Chapter 216: The fall

CASSIAN

The meeting point was a stretch of rocky wasteland between the two armies.

I rode alone.

The wind howled across the barren ground, carrying the scent of smoke and blood.  Taheer was somewhere in the air, hidden in the clouds, watching for Veyraxis and also waiting for my signal. Evander and the army were positioned at the ridge, ready to strike the moment I gave the word.

I had planned for every contingency.

I had prepared for every outcome.

I had done everything I could to ensure that this meeting would not be my death.

But as I approached the clearing where Sargon waited, I felt the cold hand of dread settle around my heart.

Something is wrong, I thought. Something is…

And then I saw him.

Sargon.

He was younger than I had expected, probably barely older than me, dark brown skin, his dark hair cropped short, his face hard and angular. He was dressed in black armor, a sword at his hip, a cruel smile playing on his lips. He bore no similarities to his sister the Princess Nadine.

"King Cassian," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I am honored that you came."

"I am here to end this war," I said. "Nothing more."

"Of course." Sargon dismounted from his horse and walked toward me. "I would expect nothing less from the man who killed my father's dreams."

I dismounted as well.

"Your father's dreams? As far as I know, your father had no plans to wage war on us. He was smarter than that.”

"Yes. Only because he was a coward." Sargon's smile widened. "I do not share his dreams, whatever they were. I have my own."

"And what are they?"

Sargon stepped closer.

"To see you dead, most importantly," he said. "To see your kingdom burn. To take everything you love and destroy it before your very eyes."

I felt the last dregs of my power stir within me.

"Then why this then?" I asked. "Why not just attack?"

"Because I wanted to see your face," Sargon said. "I wanted to look you in the eyes before I killed you. I wanted you to know…”

He stopped.

His smile faded.

"I wanted you to know that my sister loved you," he said quietly. "Nadine. She wrote to you, didn't she? She warned you about me. I knew she would. Ever since she met you she has been infatuated with you. And it infuriated me. That she would fall in love with the like of you..”

I said nothing.

"She loved you," Sargon repeated. "Do you know that? And you used her. You took her heart, you took her trust, and you threw it away like it meant nothing."

"Sargon…”

"Did you bed her?" His voice was cold. "Did you take her to your bed and then cast her aside?"

"Sargon…”

"Did you?"

I met his eyes.

"What happened between your sister and I was mutual. We were aware of the risks," I said. "I never…”

"Liar." Sargon's face twisted. "She told me everything. She told me how you seduced her, how you promised her marriage, how you…”

"Nadine was lying. I’m many things but I would never lie to bed a woman. She knew I could never marry her. In fact, she told me she was happy with this arrangement," I said. "I never…”

"Liar."

Sargon drew his sword.

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a hand to hand combat? Are you going back on your words now Sargon?”

I asked.

Sargon shrugged.

“I changed my mind. I think I’d rather kill you here instead.”

The signal.

I raised my hand, the signal that would bring Evander and the army thundering down the ridge, would bring Taheer diving from the clouds, would bring the full force of Aurelia's might crashing down on Sargon's forces.

I waited for the thunder of hooves, the beating of wings.

Nothing.

I raised my hand again.

Still nothing.

And then I saw them.

Sargon's men.

Emerging from the rocks.

From the shadows.

From every direction.

They had been waitin. They had been hiding. And I had walked straight into their trap, just like I suspected they might.

"Your brother is not coming," Sargon said, his voice almost pitying. "I have known for a long time that he was willing to betray you. He came to me himself proposing a truce. You in exchange for peace. I found it a sensible proposition. I agreed to it.”

I stared at him.

"Evander would not…”

"He already has. Seems your brother has finally grown tired of being in your shadow.”

The men closed in.

\-————————-

I fought.

I fought with everything I had, the last dregs of my power, the last shreds of my strength. I blasted them with bolts of magic, struck them with force, burned them with fire. I cut them down with my sword, my dagger, my bare hands.

But there were too many.

They kept coming.

And my power was fading, there was almost nothing left.

Evander, I thought. Evander, where are you?

I reached for the bond, trying to call Taheer, but he was too far, and I was to far spent. His presence barely a whisper in my mind.

Taheer, I thought. Taheer…

No answer.

And then, a blade.

Slicing across my ribs.

The pain was blinding.

I stumbled, fell to my knees, my hand pressing against the wound. Blood poured through my fingers, hot and thick.

Sargon walked toward me, his sword dripping red.

"Where is your power now, King Cassian?" he asked. "Where is that magic of yours? Where are your precious dragons?"

I looked up at him.

His face was cold, cruel and triumphant.

I looked past him.

Toward the ridge.

Toward Evander.

He was still there. Still watching and waiting.

His dragon stood beside him.

He made no move to help me.

Brother, I thought. Brother, why…

"You see?" Sargon said. "You have no one. You are alone. And you are going to die."

I struggled to my feet.

My vision was blurry. My body was screaming. But I would not die on my knees. I would not give Sargon the satisfaction.

I stumbled backward.

Toward the cliff.

I knew what was behind me. I had seen it on my way here. The drop. The water. The rocks below.

It was a death sentence.

But it was a chance.

If I stay here, I thought, I die for certain. If I fall…

If I fall, I might live. Maybe Taheer would catch me before I hit the water. Maybe there was a chance he might see me falling.

Sargon laughed.

"Where are you going, King Cassian?" he asked. "There is nowhere to run."

I looked at him.

Then I looked at Evander.

Still doing nothing.

I heard Lira's voice in my mind. Her face. Her eyes. I was supposed to save her. I had to save her.

"I am sorry," I whispered.

And then I jumped.

\-