14. Dacre
CHAPTER 14
DACRE
V erena's eyes had finally closed, her breathing slow and steady as she drifted into sleep. It had taken over an hour of arguing to find a suitable spot to camp for the night, and even though she stubbornly insisted that I be the one to rest, I could see the exhaustion etched in the lines of her face.
The moon hung low in the sky, casting its gentle silver glow upon us. The light filtered through the leaves and branches above, creating a mesmerizing dance of shadows on the forest floor, and as she slept, I couldn't help but watch the delicate curve of her neck illuminated by the moon's soft touch.
Despite her demands to stay as far away from me as possible, I couldn't help but yearn for her presence. It gnawed at me, this desire to have her near me, and although I knew I was unworthy of it, I couldn't help but crave the touch of her skin against mine.
My gaze swept over the dense line of trees before settling back on her. The gentle rise and fall of her chest, the soft flicker of her eyelids; she looked so at ease, and I realized that it was such a stark contrast to the restless energy that seemed to emanate from her when she was awake. But in this moment, bathed in moonlight, she appeared serene and content, like a sleeping nymph nestled among the roots of the forest.
I straightened my tired body and scanned the stillness of the surrounding forest. There were no signs of anyone following us, but I couldn't shake the sense of unease that seemed to weigh down on me like a heavy cloak.
The image of her with that soldier earlier flashed in my mind, igniting a white-hot rage within me. He had touched her, hurt her. He had breathed her in as if she belonged to him. It made me want to do more than just throw my dagger into his throat. If it hadn't been for her safety, I would have.
The mere thought of anyone laying a hand on her made me want to slaughter every soldier in the king's army. The very idea of harm coming to her filled me with a fierce desire for vengeance, and I couldn't fathom sparing those in the rebellion who would dare lay a finger on her either. The rebellion was my home, they were my people, but my rage knew no bounds when it came to her.
With cautious steps, I circled the perimeter of where she slept, scanning every possible direction for any signs of danger. Only when I was certain that we were safe did I allow myself to approach her. She lay curled up in a tight ball, her head resting against her arm. Errant strands of hair had broken free from her braid and cascaded around her face. Dirt smudges adorned her nose and chin, and she was utterly captivating.
I settled down beside her, mere inches separating us. I stretched out my legs in front of me and kept a vigilant watch over our surroundings before turning my gaze to her. Had I been this consumed with watching her every move before she left? The way she slept now had become an obsession, every rise and fall of her chest, the subtle twitches of her nose as she dreamed. It was as if I was consumed by her, every breath proving to me that she was alive. The air she breathed sustained me.
I averted my gaze and took in the forest around me, the towering trees providing a sense of seclusion and safety. My mind raced as I desperately tried to come up with a plan. I knew I had to get her to the border, to the southern coast, and onto a ship. Despite having enough coins to secure her passage twice over, I was acutely aware of the danger that awaited us on either side.
Sailors were not known for their hospitality toward runaway girls seeking passage, and they certainly wouldn't be eager to take on an heir who had fled from her cruel father, who fled from the king. But even if it meant shoving her into the cargo hold and sending her off like a piece of baggage, I would do it without hesitation.
There was no way I was going to let her return to her father or my own. The mere thought sent shivers down my spine. She would either end up dead or worse, at their mercy once again.
This unforgiving kingdom had not been kind to her, and I prayed to the gods that the next one would be. I tried to imagine who she would become there, the life she would lead in a land untouched by her father.
Would she fall in love with a fisherman who lived in a quaint cottage on the windswept coast, his calloused hands cradling her face as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him? A man who had no inkling of the gilded cage she had left behind? Would she bear his children, their faces dotted with soft cinnamon freckles and their eyes warm like hers?
I hated the thought with a searing, visceral passion that threatened to consume me. The very idea of her finding solace in another's arms, of her laughter echoing for him to hear, of her hands cradling children that were not mine—it tore at my heart with talons of jealousy and regret.
