Chapter 204: The Truth Comes Out
Simon didn’t use magic to fight or hide as he rushed the soldiers in the rear of the rush, pressing toward the throne. There would be time for that once the chaos started and children weren’t looking as much at him specifically.
For now, no one was looking at him at all. Instead, the soldiers in the front were fighting the Queen's guards while those behind them shouted angrily. “You’ve led us to this terrible crossroads!” one man cried.
“We could have had peace if only you’d allied with the Murian. Then all of this could have been avoided!” another man shouted.
Despite wearing identical armor in identical colors, the men managed to look like a mob, somehow. That spoke to both the poor quality of the men the army was being forced to induct now as well as just how green this group was. Half of them weren’t even wearing their helmets. Simon would make them regret that.
I would kill for some armor right about now, he sighed as he strode toward his enemies. A toga was not the best outfit to do battle in.
No one was paying attention to him. Why should they? The throne room was filled with dead guards and the bodies of other fallen traitors. There was no one left to oppose them.
All of them had thought they’d won. Why shouldn’t they? The Queen was cornered, and the palace was under siege. The traitors had won by every measure. Unfortunately for them, Simon was a fan of lost causes, and Elthena was one cause he’d never give up on.
He opened by burying his dagger in the neck of one of the men and holding it there, letting it drink deeply. The man screamed, causing all those around him to turn, but that was exactly what Simon had been waiting for. As soon as they turned, he lashed out in a wide slash with his long sword, taking one man in the neck, one across the face, and one in the eye, blinding him on his left side.
Simon was very overextended by that move and would have fallen over if not for the man who he was still bleeding with his dagger. Instead, he used him as an anchor and, after a moment, as a shield. Several men struck out at Simon as he retreated two steps, but they only struck their friend in the process.