sleeve as he took a step forward. “What are you doing?” he hissed.
“Something. I don’t know. I can’t let them hurt that woman or my parents.”
It was the answer he’d expected to hear from Everand. He was not the type to let others act for him.
“Do you have a weapon?”
“I’ll figure something out.”
Hugo took that to mean, “No, I’m not armed, but I’m a stubborn, noble moron.”
With a growl, Hugo jerked Everand deeper into the crowd. “Give me a moment. It won’t be perfect.” He kept pulling the prince until they were close to one of the columns.
Everand dipped his head down, pressing his face close to Hugo’s so he could whisper. “What are you doing?”
Hugo ignored his question and focused on the swirl of magic rising from within him. He threw out his free hand with a twist of his wrist, and a spiral of glass formed into the shape of a dagger. As it formed, he made the handle extra thick and sturdy. The only problem was that his craft didn’t allow him to create a sharp edge. Just an extra pointy tip. The knife wasn’t too bad for stabbing but horrible for slashing.
“Really?” Everand gasped.
“Just a second.” Hugo peered about to make sure no one was paying attention to them before tapping the edge of the glass blade into the marble column. The sound of breaking glass cut through the room, but several glasses had shattered in the chaos. No one seemed to pay much attention to it as the king and attacker continued to argue.
The edge of the blade was jagged and sharp. With a few more magical touches to seal up some fractures, Hugo handed it over to Everand and began making one of his own.
“Please remember, it’s glass. It can’t stand up to direct blows from a sword,” Hugo admonished.
“You got a plan to go with this lunacy?” Everand teased as he tested the heft of the knife.
“It appears they have only a dozen men with them. We need to get a single door open to allow the palace guards to storm the ballroom to turn this in our favor. You take the door closest to your parents. I’ll take the one to the right. Both are protected from the archers on the upper floor.”
“Good plan. Don’t get hurt, or I will be very unhappy,” Everand commanded. That felt like a very large understatement. He stole a forceful kiss and darted away.
Hugo’s heart hammered and his lungs squeezed, refusing to draw in a full breath. What the devil was he even thinking? Taking on armed soldiers from Wulia with nothing more than a glass knife? No matter how terrified he was, deep down he knew he couldn’t remain on the sidelines. Everand needed him. The king and queen needed him. Branem needed him.
There wasn’t enough time to get control of the trembling that started in his hands. He could only hurry forward, weaving his way through the terrified people, who watched the man in the center holding the innocent young woman. Hugo had his eyes set on the two men guarding the door two dozen feet away from him when glass shattered. An angry grunt jerked Hugo’s head around to see Everand fighting off two men in suits. His glass knife was gone, and he was struggling to keep from getting stabbed with an actual knife.
“No!” Hugo shouted. He changed direction and charged straight for Everand. While he clutched the glass sword in right hand, he flung out his left. Five glass spikes shot out, flying between Everand and the guards. Four of them smashed into the wall, but the fifth stabbed a man in the shoulder.
The combatants jumped apart and turned their sights on Hugo. He attempted to throw more glass spikes, but they were ready for him now, blocking each as soon as it streaked through the air.