Heart Over Sword-Chapter 316: Imposter King (3)

Leaning closer until his lips brushed along Evanna’s ear, Scarecrow took so much pleasure in her discomfort. "But to suffer by my side... Your husband dead, the kingdoms, not only Direwood, falling to my hands... Hmmmm... Now, that would be delicious. Don’t you think?"

Evanna shivered at his grotesque words. "That will never happen," she whispered, her voice barely above the sound of the wind flourishing around them. If Arawn was dead, she would know. Evanna was certain the sacred vows would alert her to his demise. Even without the bond, she would know because how could she not?

Focus, Evanna. This is what he wants. To unnerve you. Focus on what needs to be done.

Scarecrow smirked, enjoying her naivety. "I’ve spent a great deal sealed away in the forest... Planning for this very day... Do not underestimate me, my bride."

Evanna’s lips twisted before she glared right back at the man who looked so similar to Arawn. "And do not underestimate me, you ugly monster." A dagger jabbed into his stomach, causing the creature to blink back in surprise and look down at the wound.

Scarecrow didn’t look as though he was in pain and was more shocked. Evanna didn’t wait for his mind to catch up; she twisted the dagger before ripping it up his midsection, getting the blade caught at the bottom of his sternum. She needed her swords, but the guards would have been on her within seconds, and the opportunity she’d found herself in would have gone to dust.

"Your Majesty!"

Scarecrow grinned, his hand tightening around her throat. "Trying to asssss...assinate the King, eh?" A forked tongue slipped out by accident.

The guards that had rushed to their King’s aid stopped upon seeing the strangeness of his tongue. Was the Princess correct?

Not all of them had the experience of dealing with the faceless creatures. Those working within the palace rarely went deep into the woods like the warriors that followed Arawn. Sure, they travelled throughout Direwood and to other lands, but the Faceless had always been trapped, hidden away from them.

"You are no King!" Evanna spat as she used her other hidden knife to stab the hand holding her neck.

Scarecrow stepped back, glaring at Evanna. One dagger remained just below his ribcage, and the other stuck out from his hand. The creature, still looking like Thalinal, grabbed the blade in his hand and ripped it out. In the process, Evanna unsheathed her swords, taking a step in his direction, all the while careful of her surroundings and the men who watched on in confusion. Their swords rose and lowered as they looked between the two.

"Careful, princessss," Scarecrow mocked. "There are plenty here to play with."

Evanna smirked, glancing at the King’s hand that now bled and revealed more of his true colours. Black blood, looking more like black ink, trickled down his hand whilst the dagger in his torso caused the white shirt he wore to grow darker in his blood. The guards spoke swiftly in Muranthian to each other before turning their swords on the King.

"Oh?" Scarecrow grinned. "How amusing."

The guards stopped walking towards him as his eyes turned black and his power took effect. The guards then turned on each other and started to duel. Scarecrow snickered before turning his attention back to Evanna. But the Princess was already charging at him, using his distraction at the guards to her advantage.

Scarecrow snorted at her attempt and held his hand up. Evanna’s brows furrowed mid-stride, arms raised, swords ready when Cedric appeared by Scarecrow’s side. Why was Cedric here? He was meant to have been off duty with his wife and newborn? Did Scarecrow plan this far ahead?

Evanna was sure Thalinal had been himself during the wedding. So when did Scarecrow infiltrate the palace? Had he been observing from afar?

Cedric’s face lacked any recognition of Evanna; his eyes faded as he started walking towards the edge of the tower. He didn’t have any control over his body! He was going to walk off the tower to his death!

Evanna skidded to a halt, tripping over herself in the process.

"Don’t you dare!" She shouted at Scarecrow and Cedric. "Cedric, fight it!"

Scarecrow started to laugh. That alone made something inside of Evanna snap. The Princess instantly jumped up and stabbed both swords into his chest. Scarecrow paused laughing and looked down. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he scoffed at Evanna, "You really did not learn who is at my disposal... Naïve child."

Evanna’s breath halted. Cedric jumped off the tower. He really... No, not the time! FOCUS!

Evanna yanked the swords out, ignoring his provocation and the scene and swung towards the creature’s head. Scarecrow’s eyes widened, and before he could adjust himself or do anything better, he held his hand up and gripped the swords, his blood running down his arms where they almost sliced his limbs off, and in one harsh kick, the ground was swept from beneath Evanna. The cold air began swallowing her up as the ground grew closer. She’d followed the same path as Cedric.

Evanna didn’t bat an eye as she felt the wave of her powers and the essence of life beneath her. "Ugh." Evanna winced at the bushes cushioning her fall. She sat upright immediately and searched for Cedric. The moment her gaze fell on the golden-haired elven warrior, Evanna sighed in relief. "Are you okay?"

Cedric nodded, slowly sitting up as he looked at Evanna. They sat on these overgrown bushes, something Evanna created the moment Cedric had started walking towards the tower’s edge.

"Are you... Yourself?" She questioned. His dazed expression from before was gone, but it was apparent that he was a little shaken. The warrior had a family to worry about now, unlike before, when he might have found such things nothing more than a part of his job.

Cedric nodded. "Yes. Is the King... a faceless?"

Evanna ran her hand across her now dishevelled hair. "I’m afraid so. Thalinal has been..." She trailed off after noting the sounds of swordplay stopping. The flicker of torches throughout the tower and the palace came to life. "We need to get out of here. Somewhere safe, we can figure out what to do next-"

The sounds of bells rang off in the distance, and guards started to run around the palace. Their distant calls chilled Evanna but snapped her out of sitting there waiting for her execution.

"*Crown Princess Evanna tried to assassinate the King!*"

Scarecrow was quick to control those around him and search for her. "So much for trying to make me suffer a long life..." Evanna bit the inside of her cheek before hopping off the bushes that were obviously created by elven magic.

Cedric followed, his suit of armour clinking from where he hopped down. "I know a place we can go. You need to hide out from everyone for now."

"Is it a place the King would know? Faceless watch and read all memories, accepting them as their own. Scarecrow knows as much as Thalinal does... did," Evanna explained and then corrected herself.

"He does not know of this place. Come quickly!" At Cedric’s urgency and the panic that never left her body, Evanna raced off like a thief in the night, chased and hated by the Flori. It was like she was Raven all over again. It was almost nostalgic, if not for the horror surrounding this whole ordeal.

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