Chapter Nine

CHAPTER

NINE

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A TWIG SNAPS, AND I JOLT AWAKE, KNIFE IN HAND . Finnian is beside me with an arrow nocked in his bow. Both of us immediately prepare for the threat, but my body sags and my hand falls in my lap as soon as my vision clears, registering the sight of Ailliard standing in front of us with his palms raised.

"Knock next time," Finnian grumbles before falling onto his back again. He drags me down with him, and the back of my head lands on his chest. It's where I spent the night. I jolted awake every time I dozed off, thinking bugs were crawling in my hair, ears, nose, and mouth. Eventually, he got tired of watching me flop around like a fish out of water and told me to lie on him.

"We're outside, Finnian," Ailliard points out.

"Knock on a tree," I suggest while rubbing the ache in my neck. Why am I constantly aching?

Ailliard cuts me a look that translates to Really? Could you not join in for once? "I was just coming to inform the both of you that we need to leave soon. Didn't realize you'd wake up ready to murder."

"That's our morning routine," Finnian says, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Wake up, coffee, stab someone, brush teeth," I add.

"Adorable." Ailliard turns on his heels to rejoin the group.

Finnian's groan vibrates the back of my head. "We don't have coffee."

"Maybe we could just die; at least then we'd be able to sleep," I grumble.

"That sounds more inviting than it should."

I slowly sit up again, squinting into the sunlight that bathes the forest. The sun is my enemy. I almost swat the rays poking between the trees before retracting my hands—no need to look as disturbed as I feel.

We left Aestilian under cover of darkness, taking an extra step to ensure it stays hidden. It's practically a death sentence to travel through the Terrwyn if you don't have your wits about you, especially at night. Fatigue weighed on everyone and after Jarek almost fell off his horse, we decided rest was the most sensible option. I'd hoped Ailliard would have brought one of the guards who helped me escape Imirath, but they're already taking on responsibilities in our absence. With the tasks divided up, it wasn't worth the risk.

The guards he selected are our best, but I take every opportunity to avoid Jarek. He's the type of person to tell you that you're wrong when you inform him of a mistake he made. With his wavy shoulder-length dark blond hair, gray eyes, and broad shoulders, he loves wielding his looks, not that they've ever worked on me. His personality probably made me immune. Dusting the dirt from my pants and redoing my braid, I move to rejoin the group.

My skin prickles with surprise when the sharp sound of a shooting arrow infiltrates my senses. I drop to a squat, unsheathing two daggers as the arrow flies over my head.

"Attack!" a voice shouts behind a large boulder.

War cries fill the air, and at least thirty clan members hop over the rocks. The blood that stains their raggedy clothing hints toward them being one of the more violent clans. Wonderful. Who needs caffeine when someone is so graciously trying to kill you moments after waking up?

"Shoot straight," I say to Finnian.

"Throw true," he replies, finishing off our signature pre-battle exchange.

My guards rush to my side but don't bother getting in front of me. My pulse pounds in my ears, and my chest feels tight with the anticipation of battle. I whirl my knives in their direction while Finnian fires arrows, both of us charging side by side. We've taken down four before our groups clash.

I don't have the advantage of size, but I have the benefit of my mind. I've taken down people larger than me by timing my moves, scanning my opponent's footwork, and anticipating their moves before they make them.

The woman I'm charging raises her axe high, but I drop down, sliding in the leaves, and shove my knee into her shin. She falls forward, unable to protect her neck from my knife. Her warm blood coats my hand while I stand, readying myself for my next target. I unsheathe the sword at my hip and smirk when his eyes flash toward my blood-covered hand.

This is the kind of clan that killed Finnian's family. They travel through the Terrwyn and Sweven, burning villages in service to the gods, thinking the gods will find them superior if they kill the people that settled on godly land. No ruler can claim the reserved land, it's forbidden, and it's believed a curse will befall your bloodline if it's seized. Ordinary god-fearing citizens can make homes, but it can never be added to a kingdom. Aestilian is located on godly land, but I'm not above killing a god should they ever rejoin humanity and I do not fear their curses.

A cocky smile stretches across the man's cracked lips—so many have worn the same smile before taking their last breaths in my presence. The only thing I love about being underestimated is always proving people wrong.

"I don't want to hurt you, pretty." He licks his lips. "Why don't you put the sword down?"

I laugh and watch his cocky smile melt away. "Killing you is the only pleasure I'll take from you."

I block the first swipe of his sword; the metal clashes and vibrates my fingers. His eyes move before his sword does. Ramming my sword into his and knocking it to the side, I shoot my fist forward and pound it into his nose. If the skirmish weren't raging around us, I would have heard the crunch of bone. He flinches back, crimson blood leaking from his nostrils. He's unable to stop the tears that fall from his eyes.

"My gods don't like violent women." He spits blood in my direction, but it falls short of my boots.

"Well, they sound quite boring." He rushes forward in anger without anticipating how slippery his blood made the handle of his sword. I knock the weapon free from his hand and shove mine deep into his gut. "My blade is my god, and you can tell them I said that."