I had never permitted myself to ponder such thoughts with anyone else, never dared to dream beyond the boundaries of my reality. But with her, everything felt different. She was going to leave this kingdom on a ship, its sails destined to catch the wind and carry her far from me, and I would stand there, rooted in place, watching her silhouette fade against the horizon.
In that moment, I let my mind wander to the possibilities of what could happen if I stepped onto that ship with her.
I reached out and delicately brushed a strand of hair away from her peaceful face. She stirred in her slumber, and I froze, my fingertips lingering against the soft skin of her cheek, just below one of those freckles I had imagined. A gentle sigh escaped her lips as she unconsciously leaned into my touch.
She was asleep, completely unaware that it was my hand caressing her skin. And yet, my stomach was in knots as I watched her.
"Dacre," she whispered my name so softly that I questioned if I had simply imagined it. Was I so exhausted and delirious from lack of sleep that hearing my name fall from her lips was enough to drive me to the brink of madness?
"I'm here," I murmured, trailing my knuckles down her cheekbone and along the curve of her jaw.
My gaze drifted down to her lips, full and soft, and every fiber of my being yearned to wake her up and kiss her until we both lost ourselves in each other.
I wanted to take my time with her, to savor every moment, something I had foolishly neglected the first time around. I'd been so wrapped in my own anger and the betrayal of it all that I hadn't been able to see past it. But now, sitting here watching her sleep, it was hard to see anything other than her.
I was a complete idiot, and she…she was something else entirely. Too good for me, too good for this kingdom, for this world.
"I'm cold." Her voice was filled with sleep as she murmured these words without opening her eyes. Her body barely moved as she shifted closer to me.
Without hesitation, I reached out and pulled her into me. She curled up next to me, resting her head in my lap as her legs intertwined with mine, searching for warmth.
And every point where our bodies touched felt like it was burning, as if tiny sparks were igniting along my skin. I had been craving her touch, consumed by thoughts of the game Eiran was playing with her, of the way he was convincing her to trust him when he was doing nothing but betraying her.
But now, as she sought comfort in my presence, peace washed over me. Her nearness acted like a balm, soothing my restless heart and calming the tempest of emotions that had been raging within.
I leaned my head back against the rough bark of the tree, its gnarled roots digging into the ground below. My eyes traced the glittering constellations above, each one twinkling like a promise or a warning. The sky was a vast expanse of inky blackness, dotted with brilliant stars that seemed to go on forever. I couldn't help but wonder what it would look like from her perspective once she reached the next kingdom.
Will the same stars continue to shine for her once she was gone? Will they mock me with their unchanging brilliance, taunting me with the fact that she was no longer mine?
"Verena." Her name was whispered, its soft echo ringing through the dense woods. My heart pounded in my chest as I frantically scanned the area for the source, every nerve on edge with fear.
"Verena." The name reverberated through the air, urgent and growing nearer with each passing moment. My heart raced, a cold knot forming in my stomach as recognition dawned on me. It was Eiran's voice—deep and familiar, yet laced with an unmistakable urgency that sent shivers down my spine.
Fuck.
I gently shook Verena's shoulder, trying not to startle her as I woke her up. Her eyes fluttered open, and her gaze met mine, hazy and unfocused from slumber.
With a sense of urgency, I whispered, "Get up. Someone's here."
Fear immediately flashed across her face like a bolt of lightning in the darkness.
She glanced down at the spot where she had been sleeping, tangled up with me, and with a jolt of realization, scrambled away to her feet.
The cool air bit at my skin where she had just been as I followed suit, instinctively unsheathing my dagger, its blade glinting in the soft moonlight.
"Verena. It's Eiran," Eiran's voice called out again.
I caught Verena's startled expression—a mixture of surprise and uncertainty—and felt a surge of anxiety wash over me. Would she choose him over me?
