A Reign of Steel by Morgan Rice

hadn’t
understood at the time. The masses will love you and the masses will hate
you. It is a trap to be swayed by either.
    “I’m
sorry,” Gwendolyn said, “but I am your leader, and I must decide what is best. If
you do not leave voluntarily, my soldiers will have to forcibly escort you out
of the city. This city is being gated up and evacuated—and no one will stay
behind. Not on my watch.”
    Boos
and jeers rose up, and a man stepped forward and faced Kendrick.
    “This
is why a woman should not rule over us,” the man said. “A woman gives in to her
fickle dreams. You are King MacGil’s firstborn son. We would rather have you lead us.”
    The
crowd cheered behind him, and Gwen could not believe what she was hearing.
Kendrick reddened.
    “This
is your time,” the man continued. “Take over the rulership of the MacGils.
The Silver will answer to you. We shall not listen to her—but we shall listen
to you.”
    Gwendolyn
looked at Kendrick, dismayed, and wondered how he would react. She knew that he
did not agree with evacuation. This was his chance, indeed.
    A
tense silence fell over the crowd until finally Kendrick spoke up.
    “I
stand with my sister!” he boomed. “I shall always honorably serve my Queen—whether
I agree with her or not. That is what our father would want. And that is our
code of honor.”
    The
crowd, surprised and disappointed, raised their fists and jeered.
    “SILVER!”
Kendrick boomed. “Your Queen has spoken. Fulfill her command! Evacuate this
city at once!”
    A
chorus of horns sounded, and the crowd jeered and shoved as thousands of Silver
closed in on them, corralling them toward the gates. The crowd pushed back,
fighting them. But the Silver were armed, wore armor, and were an elite
fighting force, and the crowd was no match for them. The Silver pushed them slowly
and steadily, all the way to the city gates.
    Slowly,
the city emptied, one person at a time.
    Gwen
stood watching it all, and she came up beside Kendrick as he watched, too.
    “Thank
you, my brother,” she said, laying a hand on his wrist. “I shall never forget
this.”
    He
turned to her and nodded, yet his face was grave.
    “I
hope you know what you’re doing, my sister,” he said.
    Gwen
looked at him, feeling torn herself, as she watched her people leave this city
and prepared to join them.
    “I
hope so too,” she said.
    She
joined Kendrick, Godfrey, Steffen, Aberthol, and all of her advisors as they
followed the masses, exiting the gates of King’s Court, this time, Gwendolyn
knew, for good.
     

CHAPTER TWELVE
     
     
    Thor
writhed, trying to break free of the grip of the white snake—but it was just
too strong. Its muscular body wrapped around him from his ankles to his chest,
squeezing him in a vise. It now faced him, hissing, preparing to bring its open
fangs down on Thor’s throat.
    Thor
tried to buck, to thrash, to do anything—but he was helpless. All he could do
was close his eyes and turn as he braced himself for the inevitable snakebite
in his face.
    Thor
did not comprehend what was happening here, in this place. He had always
imagined that when he’d found the Land of the Druids, he would be welcome,
greeted by his mother. He expected that he would instantly recognize it as his
home. He had expected nothing like this.
    And
now, Thor could not believe that he would spend his final moments here, would die
here, so close to finding his mother, at the mercy of this awful beast.
    As
Thor braced himself, he opened his eyes, forcing himself to watch his final seconds
on Earth. And as the snake lowered its fangs, suddenly Thor spotted motion out
of the corner of his eye. It was a man, perhaps in his fifties, a large figure,
with a long beard and shaggy brown hair—a man that Thor dimly recognized. He wore
resplendent armor, the armor of a King, and he, upon seeing Thor, rushed
forward, reached out with his gauntlet, and grabbed the snake by the throat,
snatching it in midair, just inches before