The world floated in a blur around me, but I heard the sounds, the creak of the cart door opening, the order of the guard for me to come forward, the thunk as I stumbled against the floor, and then hands clamped around my arms. Twist, lift, kick. My mind was willing, but my arms and legs wouldn’t listen.
And then I heard Montegue’s voice again, felt his warmth as he pressed close to me. “Did you hear that? The crowd? They love me. I am not a nothing king. I am a great one.”
My lips moved, but I wasn’t sure if I said the words aloud. Fool. You’re a fool, Montegue. Truly great leaders don’t have to chase love. It finds them.
He clutched my face in one hand, his fingers digging in, and jerked my head up so I had to look at him. His dark eyes swam in and out of view. His lips were a blurred, angry smear in front of me.
“I lied to you,” he whispered. “I did kill my father. And it was the most satisfying thing I have ever done—until now. Watching you hang today will eclipse that.”
He had heard my words. I had managed that much. It was perhaps my last small victory. I smiled.
He pushed me away, and I felt myself being guided forward once again. “Stand here,” a guard whispered. Stand. The medicine was wearing off. I
already felt the fiery pain crawling up my scalp, my knees burning, crumbling, and then a sound split the world in half. My head tilted back and I saw a winged shadow swoop down from above, and I guessed that Death’s angel had finally come to get me.
Make it one more day, Kazi.
I tried to resist, but I was too weak and his grip was too strong.
