47
LINCOLN
The battle is on.
TH and I circle each other. While I mirror my opponent’s movements, I angle the Beryl Xyston so it smacks into the invisible wall behind me. TH isn’t attacking yet. I’ll use the time to map out the dimensions of the dome.
“Sadly, I cannot kill Lincoln without exposing my true self,” announces TH. “This is something I tried to avoid. If Lincoln had agreed to fight one-on-one, then I wouldn’t lose a single delicious soul. But once you see my true nature, I fear some of you will escape. Such a shame.”
TH repeats his show from the doctor’s office. He peels off the false layers covering his head, exposing the stump-like skull with its mouth of fangs.
The crowd gasps. Some nobles run. Yet my regular subjects? They stay put. Warmth and pride radiate through me.
