Eona by Alison Goodman Page A

The emperor’s gaze traveled across to me. There was no recognition, only the fever of madness. He raised his swords. I was a fool—he had never known my true name.
    I tried again. “Your Majesty. I am Lord Eon. Your ally.”
    Kinra’s reflexes saved me from the slice at my face and the cunning lower cut. I leaped back, landing on the soft give of a fallen body. It spasmed; the man underfoot was not dead. He shrieked his agony, clawing at my legs. Cold horror propelled me off his bloodied torso. The shock weakened my hold on Kinra. Her purpose surged through me like water smashing through a dam, my terror and pity obliterated by angry ambition.
    She swung the swords and I felt them sing Kygo’s death, not his deliverance. Desperately, I tried to wrest back control, but Kinra held true, aiming for the emperor’s chest. The wicked thrusts slammed against Kygo’s blades. Steel slid along steel in screeching protest. I gritted my teeth and wrenched the swords free, fighting Kinra’s desire to drive them into his heart.
    Something flickered across Kygo’s glazed eyes. Fear? Or was it recognition?
    â€œYour Majesty!” I groped for something that might bring him back. “Kygo! We have a pact. Mutual survival.” But the humming in my head screamed his destruction.
    He lunged, swords circling in a high Goat attack. Kinra’s experience blocked his heavy charge, her sliding parry forcing the emperor off balance. Before I could pull away, she flicked up the grip. The vicious punch caught Kygo in the forehead. He reeled backward and staggered over the legs of a splayed body.
    Take the pearl!
    The command drove me over the corpses to the emperor. All I could see was the pearl stitched to his throat, only a sword thrust away. Kygo was dazed, swaying on his feet, blood welling from the burst skin above his eye. He would not see me coming. One sharp stab. I raised my blades.
    â€œMy lady, now’s your chance. Disarm him!” Ryko’s voice broke through the triumphant humming in my head. Something within me—deep and dragon-forged—reached out to the islander’s massive energy. Once again, his strength pulsed through my body, his heartbeat melding with mine. Instinctively, I grabbed at his solid presence and silently chanted, Disarm, disarm, disarm , to drown out the building shriek of the swords.
    â€œDisarm, disarm!” Ryko ran at Kygo, horror twisting his face as he bore down on his king. My chant was overriding his actions. Somehow, I had a hold on his will.
    I stopped chanting, but it was too late. Ryko rammed the slighter man. They staggered and fell. Ryko rolled away as the emperor landed on his hands and knees, both swords jarring from his hold. Kinra saw the opportunity. In my mind, I saw her lift her blades and bring them down. Cleaving spine from skull. Slicing out the pearl.
    Screaming, I raised Kinra’s swords. Their arc downward felt like a thousand years of breathless terror.
    And in every second of those thousand years, I fought Kinra for control. I fought her for my mind. I fought her for Kygo’s life.
    The blades smashed into the stones a fingertip from the emperor’s face. The force vibrated through my hands, howling Kinra’s disappointment. As the emperor recoiled, I saw fear pierce the madness in his eyes, slamming him back into his mind.
    I gasped as relief twisted into my chest. “Kygo!”
    He slumped, the fierce rage draining away.
    â€œYour Majesty, are you all right?”
    Slowly, he looked up, his breathing ragged and pained. “Lord Eon?”
    I let go of Kinra’s swords. The sudden absence of her fury was like my backbone had been yanked from my body. I collapsed onto my knees.
    â€œI am here, Your Majesty.”
    He reached out and touched my shoulder, checking that I was truly in front of him. “They are dead, Lord Eon.” His voice broke as he fought back his sorrow. “My brother. My