Chapter 70

Chapter

Seventy

CRUX

T oday is the day. Alyx will be avenged.

While the others were hiding and grieving, I was working—anything not to feel or think.

I have spent the last two weeks haunting the city, looking for those who are still loyal to me. Because I spent so much time in the palace recently, some of my rats shifted allegiance, but I tracked them down and quickly beat some sense into them. Every favour owed to me has been called in with the crime bosses in the city, and when that didn’t work, I bribed the rest.

I created an army.

An army for her.

Finding those among the nobles who still support the king was easier than I thought it would be. These people should really be careful because if I can track them down, then others will be able to as well. Orion gave me the names of lords and other noble families who always supported Joha. To my surprise, I was able to convince them to help me without even needing to bribe them. Even those who weren’t originally a fan of the king want to help, as Atlas is destroying the city. He doesn’t know how to rule, simply ordering people to change things on a whim. The rich are being affected as much as the poor, meaning they are prepared to work together.

Usually, that would piss me off. The rich only help when things get bad for them , not caring about what is happening in the Lowers. In all honesty, I couldn’t give a fuck, my whole focus on getting back at the fucker who took away my reason for living.

Alyx.

My heart constricts painfully in my chest, making me pause for a second as I steady myself against a wall. Everything I have built here, my whole underground empire was for her. My entire life was built for her. Now that she’s no longer here, everything has lost its meaning. I could easily just disappear into the sea with Alyx, but her king and guard are useless without her. She would be devastated if they were killed because she was not here to protect them, so I have taken over that duty. It is what keeps me moving—get the king back into power and get my revenge on Alyx’s brother at the same time.

What happens to me after, I don’t care, but I suspect the pain of losing her will finally consume me.

Maybe I will fall into the waves that stole her from me and let them consume my wretched, broken soul so we will be together again.

I still remember that night vividly. Every element has been etched into my mind, and when I close my eyes, it all plays out in agonising detail. I was too slow, caught up in protecting the king, and I did not get to her in time. I was just entering the docks when Atlas stabbed her, pushing her into the sea with a careless shove.

A ragged cry escaped me as I watched her fall, my heart going with her as her limp body hit the water. I have never run as fast as I did in that moment, not caring that it was dangerous or that the bastard who just stabbed her could attempt to kill me next. No, my only thought was to get to Alyx. She would be okay if I could reach her. She had to be okay. Sprinting to the edge of the dock, I leaped into the water, diving deep. The water was stained red, but the churning sea soon diluted it. I searched the water for her for what felt like an eternity. She was not there. I searched and searched, my lungs screaming for air until I realised the futility of it. She was not there. I can only assume her body was washed out to sea.

I did not even get to say goodbye.

Even just thinking about it now makes my knees feel weak, and I want to fall to the dirty ground and scream out my anger and pain for all the world to hear. That memory plays out in my dreams, and I wake up screaming. It is safe to say that I have not been getting much sleep since that day. Exhaustion plagues me, but I have my purpose to keep me going. Entering the secret entrance to my current safe house, I climb the steps down to the tunnels beneath the city. I have lived underground for so long now that it does not bother me to be far below ground. Passing through the various hidden doors, I finally get to Joha and Orion.

They both sit at the wooden table in the centre of the main room, looking over at me in expectation. It is a surprise to see the king up and out of bed, some light returned to his eyes.

Good, he will need that to get us through today.

I cannot and do not have the energy to force him to live when I am barely doing so myself. It does not matter if he doesn’t want this because it’s what she would want. This is all for her.

“Get ready,” I snap in greeting, throwing two bundles onto the table without explanation. “We’re going out.”

Orion frowns, his previously shaved head covered with hair, catching the light as he leans forward and opens his bundle of fabric. He arches an eyebrow at what he finds inside, but he says nothing, instead glancing at Joha.

The king looks at the bundles and then back to me, his confusion evident. “Where are we going?”

A grim smile takes over my expression, and I have no doubt it is evil and bloodthirsty. “To take back your throne.”

Dethrone the false king, kill him, then put Joha back into place.

It’s all that repeats in my head as they share a look.

I am nothing more than a weapon.

We move through the city like wraiths in the night. The moon is low in the sky, meaning we only have a few hours before the sun rises and takes away our advantage as we hug the shadows of the buildings. The tunnels only take us so far, and the rest of the journey is going to be above ground. We are now in the Uppers, and we just need to get to the palace walls without anyone seeing us.

The king and his guard are silent behind me, following my lead. It took less convincing than I thought it would to get them both on board with my plan.

It seems none of us care if we live or die anymore.

Getting into the palace grounds should not be too difficult, but Atlas has massively increased the number of guards that patrol inside the wall. This is going to make it more challenging, but not impossible. Reaching the wall, we circle our way around to the secret entrance I discovered when I was first stalking Alyx here.

“This is not going to work,” Orion grumbles, his body stiff with tension. “There are too many guards. We will never get past them.”

He is right, and I know he’s been taking in the changes Atlas made. While he and I could sneak past, the king does not have the same training we do and would bring attention to us. I enjoy his discomfort and I smile, knowing my expression disturbs him. The king just watches us silently, glancing between us.

