CHAPTER 253
Krystalis skidded across the stone floor. Its blade struck the runebars with a sharp metallic clang before spinning to a stop near the opposite side of the cell.
Ezekiel's eyes flickered toward it. Only for a fraction of a second. That was enough for Melisca to surge forward again.
She drove him backward, jaws snapping only inches from his face. His wounded arm trembled violently from the strain. Blood continued running down from the deep bite, making his grip slicker by the second.
Outside the cell, Livius could no longer remain silent. He stepped into the doorway but stopped there, unable to force himself any farther. "Your Majesty!" His voice echoed through the basement. "Please... save yourself!"
Ezekiel didn't answer.
His teeth remained clenched as he struggled to keep Melisca's claws away from his face.
Livius's grip tightened around his medical case. "Think of your people! They're still waiting for you out there!"
