From The Ashes by Ian Alexander, Joshua Graham Read Free Book Online

fanfare, even as the priest began to tie the cord.
    Just then, Ying called out into the arena.   “Hear me!” His voice cut through the din of the crowd in an otherworldly call that resembled that of a great eagle.   Though everyone turned and looked up at him, he did not think it strange that his voice had transformed for that one shout.
    “People of Bai Kuo! Your enemies are upon you!   By the time this ceremony is concluded, the entire kingdom will be overrun with soldiers from Chungzhou.   We have been betrayed!   This union must not be sealed!”
    At that, the Lord Protector turned his back and motioned for the Elder to continue.   But the Elder stood trembling with anger, as he looked into the eyes of the princess.
    Mei Liang stood firm.
    Then she tore her hand away and pulled the red string away.   “Neither I nor my father’s kingdom shall ever be sold!”
    Moh-Gwei turned and looked in confusion into the box where his entire delegation sat.
    And then, just when Ying saw the first wave of enemy horsemen disappear behind the citadel walls, the crowd let out a collective gasp.
    “Treachery!” someone called out.   “They’ve killed the Lord Protector!”
    He lay there, a poisoned arrow sticking up from his chest and convulsed wildly.  
    “Sound the alarms!” The Princess shouted.   “Deploy the royal guard!”
    But at that very moment, thousands of arrows fell into the arena like hail.   By the hundreds, people fell dead.  
    Moh-Gwei dragged the princess across the dirt ground and to the delegates of Chungzhuo.  
    Ying called out to her, and rushed down the stairs to her, not giving another thought to the arrows that fell all around him from outside the arena.   Even as he ran, someone shouted, “They’ve breached the gates, they weren’t even locked!   We’ve been betrayed by the Lord Protector!”
    By the time Ying got to the ground, a small band of   Bai Kuo’s royal guard had appeared.   But before they could get close enough to help the princess, they fell one by one as flaming arrows from the top of the arena cut them down.
    Someone grabbed Ying’s arm.   “You!   Come here!”
    It was one of the many soldiers from Chungzhuo who had just scaled the walls of the arena.   They were rounding up all the surviving citizens of Bai Kuo and joking with one another about what fine slaves they’d make.
    The one that grabbed Ying drew a scabbard and thrust it at Ying’s throat.   But just then, Ying kicked at his chest and his black cloth shoes fell off.   To his amazement, his feet had transformed into eagle-like talons.   With them, he tore through the soldier’s clothes and gripped through his flesh until his claws wrapped around his rib bones.
    The soldier dropped his weapon and shrieked in pain.
    Ying leapt up—higher than he could ever have imagined, and with little effort at all—and threw the soldier with his talons at the company of Chungan soldiers who stared with their jaws slacked open in wonder.   They fell like stones in a row.
    It was then Ying realized he was actually hovering in the air.   Just like he had done so many times in his childhood dreams.   I’m flying! He would shout with joy until he awoke to find himself grounded in his bed of straw.
    He turned back to find Mei Liang, standing defiant before the Elder of Chungzhou who shouted angrily at her.
    “For the last time, will you be wed to your lawful husband—?”
    “It is not lawful what my uncle has promised you.   Not when you have both conspired to use this union to turn my father’s kingdom over to the king of Chungzhou!”
    “—or will you refuse to obey and be subject to the punishment according to the royal edicts of Xieh Di?”
    If he could just do it quickly enough, Ying would swoop down, grab Mei Liang and fly away with her.   Perhaps regroup the fighting men—any who still lived—and defend Bai Kuo.   He flew down as quickly as he could, despite how awkward this new ability