“It is a good thing that I planned a little distraction.”

The three of us slip through the secret entrance, staying low in the shadow of the abandoned building built against the wall. It is the perfect place to sneak in, and I am surprised the guards have never thought of that and blocked it off.

I sit in the shadows and watch the patrolling guards when a huge boom shakes the ground under our feet. Shouts and sounds of panic fill the air as guards run towards the front of the palace and the main gates. It seems that my old friend, Mr. Singe, has pulled through with his end of our arrangement.

Mr. Singe used to be a medic for the palace and enjoyed experimenting with different remedies. He was discharged by the former king when he managed to create a chemical that exploded on impact. Several guards raided his stash and managed to blow themselves up in the process. None of that was Singe’s fault, but he was discharged anyway. When I offered him a chance to get some payback, he was up for the challenge.

“That was your distraction?” Joha asks with a raised brow. “To blow up the front gates?”

I simply grin in response, loving the fuck out of causing mayhem as part of my revenge. Orion looks as though he cannot decide between wanting to strangle me or feeling impressed.

“You have been busy,” is all he says, begrudging respect in his voice.

Usually, I would be crowing with victory at making Orion actually compliment me, but we don’t have time for that. Besides, that is not why we are here. We are here for Alyx, and I am not about to waste this chance, as it might be the only one we have.

“Come on, we need to make the most of the distraction.”

Sticking to the shadows, we run through the grounds. I don’t bother to check if they are keeping up with me. I have revenge to get, and I will not let anything stop me from having it. I scan the main palace before my eyes shoot over to the smaller but no less grand king’s palace where the bedrooms are situated. It stands to reason that Atlas would be asleep at this time, yet he could still be working in the main palace. We cannot risk choosing the wrong one.

Out of nowhere, a small shape appears and runs up to us. Both Joha and Orion reach for their weapons, but I put up a hand to stop them. I know exactly who this is—one of my little rats. Scurrying forward like the creature they are named after, he whispers a few quiet words into my ear. I nod in acknowledgement and dismissal, then he quickly disappears into the shadows.

Blowing out a breath of relief, I feel a knot of tension leave my shoulders. “Atlas is holed up in the office in the palace. He heard the explosion and called all of his guards to block the door.”

We may have a wall of guards to deal with, but I would rather face them any day than go into a situation without knowing exactly where I am going.

“Then let’s go pay him a visit.” Joha’s eyes narrow as he turns his attention to the palace, as though he can see through the walls directly to where Atlas sits in his office.

With a new sense of determination, we bolster ourselves and sneak into the main palace. Most of the guards are guarding the office or the main gates, so it is easy to get in unnoticed. It feels strange to be back in the palace grounds, knowing Alyx is no longer here. Once I avenge Alyx and get Joha back on the throne, I will never come here again.

I cannot. It is too painful.

I know the layout of the palace like the back of my hand, so I push down the emotions that threaten to overwhelm me and focus on leading us through, not needing to check for directions. I make it my business to know the layout of my enemy’s base.

As soon as we reach the long corridor that leads to the king’s office, the whole atmosphere changes as we are hit with a wave of nervous adrenaline. The guards stop us immediately, since there is nowhere to hide in this large, open corridor. Their weapons are quickly pointed towards us, and they tighten their formation to make it impossible for us to pass.

One of the guards moves forward, a mark on his shoulder indicating he’s of a higher rank than the others. “Stop. Under the orders of King Atlas, you cannot pass.”

My brows rise at the king comment. It seems Atlas did not waste any time asserting his dominance. However, legally, Joha is still the king, and Atlas is simply playing pretend.

Orion shifts his weight beside me, moving closer and pulling down his hood so they can see exactly who is before them. “Stand down, Captain Leon. The true king is here at my side. You know that.” Orion gestures to Joha next to him, his voice steady and even, expecting them to follow his orders.

The captain winces, clearly wanting to listen but torn about his current orders. “Please, sir, do not do this. I do not want to hurt you.”

There are some quiet noises of agreement from the other guards, none of them stepping down. Orion’s presence has shaken them. This is a male they all look up to, who has trained with them, worked with them, and would have died with them.

“You swore a vow to protect the king and the Crown,” Orion reminds them, his voice deepening as he gestures towards the closed office doors. “That usurper in there is not the king. For as long as Joha lives, he will have the crown, whether that madman in there wants to accept that or not.” Frowning with disappointment, he crosses his arms over his chest, not bothering to hold his weapon in front of his soldiers. “You used to be loyal to the king and to me. Show that loyalty now by stepping down. I do not expect you to join us in this fight, but for your king, put down your weapons and let us through.”

There is a long, heavy pause, and I watch as the guards exchange glances, clearly torn by the decision. I would have been happy to cut my way through them to get into that office, but if this works, then it is certainly an easier way to go about it.

“Yes, sir,” the captain states, snapping into a salute. “Long live the king.”

