Shadows of Fire (The Shadow Realms, Book 1) by Brenda Davies (free e books to read .TXT) 📕

andslid his father’s band onto his ring finger. It was a perfectfit.

His mother’s ring barely made it to theknuckle of his pinky, but he fisted his hand to keep it securely inplace there. The movement caused the dragon’s bite to pull taut,but he barely noticed the discomfort.

He didn’t care about his nudity as he strodethrough the empty courtyard, but he was glad no one was around tosee the blood dripping from him. He wasn’t in control enough toanswer questions.

He ascended the steps to the large, silverfront doors with the four moons etched onto them. Before he reachedthe doors, one of them swung open to reveal Sindri standing insidethe threshold.

The helot’s eyes ran over the blood, slidingdown his flesh. Though Cole was barely in control of himself, he’dstill managed to keep most of his ciphers hidden. Rage and sorrowcould not erase centuries of discipline when it came to concealingthe true depth of his power.

His father had drilled it into his head whenhe was only a young boy that no one could ever know the truenumber of ciphers on him, and no one did. Just as he didn’t knowhow many ciphers the other dark fae possessed, including hisbrothers and father.

Sindri’s eyes flickered behind him, and Colesaw understanding dawn in them a second before a cruel smile curvedthe man’s lips.

“We have missed you, milord,” he purred.“Where is your father?”

Sindri’s smug smile widened as it ran overCole once more.

“Or am I looking at him?” Sindriinquired.

Cole’s claws extended, and with lightningspeed, he sliced them across the helot’s throat. Sindri’s handsflew to his neck, and he staggered back as blood spilled frombetween his fingers. Cole didn’t hesitate before slicing into himagain.

His next blow caused Sindri’s fingers to fallaway; his throat opened enough to reveal his spine's white bone,and Cole seized it. Dawning horror and understanding bloomed in thehelot’s gaze a second before Cole snapped the spine in half.

Sindri’s head hit the ground with a wet thudand rolled to settle at his feet. Cole stared at the unseeing eyesand parted mouth before bending to lift the head. He was risingwhen Sindri’s body hit the ground.

Grasping the helot by his ankle, Cole draggedthe body over to the fence and gazed up at the lethal spikes ontop. He turned the head to look out on the Gloaming before slammingit onto one of the points. The metal rod burst out the top ofSindri’s head.

He lifted the body next, turned it upsidedown, and plunged it onto another spike. The metal rod went all theway through Sindri’s body and erupted out the other end. Along withhis intestines, Sindri’s testicles remained on top of thespike.

Stepping back, Cole examined the helot’s bodyas he contemplated his next move. The dark fae would fight hisascension, but he wouldn’t let it happen. He’d endure and survivethe trials that killed many before his father, and he wouldbecome the king of the dark fae.

And once he was in charge, he didn’t carewhat it took, he would destroy the Lord of the Shadow Realms.

THE END

Lexi and Cole’s story continues in Shadows ofDiscovery.

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Shadows of Discovery excerpt

(The Shadow Realms, Book 2.

CHAPTER 1

Cole left bloody footprints behind him as he stalkedup the palace steps toward the open doorway. A shadow fell acrossthe stairs a second before Brokk skidded to a stop in the entrance.His aqua blue eyes widened, and his jaw dropped when he spottedCole.

“Cole? Holy shit! What happened toyou?”

Then his gaze went past Cole, and his eyesroamed over the pathway leading to the gate and fence surroundingthe fae palace. Cole knew he was searching for their father, but hewouldn’t find him.

When Brokk’s eyes returned to him, dawninghorror filled them as they ran over Cole’s naked body and the bloodcovering him. It was the blood of their father mixed withthat of a dragon.

“What happened?” Brokk croaked the words out.“Where’s… where’s father?”

Then his gaze went past Cole again, and hisjaw dropped. He’d finally seen the body of their ex-helot, Sindri,and the dragon head Cole had staked to the fence.

“Is that a dragon head? And Sindri?”Brokk’s eyes shot back to Cole. “What the fuckhappened?”

“The Lord ordered a dragon to killfather.”

Brokk blinked at him, but Cole’s words didn’tseem to register as he stared at the bloody remains sticking to thefence.

“Why?” Brokk whispered.

“Because he didn’t think he would do enoughto hunt Orin and Varo. He thinks I will do more. He intendsfor me to rule after I survive the trials.”

Cole did not say if he survived thetrials. He didn’t care that many dark fae had failed to survive thetrials. He. Would. Not. Fail. He would become the king of the darkfae and destroy the Lord of the Shadow Realms if it was the lastthing he did.

Brokk didn’t speak as he stared unblinkinglyat the fence. Tears brimmed in his eyes, but he didn’t shedthem.

Cole knew Brokk’s tears would come with time,and so would his, but right now, the horror of what happened totheir father was hitting him. And though there was grief, there wasalso a fury so hot that it burned away the sorrow and left nothingbut ashes in its wake.

“Where did the dragon head come from?” Brokkasked.

“I killed it, and I took it as a warning toall those who will think to stand in my way of claiming thethrone.”

If his brother’s eyes got any bigger, theywould pop out of his head. “You killed it by yourself?”

“Yes.”

“How… how did you manage that?”

Cole still wasn’t entirely sure how he’dmanaged to destroy the powerful creature and could only think ofone answer. “Rage.”

“And you killed Sindri because…?”

“He was happy to see me wearing father’sblood.”

“That would do it.”

As Cole finished climbing the stairs, Brokkstepped back to let him enter the palace.

“Where are you going?” Brokk demanded.

“To see Lexi.”

“Who?” And then Brokk’s mind seemed