Read Kathir's Redemption (Book 6) for Free Online Page B

at least a head. She wore a rich emerald-tinted gown that shimmered with gold as she moved. The garment seemed designed specially to display the dragon stone embedded near her throat. The glittering emerald caught the dim light with a fiery luster. Xiiltharra ’ s strawberry-blonde hair fell in loose waves down her shoulders. Her skin was extremely pale, but her lips were very red. Her eyes were such a light shade of blue that they looked almost colorless from a distance.
    Xiiltharra looked like a young woman, but everyone knew that she was hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years old. Mugla stepped over the bodies of the guards around her and walked up the stairs. She went over to Skera-Kina, knelt down, and placed two fingers on her neck to check for a pulse. 
    Tallin headed over to his aunt. “ Is she still alive? ”
    Mugla nodded, but her expression was grave. “ She ’ s still alive, but barely. Her neck is broken. It ’ s beyond my power to heal an injury this severe. ”
    Xiiltharra tried to walk over to where Skera-Kina was lying down, but she was blocked by several guards. The elf queen sighed, as if deeply irritated. She turned to the High Priest. “ Call off your guards. Now. ”
    Despite his fear, the priest shook his head. “ I will not! Who are you to speak to the High Priest of Balbor in such a manner? ”
    The elf queen ’ s jaw clenched, and her eyes narrowed. “ I am Xiiltharra, Queen of Faerie, and by the terms of the Brighthollow Pact, I am your sovereign! You will obey me, whether you like it or not! ”
    She waved her hand in the air, and all the guards flew backwards off the platform as if they had been struck by an invisible fist. All of them hit the ground below with a hollow thud. The queen then turned to face two assassins who were standing before the priest.
    “ Now get rid of these two, ” she ordered.
    The High Priest recoiled in fear, but he did not obey. Instead, he pushed the assassins forward. “ Kill the elf witch! It ’ s your duty to protect me! ”
    The first assassin drew a poisoned knife and pointed it at her.
    Xiiltharra chuckled lightly. “ A poisoned blade? Against me? You must be joking. ” She made a circular motion in the air with her index finger. The assassin twirled around rapidly before she cast him down to the street below. The assassin landed on his head with a loud crack and did not rise again.
    Xiiltharra addressed the High Priest again. “ You are trying my patience, priest. Call off your last man, or I ’ ll kill him, too. ”
    The remaining assassin moved forward cautiously.
    Tallin stepped forward to help, but Mugla grabbed his elbow. “ Don ’ t go — Xiiltharra doesn ’ t need your help, believe me. ”
    The last assassin proved more stubborn. He struck out and was able to graze Xiiltharra ’ s sleeve with his blade.
    “ Kala! ” she shouted, her voice booming through the cold air. The assassin shrieked and stumbled back. A blue spark shot from Xiiltharra ’ s palm and embedded itself in a tiny spot of bare flesh on his shoulder.
    Flakes of snow formed on the assassin ’ s skin where the spark had touched him. The ice expanded instantly and spread across his skin. He screamed once with shock and pain. Seconds later, his entire body was frozen.
    The queen swept by and pushed his frozen body as she passed. She watched emotionlessly as the assassin ’ s frozen body tumbled to the ground and shattered like a block of ice.
    The elf queen smoothed her dress and walked toward the High Priest, who was trembling violently. Her expression was no longer angry or troubled. “ That ’ s better. Now we won ’ t be interrupted. Tell me, priest...what is your given name? The name you were born with? ”
    The High Priest said nothing, mute with fear.
    “ Answer me, or I ’ ll rip your tongue out of your mouth, ” she said. Her expression remained totally calm.
    “ Fereroaz! My name … is Fereroaz, ” he croaked.
    “ Fereroaz, eh? ” She rolled