He crumples to the ground when I pull it free, and an ear-piercing shriek sounds through the area, followed by water splashing. Ten purple tentacles with venomous spikes shoot out of the small pond where our horses were drinking.

A vextree.

I've only heard of them but never encountered one.

The monster's long, sluglike body springs to the shore. Another high-pitched shriek emanates from its circular mouth—its entire face opens to display rows upon rows of teeth that travel far into its throat. The battle continues, but everyone constantly looks over their shoulder, waiting to see if the monster will move farther than the shoreline. Time stops when I see a flash of orange from the corner of my eye. A sharp stabbing sensation twists my gut as I realize it's Finnian being dragged across the ground by a tentacle wrapped around his calf.

"Finnian!" I shout, hating the helplessness that worms through me. So many people separate us, and I'm too far to throw knives. "FINNIAN!" I charge forward without a second thought.

I'm so caught up in my emotions that I don't notice the person rushing at me from the side. My feet pivot in their direction, and I attempt to raise my sword in time to block them, but I'm too late. They got the upper hand while my eyes were on Finnian. I brace myself for the impact, but it never comes because an arrow shoots from behind me, flying so close to my head that I'm certain the feathers brush against my ear. It sinks right between their eyes, cutting so deep into their skull that the arrow makes it halfway through before they fall to the ground.

Who was that? Only Finnian's aim is that good.

I turn in place, giving a slow, disbelieving shake of my head. My eyes blink rapidly, but the vision is real. Cayden Veles sits on top of his horse looking every inch the feared Commander of Vareveth the world knows him to be. Empty bow hanging in the air, his hand still drawn back from the arrow he fired for me. His eyes meet mine across the battlefield, blazing in anger. He shouts orders to his soldiers while charging forward, swinging his sword and never taking his eyes off me. Spinning on my heels, I rush toward the edge of the pond. Finnian fires arrows while the vextree continues to drag him toward the water.

"Elowen, stop!" Cayden shouts, but I keep pushing forward. There are too many people between us for him to catch up, and there's no way I'll let someone stand between Finnian and me.

"No!" I scream when the monster shoves Finnian under the surface. My fingers twist around the hilt of my knife while I push myself to move faster. A growl rattles in my chest when I reach the pond's edge, kick off the rocks along the shore, and sail through the air. The vextree notices me too late. I jam my knife into its throat, dragging it down as I slide toward the water. Thick black blood pours from the deep slit, burning my hands, but I keep going. Bringing my sword forward, I stab its belly, twisting and turning. I use it to hold myself up while I thrust my knife over and over again. Arrows fly into the monster's head and eyes now that I'm halfway down its body.

With one final mountain-shaking cry, the monster collapses into the water. I take my blades out and push off the front of the beast, falling into the murky water below. My boots fill with water as soon as the pond closes over me, but I kick off the pond floor and walk along the bottom until I breach the shore, sword and knife still in my burning hands.

The battle is on the cusp of finishing. Bodies litter the forest floor, but I zone in on pale fingers clawing their way through the thick mud. Finnian is propelling himself forward with his head tilted to the side. I drop my weapons and sprint toward him.

No. No. No. No.

"Finnian!" I flip him onto his back. His eyes are glossy and fade in and out as he fights to stay awake. I shove my hands under his arms and drag him away from the pond. "Don't you dare shut your eyes!" I shriek. Fucking gods, my hands slip from his underarms. His soaked clothes make him heavier than usual. I lunge for him again, but an arm wraps around my waist, hauling me away. Another feral growl rumbles inside me, and I thrash against the hold. My captor groans when I elbow them hard enough that they can feel it through their armor.

"He's with me," Cayden says while coming into view, tucking his hands into Finnian's armpits and moving him farther up the shore with ease. I cease the punch I was about to deliver to the man's groin, and this time, he lets me out of his hold.

"I'll be right back." Without giving Cayden or the man a chance to protest, I sprint toward my horse and grab the satchel from my saddlebag. I feel Cayden's eyes on me but don't look anywhere other than Finnian as my knees sink into the mud beside him. A venomous spike juts out from his shin, and the skin around it bubbles and blisters as the venom seeps into him. I swallow the bile that shoots up my throat and cut off the pants below his knee.

"What do you need us to do?" Cayden asks.

"Hold him down." I plead with my eyes while reaching into my satchel, pulling out a tonic to stop the venom and a fresh roll of bandages.

"Ryder will hold his shoulders, and I'll take his ankles."

"Ellie." He weakly groans the childhood nickname he gave me. His blue eyes have a thick film over them, and I know he's fighting against the venom.

"Yes, it's me. I'm right here. I'm going to take care of you, Finny." I blink back my tears; now isn't the time to lose it. I place the leather strap of the satchel between his teeth. "Bite down whenever you need to."

