NIKOLAI

“Get this shit open goddamnit! What in the bloody hell is taking so long?” I growled at the Keep guards warily looking down at me from behind the castle walls as the gate crawled open painful inch by painful inch.

The howl filling my ears made it difficult to think as I ground my teeth and waited for the gates to open before dashing into the stone city castle.

“Out of the way!” My voice boomed louder than I had anticipated as my heart raced in my chest and I flew past the looming stone walls, crashing through a litter of maids that had been standing idly, gawking at...