5. Kellan

Chapter five

Kellan

I’d give that stupid beast one thing—it certainly had more flame than I anticipated.

My gaze roamed over the burning field, and I took in the sight of my remaining soldiers as they flailed around, their bodies up in flames.

“ Adler! ” Callius’ voice boomed through the smoke-filled, suffocating air.

He appeared through the haze and gripped me by the collar of my shirt. His face was barely an inch from my own as he violently shook me. “Where is the prince?!” he roared. “Where is Kai? You had one fucking job!” He released my shirt and shoved me backward, almost causing me to lose my footing.

My back stiffened, and I waltzed back up to him and pointed in his face, mimicking him only an hour prior, before the camp had been set aflame.

“Keep your fucking hands off of me!” I barked at him. “I don’t know where the little prince is,” I spat. “I left him in his tent.”

“Oh, you mean the tent that is now up in flames?!” Callius screamed at me.

“They’re all up in flames! Everything is! There’s no escaping this.” I gestured to our camp. “What would you have me do, Callius?”

He turned in circles frantically as anxiety cloaked his features. “Find him. Alive. Or it's your head,” he ordered as he took off running back toward where the wyvern continued to circle above, screeching.

“Gods-dammit!” I shouted as I kicked a helmet that lay on the ground at my feet, sending it flying directly into the cinders of a dying fire.

I stormed around the camp, aggravated to no end at this bullshit, as I used my foot to overturn bodies and examine the fallen soldiers.

None of the ones I came across were the prince.

My gaze shifted upward, and I caught sight of three figures jumping off the wyvern and into the camp that held what remained of our army.

Which could only mean one thing—Elianna was on the ground.

Elianna

I crept around the camp, hiding behind the few burning structures that remained standing as I searched for Kellan through the floating embers and ash.

Nox let out a thunderous screech, forcing my neck to snap in the direction of where he was. I watched as Jace, Zaela, and Gage leapt off from him, just as I had only minutes ago, likely to search for me.

“Gods-damn those three,” I huffed.

The fires were dying down, and since Nox was out of flame, it meant we would need to finish the rest of the soldiers off with our blades.

I peered around a collapsing supply wagon and noticed horses tied off in the far distance. I was about to turn around to head back deeper into the war camp when one specific war horse caught my attention.

My eyes widened in surprise. “Matthias,” I breathed.

I sheathed my sword and took off in a sprint toward my horse that I hadn’t seen since before I left for Ceto Bay.

My steps came to a skidding halt as I reached him and threw my hands around his neck, a sob slipping from my throat. I pulled away, and he nuzzled his nose into my soot-stained chest armor.

“I can’t believe they brought you here.” My eyes roamed down his body and fell upon the dreaded emblem that Kai had seared into my horse’s back. “I’m so sorry. I will make him pay for everything.” My tone darkened with each word.

I unsheathed my dagger and cut the rope that held him to the post. I pulled on his reins and gestured to the fields in the distance. “Go! Lead them from here. I will try to find you! Go!” I ordered, my voice cracking in desperation as I prayed to the gods he would listen. My heart stuttered as he took off into a gallop.

My feet were moving before I could form a thought as I ran down the lines, cutting the ropes to free the remaining horses. As soon as they were loose, I turned and watched as he led them into the wild fields.

I leaned against the tree the last of them had been tied to and blew out a shuddered breath. Right when I was about to turn back and continue my search for Kellan at the camp, my attention was abruptly drawn to the creak of a branch coming from directly above me.

My body stiffened, instantly going on high alert, and I reached for the pommel of my sword. A shrieking battle cry then sounded from within the tree’s branches.

My neck snapped up just in time to see Kai as he leapt from the shadows of leaves, aiming to land directly on top of me.