Facing the wound again, I pull the spike from his leg. He thrashes against Cayden and Ryder's hold, but they keep him pinned to the ground with their combined strength. Placing my hands on the wound, I squeeze the venom from the hole left by the spike. Vextree venom clumps under the skin and moves toward the heart, so it's important to remove it before it can slip away from the surface and mobilize.

After squeezing a substantial amount from his leg, I sprinkle a few droplets of the tonic on his wound. Cayden tightens his hold so I can apply it more accurately. My lips press together to suppress the whimper threatening to escape when Finnian's pained screams meet my ears. He bites down on the leather, but it does little to muffle the proof of his suffering. I sneak a glance at his face, and a sob breaks free while I watch his head helplessly thrash side to side, teeth bared around the leather, while tears leave trails on his mud-splattered cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"Look at me," Cayden states beside me, but I can't. I can't take my eyes off Finnian. I've bandaged him countless times, but he's never gotten this hurt. He's never had to be pinned down. I've never made him wail in agony. "Elowen, look at me." My eyes involuntarily meet his unnervingly emerald gaze, and our faces are inches apart once again. "You must continue. He can sleep off the pain when we return to the ruins, he's going to be fine."

"Okay." I nod, still in a trance, and grab a roll of bandages. "Okay," I repeat more definitively while wrapping the wound. The tonic must be working because he's already dozing off. Once the bandage is tied off, I place my hands flat against the mud. The cool texture feels good on my burned skin. My hands are covered in Finnian's blood, so I can't assess the damage yet, not that it makes a difference. The only thing I'm focusing on is taking several measured breaths to still my nerves.

"Thank you," I finally manage to say, lifting my head and meeting Cayden's stare. I swallow through my tight throat and face the person who was holding Finnian's shoulders. "Thank you both for doing that. I wouldn't have been able to hold him down."

"Yes, I'm quite relieved your lover is healed," Cayden dryly states.

The idea of Finnian and I together in that way is both laughable and disgusting. "I'd be lost without our passionate lovemaking."

A muscle in Cayden's jaw ticks. "Spare me the details, princess."

"You mean my scandalous relationship with the man I consider to be my brother and has never laid a hand on me in the past fourteen years? Yes, those details can get raunchy." Cayden clears his throat, and the man that held Finnian's shoulders roars with deep laughter. It's so contagious I find myself sharing in it. "I didn't know demons could experience emotions, but you look quite unsettled."

"I don't care enough to be unsettled."

"Jealous it is, then."

Cayden narrows his eyes. "Elowen, may I present my First General, Ryder Neredras."

My eyes scan over his features: dark umber skin, obsidian eyes, tight black, coiling curls cut close to his head, prominent cheekbones, and a wide nose. By the gods, is everyone in Vareveth good-looking? Is that a stipulation before you can gain entry?

Ryder stretches a hand toward me and lets it hover in the air between us. I reach for it but pause before I make contact with his skin, jerking back. "I'll take that handshake after I wash my hands."

"Deal."

"Also, I apologize for elbowing you in the stomach and for almost punching you . . . in your . . . you know." I trail off, feeling incredibly awkward. I would probably rub the back of my neck or fiddle with my necklace if my hands weren't filthy.

He breaks into a smile again, and my lips mimic his. "I can appreciate a good punch."

"You never apologized for punching me," Cayden remarks with a smirk. "In multiple places, on multiple occasions."

"That's because you deserved them." I smile sweetly.

"Oh yes, she's exactly how you described," Ryder comments. I don't miss the daggers Cayden's eyes shoot in his direction. The general raises his hands in surrender while getting to his feet.

Eager to change the subject to stop the burning in my cheeks that rivals my hands, I ask, "Why were you riding so close to here?"

"Hunting for food," Cayden replies. "Hopefully some other patrol was more successful, unless you're in the mood for vextree."

I grimace, causing the pair to chuckle. The battle has ceased around us, and everyone is regrouping. We should head out soon before someone or something is attracted to the scent of blood that lingers.

"I'm going to wash my hands," I say while walking away from our small group. The pair of them hoist Finnian and wrap an arm around each of their broad shoulders. It's a good thing they're all around the same height with Cayden being the tallest and Ryder being the shortest though by no means small.

I find a section of the pond that the vextree blood hasn't contaminated and bend down to wash my hands. The water increases the pain, but it'll only worsen if I don't clean the burns. I feel a set of eyes on my back the entire time, but nobody is looking at me when I turn around.

Ailliard jogs over, assessing me with his eyes to ensure I'm all right. I hide my hands behind my back; he doesn't need to worry over some irritated skin. "Those are the Vareveth soldiers we're supposed to be meeting?"

"Commander Veles and First General Neredras are helping Finnian to the horses. I haven't met any of the others yet."

"I'm glad Finnian will be all right, but you must be smarter about your decisions. You charged a fully grown vextree."

"I'm fully aware of what I did." I would have taken on an entire army of vextrees if they had Finnian. "Were any of the guards hurt?"

"Not fatally, but they could use your assistance."

I'm relieved to hear nobody died in the ambush. "We should send them home from here once I finish healing them. There's no sense in adding more time to their journey."