42. Tori

"I

want his head on a spike. I want his blood in the streets. I want—"

Abraxaswrapped his arms around me from behind, holding me tight. "I know, my love. But remember what happened last time we rushed things? We need a plan."

Igrumbled, but he was right. It didn't settle the twitching of my fingers. How they longed to wrap themselves around Hadeon's neck.

Ilooked out over the throne room and the entrance hall. We brought as many of the wounded in as we could. All the palace healers dashed between the makeshift cots we managed to erect, but many of the wounded simply lay on the ground with nothing but a thin cloth between them and the stone. More and more people were being carried in by our soldiers by the minute. Our people lay broken and scattered around me, and I could feel dragonfire licking at my heart and fingertips.

"Easy, little bird." Abraxas slipped his hand into mine and pulled the flames away before snuffing them out. "Our vengeance will be swift. But as you told me, for now, we must focus on those in need." He placed his hand on my back, and I took a deep breath, calming myself. I let the flames inside me sink into that deep cerulean ocean.

"We're running out of space in here, Abraxas." Avlyn jogged up to us with Oryx following close behind.

"Have we triaged the most heavily wounded inside?" he asked.

Oryxshook his head. "We have done our best, but too many keep coming from the city."

Abraxasfrowned. "Commander, have the eastern cohort break down the market stalls. See if we can get more cover in the courtyard. Oryx, keep a tight rotation going, but make sure none of your healers are getting overworked. It wouldn't do to have more in need of care." The healer nodded and turned to follow Avlyn before seeming to remember something. He spun back around and pressed an object into my hand.

"For your brother." He gave me a quick smile before running back out the main doors. I looked down, and for a moment, my heart stopped as the milky liquid shimmered within the glass vial. But the liquid was a soft gold, not that translucent white I knew. I clenched my fingers around it. I wasn't sure what it was, but I trusted Oryx.

"Go find him, I'll manage this for now," Abraxas said. I nodded and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek before running out into the courtyard.

Ifound Jun quickly in the crowd. He was ladling water out of a bucket to the gathered refugees. AsI approached, he looked up. "To… ri…" he said; my name was a barely discernible wheeze. He turned his head and coughed. He sounded like he had been screaming for days.

"Jun, maybe you should sit down." He shook his head and tapped his throat, indicating he couldn't speak anymore.

"Oryx gave this to me. Do you know what it is?" I held up the golden vial, and his smile grew wider. He snatched the potion from my hand, uncorking it and downing it before I could take a breath. He let out a relieved sigh.

"Well, I guess you knew what it was."

"For my throat." His voice was still hoarse, but he spoke without coughing. "Pallas helped him develop it."

"I'm sure she did. And where is our humble inventor of war instruments?" Raula had already told me all about the lighthouse. Jun shrugged his shoulders.

Ihelped my brother ladle the water. When there was a small break in the line, I turned to him. "What you did on the bridge was very impressive." He turned towards me, about to speak, but I cut him off. "But it was reckless. You could have died! You are still learning how to control your powers."

Hismouth snapped shut, and his face froze. More refugees came by, and Jun busied himself with helping them. But after the fifth cup had been filled, he muttered, "Hypocritical of you to call me reckless."

"I know what can happen in battle. I've had them happen to me. I can't have that happening to you."

"I saved you all." Jun's face was… angry. It was an emotion so foreign on him I didn't know what to do.

"Jun, I—"

Acheerful laugh pulled our attention back to the line of awaiting patrons.

"I can't believe they have the Hero of the Bridge out here slinging water," Kaleos called loudly.

"I just wanted to be helpful." Jun asserted, not meeting his gaze.

"Well, you certainly were. I don't know where we would be if those fuckers had gotten through the gate. I'd say you were much more than helpful. Between you and your sister, I've racked up quite the life debt to the royals of Niata." Kaleos gave my brother that broad, flirtatious smile, but he didn't see the twinge of fear that rose up in Jun's eyes. I saw him raise his hand to slap Jun on the back, as he always did to me. I dove in between them, knocking Kaleos' arm aside.

"Oh… I… uh…" The soldier's smile vanished, and Jun simply looked away, but the silence stretched to the point of pain between us all.

"Well, thank you again, YourHighness. Once this is all over, we will properly celebrate your victory." Kaleos gave a formal bow and ran away.

"Victory, huh?" Jun said, to no one.

Isighed and slid my pinky into Jun's. "Kaleos means well."

"You all do." That was all he said.