Mask of Poison (Fall of Under Book 1) by Kathryn Kingsley (great novels to read txt) 📕

“That’s all you like to do—talk.” Rxa began picking at a section of the bandages that were wrapped around him. It was turning brown as the blood dried and rusted. It looked as though it had dried to his side, and he was trying to pluck the crusty cotton from a healing wound. He hissed in pain. “I’d rather just jump to the bit where I kill you slowly. Repeatedly.”

“And how do you plan on doing that? With your new army?” The King of Shadows scoffed.

“Yup! I don’t know how many of my zombies it’ll take to overrun you and your defenses, brother.” Rxa nearly spat the word a second time, his voice riding the knife’s edge between mania and rage. “But I do know how many I’m gonna use!” He cackled.

“And therein lies my proposal. I do hate to see such wanton and needless destruction, nor do I particularly desire to pick a million corpses off my lawn. I will fight you, Rxa—one on one.”

“Why would I agree to that? I’m insane, not stupid.” Rxa snickered again. “I have you surrounded and outnumbered. You might be able to nuke the first half, maybe even two-thirds of my new friends here…but you’ll get tired before I run out of ‘chaff’ to throw at you.”

“Why? It’s simple. If you do not agree to face me alone, then your friend here will die.” Aon threatened murder so matter-of-factly, it was clear it was a thing he did frequently.

“So?” Rxa tilted his head to one side slightly. “She’s mortal. That’s what they do.”

Great. So much for the using-me-as-bait plan. Ember cringed at the sting of the claws in her throat.

“Very well. Then you won’t mind if I dispose of her now, will you? She has been such an irritation this last day.” Aon dug his claws into her throat, just hard enough that it sent small rivulets of warmth trickling down her throat. A few drops of blood—but enough.

Rxa snarled. “Wait.” The fingers of his hand twitched. “Fine. I think I’d rather like to rip you to pieces personally, anyway. Let her go, and we fight mano a mano.”

“Grand. Let’s get on with it, shall we? I have a busy afternoon scheduled.” Aon tossed Ember aside like a broken toy, easily knocking her off balance. Despite his lean appearance, he was inhumanly strong. She supposed she shouldn’t have been so surprised.

Tripping, she hit the steps of his estate hard and grunted in pain. She lifted her head in time to see Rxa gesture out to his side with his hand.

She wondered idly if she would ever get used to seeing people of Under summon objects from thin air.

Shimmering from nothing, a huge and deadly scythe appeared in his grasp. It was rusted and jagged, cruel and deadly looking. The blade was long and curved, and etched on its unevenly tarnished surface was more of Under’s esoteric writing. The handle was that of a traditional farmer’s sickle, bent with a smaller secondary handle. It was there that Rxa held it.

The bandaged madman looked at the blade and let out a loud laugh. “Huh! Nifty. That wasn’t what I was expecting at all.” He waved it in front of him, testing the balance. “I still miss my chains, but this’ll do.”

Ember scrambled up to her feet and backed away toward the door. She took her new spear off her back and held it tightly in both hands. She didn’t know exactly who she was supposed to use it on, but she was pretty sure that all of them might be an option.

Aon had warned her about his putting on a show. But that didn’t mean she trusted the King of Shadows as far as she could chuck him.

“Little dove? Do you mind going inside? I’d hate for you to get caught in the crossfire.” Rxa’s tone softened oddly when he addressed her. She didn’t know what to think about that.

“Do as he says, Ember.” Aon didn’t look at her when he spoke, keeping his attention focused on his foe.

Getting to safety was the last thing she was ever going to argue. The two men were basically demigods. She’d be a fly under a rolled-up piece of paper if she got caught between them. She ducked back inside the door.

I should run.

But to where?

The house is surrounded by drengil. I don’t even know where I’m going in this giant labyrinth. And where are Lyon and Lydia?

Something in her wanted to stay and listen to the fight in the hope that maybe, just maybe, she might be useful to Aon if he got close to defeating Rxa.

At the sound of metal scraping over stone, she winced. She could hear the two men talking again, and she peeked out of a nearby window to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

“You killed me, brother.” Rxa had his blade down against the smooth stone walkway leading to Aon’s front steps and was dragging the rusted metal along the surface. “You killed me. You are a traitor.”

“Rich words from a man who betrayed my friendship and Lydia’s.” Aon laughed. “You are the one who stabbed her in the back. A frightened woman, seeking nothing but normalcy. You, who claimed to be the compassionate one.”

“She is an abomination!” The bandaged king hissed his words angrily.

“And now…what are you?” Aon gestured his black clawed hand toward him. “Look at what you have become, old friend. Give up this war. Stand down. We will find a new way forward, like we always do.”

“Like you always do!” Rxa screamed, his voice cracking in his agony. “You always find a way forward. You always survive. This place is your playground. Built for you. Designed for you. They give you everything you could ever want! Under is yours. Not mine. Not ours. Never…ever ours.”

“You’re talking nonsense. You’re ill, Rxa. Lower your weapon, stand down your army, and I can help you.”

“Help? You and Lyon are both now claiming to help me. Any