Destined for Greatness ✔️

Chapter 3

Ryleigh breathed a sigh and hung a little heavier against her chains. Much as she had trusted that her father would come to her rescue, he'd cut it a bit too close for comfort.

The events that followed after Corbin and Parker busted through the doors happened almost too fast to keep up with – at least for Ryleigh's hurt and tired head. The five soldiers in charge of shooting her full with silvered arrows had lowered their weapons when her rescue team entered, but raised them again once they had gotten over their initial surprise. Before they could finish what they had started, however, their fingers froze on the bowstrings.

Not only that, they stepped forward and turned, aiming their crossbows at none other than the king and his family. Immediately, of course, other guards shot in their direction, but they, too, froze. A series of increasingly large gasps travelled through the audience, and judging by the tug at her father's stoic lips, he was enjoying this far more than he ought.

Corbin positioned himself in the middle of the courtyard, one hand raised in the general direction of the guards he was controlling. He didn't need to use his hands to use his magic – not with this tiny amount, anyway – so Ryleigh knew he did it just for dramatic effect, so that there could be no doubt in anyone's mind that he was the one pulling the strings.

Ryleigh wished she could see Alder's reaction, but her view was blocked by the four guards who had brought her out. Rather than guard her, kill her, or hurt her, like they were prone to do, they started unlocking her chains with rough, uncalculated movements. She'd already had a ton of respect for Corbin's gift, but the way he flawlessly manipulated three distinct groups of guards without so much as looking their way was stunning, an impression only strengthened by the knowledge that this cost him no effort whatsoever.

"Your Highness," Corbin said, turning to Alder. If Corbin was at all fazed by the guards swarming together on the walls, aiming crossbows at him, or by the soldiers running through the doors, entering the inner ward, he did not show it. Every guard immediately stopped in their tracks upon arrival in the courtyard, hands frozen to their weapons. All they could do was watch.

The audience didn't appear to be under Corbin's control, but there was little point. Their fear already immobilised them. By then, news had spread about Corbin's planned revolution, as well as the fact that he was a mind-controller. They put two and two together quick enough and realised that their love for executions had driven them to willingly attend their own.

Alder was standing as unmoving as though he was being controlled as well, though that wasn't possible. His eyes flitted around the bailey, registering his inert army. He knew he had lost this battle.

"No one needs to get hurt, Alpha Corbin," he said.

"I see you know my name." Corbin smiled. Yes – he was enjoying it. He lowered his hand, but everybody remained frozen.

Ryleigh's guards succeeded in unchaining the many bonds holding her, and though she would have loved nothing more than to join Corbin's powerplay, she dropped to the ground the moment her fetters stopped keeping her up. Parker was by her side in an instant, pulling her up.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said, a wide grin on his face. Most Shadow Walkers were thrill-seekers and he was no different. He loved this – loved being the centre of attention, loved tiptoeing the line of genius and madness, loved above all that this rescue mission gave him eternal bragging rights.

She rolled her eyes and stomped his arm. "What took you so long?"

"You will not get away with this," Alder said in the meantime.

Corbin cocked his head. "Look around you, Your Highness. Who is going to stop me? The only ones I can't control are you and your family. Are you going to fight me, Sire? Without your army to back you up, I don't think that would end well for you. When you sent them to massacre my people fourteen years ago you could hide like a coward, but today you cannot."