The Forsaken King

Her sword was on the ground, and she tried to fight, her screams carried in the opposite direction on the wind.

Now I knew exactly why they were here.

I couldn’t swing my ax, not without risking her neck, so I yanked the first one off her then went for the other.

They both came at me at once, but Ivory was free.

I engaged the first, ducking under his sword and then dodging to the left. My ax swung at his feet, but the fucker jumped over it as if he knew it was coming. He wasn’t an average Teeth sent to die for the greater good. He had a much bigger purpose, so he was a greater foe. My ax was exchanged for my sword, and I met his steel with mine. We swung at each other, steel hitting steel without the echo of collision, and we guessed the position of the other’s blade based on their movements—because we couldn’t see shit.

A Teeth went down beside me, the blood visible from the sword in his stomach.

I knew she had my back.

I pushed the Teeth back, swinging my sword and meeting his swings, left and right.

And then a blade protruded from his stomach from behind. Blood marked his lips and dribbled down his face before his eyes glazed over and he went down face first.

Ivory appeared behind him, holding my sword, now covered in the blood of the Teeth.

I screamed and not just because of the wind. “I told you to stay in the cabin!”

“Are you kidding me right now?” Her hair whipped in the wind, going from left to right, all over the place. “I just saved your ass.”

“Baby, I don’t need you to save me.”

“That’s the second time you’ve called me that—and this time, it’s in the middle of battle.”

The Teeth were still rampant in the outpost, so this conversation would have to wait. “Stay behind me.”

“How else am I supposed to watch your back?”

I halted, just for a moment, those words ringing in my ears. Then I moved forward, back into the throng of battle, keeping Ivory on my radar in my periphery. I was back to my ax, chopping Teeth left and right, clearing out the remaining enemies until they were eliminated from the outpost.

Thirty minutes later, it was finally done, and Ivory was still behind me.

The battle might be over, but the storm raged on, whipping snow and ice into our faces.

Ivory came to my side, out of breath, looking just like one of us in fur clothing and my sword. “Is it over?”

“Yes.”

Ian’s face appeared a short distance away, and when his eyes widened with acknowledgment, I knew I was the person he searched for. He ran up to me, his hand gripping my shoulder. “You alright?”

“Not a scratch. You?”

“Got a nasty cut on my leg, but I’ll live.” His eyes darted next to me, recognizing Ivory. He couldn’t hide his look of surprise, and the look he gave me was full of accusation. Unspoken accusation. “Mother is looking for you.”

“Is she okay?”

He nodded. “She’s got a bloody lip and a black eye, but good otherwise. Were you the one who threw the chamber pot on the yeti? That was a smart move.”

I shook my head. “Ivory.”

His eyes flicked back to her again. “I can’t hide this from Mother.”

“I’m sure she already knows.” I turned to Ivory. “Go back to the cabin.”

She didn’t argue with me, not after she’d heard my conversation with Ian. She excused herself and disappeared after she was a few feet away.

Ian looked at me. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I told her to stay in the cabin, but she never listens to me.”

“Maybe it’s good that she didn’t. That yeti could have killed a lot more people. Could have killed us all…”

I ignored what he said. “Take me to Mother.”

Ian guided me through the blizzard to where she was, guarded by Geralt and Mace. Both were banged up and bleeding. They did their job because she looked far better than they did.

When her eyes landed on me, they lightened just the way they did when I came home after a long journey, when she feared for my safety. Her hands reached out to my cheeks, and she kissed me on the forehead. “You’re alright.”

“I’m always alright. What about you?”

She pulled away, but her hands lingered for a few seconds, her eyes still emotional at the sight of me. “I’m fine, my boy.” Her arms circled me, and she pulled me close, giving me a hug.

I hugged her back, feeling her unconditional love that had been there since my first memory. Ever since I’d opened my eyes for the first time, I’d felt it, all around me. “I’ll get the gate repaired. Ian will take care of the wounded.” I stepped away, knowing there was too much to do to let this moment linger. “What are your orders?”