On the far wall set in a recess that was decorated with the royal insignia and coat of arms was an eternal flame that paid homage to Eleria’s life and reign.
That light cast a dancing shadow through the room. One that highlighted a sight that made her freeze as her gaze fell to Kara who was kneeling beside an unmoving Gwen. Blood pooled around her sister whose features were so pale she was sure Gwen was dead. Horrified, she couldn’t breathe.
Someone shoved her from behind, forcing her into the room. She turned to see Narcissa slamming the door in the face of the men before she locked it tight.
“What are you doing?” Desideria demanded angrily.
Narcissa tapped the communications band on her wrist. “There are intruders in the north crypt led by Desideria. I think they’re trying to kill Gwen and me. Rally all guards immediately. Help!”
Desideria scowled at her sister while Kara rose to her feet. Her aunt started to attack, but Narcissa leveled her blaster at her and fired. It struck Kara and knocked her back against the wall.
Gasping at the attack, Gwen rolled over and tried to crawl under the sarcophagus.
Dodging the blast Narcissa directed toward her, Desideria moved to shield Gwen with her own body. Even though there was no denying what was happening, a part of her still couldn’t believe it. Surely something else was going on here.
Please, don’t be the killer…
“Narcissa?”
Her sister sneered at her. “You didn’t really think Kara was bright enough to pull this off, did you? Stupid cow. Both of you. The throne is mine, you bitch, and I’m not going to share or fight for it. But I will kill you both to get it.” She fired again.
Using a move she’d learned from Caillen, Desideria dropped to the floor allowing the shot to narrowly miss her. She pulled her own blaster out and returned the blast.
Narcissa dove under a statue of their high goddess and continued to spray fire at them.
Desideria covered Gwen. She knelt by her side to check on her injuries. Her shoulder and side were bleeding and there was a big bruise forming on her right cheek. “Are you all right?”
Her sister was tucked up tight against the stone base as if she was trying to merge with the sarcophagus. “Wounded, but Kara tended most of it.”
Desideria glanced over to where her aunt lay unmoving. There was no help there. “Are you armed?”
“No. Narcissa disarmed me before she wounded me. I barely escaped her.”
Desideria clenched her teeth as she realized by trying to save her sister, she’d endangered her all the more. Fine. She could handle this alone.
“It’s over, Narcissa. Lay down your weapon.”
As expected, Narcissa fired more shots. “My Guard will be here any moment and your friends will be dead or captured. Once I kill the two of you, I will be queen.”
Desideria would ask why, but then, she knew. It was the Qillaq way. Take what you want. If someone was in your way, kill them. If they weren’t strong enough to fight you off, they deserved to die.
Even family.
Nauseated, she wanted to weep over her sister’s psychosis. Later, she definitely would. But right now, she had to keep Gwen safe.
A low moan sounded from Kara. It wasn’t much. Just enough to make Narcissa pause and glance in her direction.
Desideria seized the moment to leap out and throw herself against Narcissa. Entangled, they rolled across the cold stone floor, punching at each other. She managed to knock the blaster from Narcissa’s hand, but not before she lost her own grip on her weapon.
Krik!
She heard more blasts coming from the other side of the door, out in the hallway.
Narcissa laughed in triumph. “Told you my Guard wouldn’t let me down.”
Rage, dark and deadly, settled over her as a newfound strength welled up inside her at the thought of her friends being attacked. “They’re not your Guard, bitch. They’re mine.” With a bellow of rage, she kicked Narcissa into the wall with everything she had. It was enough to stun her sister who slid to the floor.
As she went for the blasters, Narcissa launched herself at her back.
Desideria rolled to the floor, away from her, grabbed the weapons and landed in a crouch, both blasters drawn and aimed right at the area of Narcissa’s body that should hold her heart. “Don’t.”
Narcissa froze.
Keeping her gaze on her traitorous sibling, she moved to the door and opened it.
The men stood on the other side like they’d been in the middle of trying to open it. She started to ask about the Guard, but they lay sprawled on the ground, scattered throughout the hallway.
“Are they dead?”
Caillen flashed her that familiar shit-eating grin. “Stunned. But don’t think we didn’t consider killing them. What about you?”