Niyx Samantha Kroese (i am malala young readers edition .TXT) 📖

Templars alone though. What was his twin thinking threatening the entire city like that? What would it feel like to have that kind of power?

The scraping and clanging sounds of metal armor rang through the courtyard. Ruel stumbled to a stop as the entire legion of Templars bowed to him. When he finally muttered that they could rise, the Supreme Commander walked over to talk to him quietly, showing him the documents that made Ruel King of Aderaan.

Onyx watched with crossed arms. He looked over the army before them and out over the city where people were starting to gather in the streets. He didn’t trust this. It could not be that easy to take over this city could it? Just kill the original King and demand another in his place?

His gaze drifted to the ruins of the fallen house that Niyx had destroyed. Snow still blew only around that house and it was half buried in snow and ice now. The city had given up on saving it. Instead they had contained it temporarily with shifts of mages throwing fire to melt the spreading hoarfrost off the streets. As he glanced at the people wandering the streets, he saw one thing on their faces. Fear. The people of Aderaan had been powerful and peaceful for so long they did not know how to handle this threat.

“Are you coming, Onyx?” Ruel asked, drawing Onyx’s attention.

Onyx flattened his ears as the Templars parted to make a path for Ruel and Rebekah. “Of course I am. I am your bodyguard.” He ignored the displeased looks on some of the Templar’s faces. He recognized them as the Night Creature hunting division of Templars, but their commander Raijin was notably missing, and they wore the standard armor once again. If their looks could kill, though, Onyx would have had a hard time staying alive.

As they moved out into the streets of the city with the Supreme guard surrounding them, the nobility of Aderaan poured out onto the streets. Onyx fought the urge to pull his daggers when he saw the looks of hostility on the nobles’ faces. Aderaan’s nobility did not approve of Ruel’s promotion, that much was clear. Fortunately, the only assassin allowed to operate in Aderaan was Onyx. Onyx glanced down at Floof. The cat was walking just ahead of Ruel like the procession was for him and he was now king of the city. The cat held his head and his plumed tail high as he ignored the people like he thought them beneath him. Onyx relaxed. What was he worried about? Ruel commanded dark forces, thanks to his blood-line pact with the dragon.

They made it to the massive castle in the city’s heart and wound through the maze of hallways and doors until they arrived at the throne room. Onyx watched Ruel’s coronation ceremony with little interest beyond making sure Ruel was safe. He was busy scanning the room, making note of which Houses looked displeased, who might be trouble later.

The room fell into a stunned silence as the door to the throne room blew open with a fierce winter wind. Snow flurried through the door as Niyx stepped inside with Kiril at his side. Behind them a group of Night Creatures followed, including Riven and several of the more important and intact ones. As they walked up the fancy tiles to the throne where Ruel now sat, a ghoul’s dragging arm fell off, and when it paused to reattach it, several of the elven nobles turned green and covered their faces.

Niyx strode confidently to the throne and inclined his head to Ruel. “King Ruel. It is the honor of the Night Creatures to forge an alliance with you. Will you accept this alliance?”

The room broke out in loud protests, as the nobles tried to shout their concerns over each other. Ruel gripped the arms of the throne, looking a bit overwhelmed. The tiny fluffy cat that had been sitting at Ruel’s feet got up, trotted forward, then changed form into a massive black lion. When Floof roared, the crowd stilled. Once they were quiet, the cat returned to his tiny form and licked a paw as though nothing had happened.

Ruel stood up, crossed his arms, and looked around the room. “King Niyx has offered to spare Aderaan only if we ally with the Night Creatures. Only if we recognize them as a people with their own rights and kingdom,” Ruel commenced, but he was drowned out again by people protesting and screaming about monsters.

Kiril had remained silent at Niyx’s side, but she could constrain herself no longer. She scowled, and with a gesture of her hands, the loudest protester fell to the ground, frozen solid. The noble shattered on impact with the floor, scattering pieces all around their feet. “This is not a negotiation, nobles of Aderaan,” her voice rang out. “Your city has broken the ancient pact. Accept the alliance or face the consequences.”

Onyx slipped closer to the throne as the room fell into an uneasy silence again. No one dared speak up now, but he could see the hatred burning in their eyes. Their objections would not end once Niyx left.

Ruel bowed to Niyx and extended his hand. “We accept the alliance with your proud people, King Niyx. Aderaan is grieved that our brave Templars would act in a way to destroy an ancient pact made to protect both our peoples. Please let us know if you need restitution in the way of supplies as a way of showing our deep apology and gratitude.”

Niyx narrowed his glowing icy blue eyes as though he was determining the sincerity of Ruel’s words. Satisfied, he then glared around the room. “In accordance to the documents you hold, you will order the nobles to release every dragon within the city into my custody, or I will do it for them.”

Ruel cringed at the glares from the nobles around him, but nodded. “Of course, King Niyx. I’m sure the nobles of Aderaan