It only takes a heartbeat before the rest of his soldiers do the same thing, dropping their weapons on the floor. Their loyalty to Orion is surprising, and it makes me look at him in a new light. Perhaps he’s not as bad as I thought. Now is not the time for these thoughts, though, and I need to focus.

The guards step away, leaving the doorway clear for us. The three of us look at each other, swapping shallow nods to show we are ready. There are only two ways out of this now—success or death—and for Alyx, only success will do.

Orion steps in front of his king, protective to a fault, and kicks the door in with one powerful smash of his boot. Stepping into the room with his sword raised, he holds up his other hand, palm out, towards his guards in the gesture to hold off. Incredibly, instead of jumping us the moment we step over the threshold and into the room, they follow his silent order, hanging back with their weapons raised.

The room is full of guards, all of them looking anxious and uncomfortable as the rightful king steps into the room. Bringing up the rear, I am the last to enter, scanning everyone who stands as a threat and planning how I will disable or kill each one.

Atlas sits in a large wingback chair behind a huge desk, watching us with raised brows. He hides his surprise well, but I am an expert in reading people. He is shocked that we managed to get this far, and he knows this is not because of our superior skills, rather that the guards are still loyal to the former king and not him.

“Well, well, I am surprised,” he drawls sarcastically, leaning forward in his chair, placing his hands on the desk. “I did not think you had it in you, Joha.”

“That is king to you, scum,” Orion barks out, reminding everyone in the room who the true royal is.

Anger and annoyance flash across Atlas’s face, bringing a dark spark of joy to my withered soul. Whatever he has been doing for the last decade or so has twisted his mind. He might be smart, he would have to be to pull all this off, but I see the madness in his eyes that he tries so desperately to hide.

“You really think the three of you can take me?” His sneer quickly shifts to a maniacal laugh. “The guards will stop you before you take a single step forward.”

I’m not so sure about that, asshole.

Joha chuckles, and although I can see a slight tremor in his hand, he does a good job of hiding it. “Do you think I would only bring two others with me? I brought a couple of friends who will be here soon.”

As if on cue, a guard runs into the room, his appearance dishevelled and face red with exertion. I spin, ready to attack, but it quickly becomes clear that is not needed. “Sir! There is a riot on the grounds, and they are making their way towards the palace.”

Panic flickers on Atlas’s face, quickly morphing into rage. Slamming his fists down onto the desk, he pushes up from the chair, a vein pulsing in his forehead.

“Shit!” His shout makes the guards flinch, which only makes me wonder what it has been like here the last two weeks with him in charge.

“Kill these three and then deal with the peasants outside.” He spins on his heel to stare out the window. It’s obvious he expects his orders to be carried out without delay. This is not what happens though. The guards turn to Orion, looking for guidance, and I know the tides have turned.

Stepping forward, I pass Orion and the king, placing myself in front of them as I stare at the back of a killer. My heart was previously racing in my chest, but now it settles. I know exactly what I need to do next and how this is going to go. For Alyx, it is all worth it.

“You killed your own sister. Do you really think the guards will be loyal to you?” My question makes Atlas freeze. I hit a nerve. Perhaps he does have a heart after all. Is it the fact he killed Alyx that is hurting him or the knowledge that no one is following his orders?

“Enough,” he hisses, looking at me over his shoulder. “Kill them now!”

Again, the guards flinch and shift their weight from foot to foot as they continue to look to Orion for guidance. We have their support, and Atlas is only making things worse for himself. A grim sense of excitement moves through me as I realise that the moment I have been waiting for the last two weeks has finally arrived. I am going to kill him.

I will wear his blood like a mark of honour as I go to my grave with her.

I reach for my dagger, anticipation thrumming through me as I stare into the eyes of the man who killed the woman I love.

“You started a rebellion without me?”

The sarcastic words fall into the tight silence of the room.

That voice. I know it like I know the sound of my own, but it can’t be. She’s dead. It’s my mind playing tricks on me, it has to be, but that doesn’t stop me from spinning, my breath catching as I find a figure framed in the open doorway. Guards reach for their weapons, unsure who is a threat, but all I see is her.

“Alyx.” Her name is a strangled whisper, and my knees threaten to give out. From the corner of my eye, I see Joha and Orion staring at her in shock, attempting to deal with this huge revelation.

She’s here. She’s alive.

She’s real.

Stepping into the room as though she owns it, she tilts her head in that familiar way as a wicked smile tilts up her lips. She looks the same, with her long red hair plaited back and pale skin touched by freckles. I’m silent, staring at her as she heads our way. Her familiar scent wraps around me like a promise and an apology. She brushes a hand over my shoulder in reassurance as she passes. The physical contact is almost my undoing. I nearly crumple before her, everything else forgotten, but her eyes are for her brother. No matter the joy in my heart or the ground moving under my feet at her sudden appearance, I have to keep it together. We’re about to engage in a fight to the death, but damn does she have good timing.

Walking up to the desk, she places her palms down on the surface and leans forward with a quirk of her lips, looking as though she is about to tell a secret. Everyone else in the room is forgotten as she peers at the remaining member of her family.

“You did not really think you could kill me that easily, did you, brother ?”