"We need to hide," I said, my voice low and urgent as I grasped her hand in mine. Her fingers were soft and pliable, neither resisting nor reciprocating my touch.
"Verena," he called out once more, this time sounding dangerously close.
"Verena, we need to hide now," I repeated, my heart pounding in my chest.
My frustration grew at the thought of cowering from him, the bitter taste of fear and anger mixing in my mouth. But above all else, I needed to keep Verena safe.
But she hesitated, her eyes wide with uncertainty, and when he called out her name again, it was only a few feet away, the crunch of leaves under his heavy footsteps growing louder.
"Fuck," I cursed under my breath, the word hissing through clenched teeth as I pulled her behind me. "You need to run. Head south as quickly as you can. Do not stop for anyone. Do not come back, no matter what you hear."
I pulled the coins from my pocket and thrust them into her palm. She glanced down at them, confusion etched on her face until I closed her hand around them firmly.
"That should buy you passage onto any ship," I said through gritted teeth, desperately trying to keep my emotions in check. I didn't have time to consider the worst, to think about the possibility that I could never see her again. "You do not stop until you get to the docks. Find the first captain you see and offer it all."
I stole a quick glance behind me, making sure we were still alone before turning back to her. "I will try to meet you there, but do not wait for me."
She didn't respond, but I could see fear and determination etched into every line of her face. Letting go of her hand, I slipped into the shadows.
"Dacre," she whispered my name and the desperation in that one word was enough to break me.
"Run, Verena." I disappeared from sight before I did something foolish, something that my heart ached for but would not protect her the way I needed to.
Instead, I moved through the forest as quickly as I could, leaving her behind until Eiran finally came into view.
I stepped out of the shadow of trees, and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of me. "Looking for someone?" I pushed my hands into my pockets, nonchalantly leaning against a tree as I took him in.
"Dacre." He let out a sharp exhale, his tone laced with disbelief and a tinge of bitterness. He had no idea that Verena was with me. He didn't know that I was the one who had killed a soldier to save her, the one who had taken her away from him.
I took in his appearance, noticing the wildness in his gaze and the disheveled state of his clothes. They were tattered and stained with dirt, but he didn't appear to be injured. His eyes locked onto mine, filled with a sense of desperation.
"I'm looking for Verena," he stated, his voice wavering slightly.
"As is the rest of the kingdom," I replied casually. "Any luck?"
"Don't be an asshole," he retorted sharply. "Is she with you?"
My mind raced as I debated on what to tell him, and after a moment of hesitation, I answered honestly, "No, she's not with me. Have you seen her?"
Eiran paused, his expression pained as if considering whether or not he should tell me the truth, and to my surprise, he did. "She was with me for a few days. We were ambushed by the king's men…I don't know if they took her."
There was a trembling panic in his voice that surprised me. Was he truly fearful for what might happen to Verena or was he scared of my father's wrath once he realized that he hadn't been able to keep his hold on her?
"Yet you're still headed south instead of north where they would have taken her," I remarked, my voice laced with frustration, the words sharp and biting.
Eiran let his face fall into a mask of indifference, but a flicker of uncertainty danced in his eyes. "Like I said, I don't know if they took her or if she managed to run. Our plan was for her to run."
"You and her are making plans now?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I crossed one ankle over the other, the leather of my boots creaking softly as I shifted. There was still pain in my thigh that lingered from her dagger. I hadn't been able to heal myself fully, not after using so much of my magic to heal her battered body. Magic came at a cost, and I was paying for it now.
With deliberate slowness, I pulled my dagger from its worn leather sheath, the metal gleaming dully in the dim light. I ran the razor-sharp blade beneath my nail, methodically scraping out the accumulated grime and dirt. The soft scraping sound filled the tense silence between us, a subtle yet unmistakable threat lingering in the air.
"I'm doing what you should have done. I'm taking care of our people," he growled, his voice lowered and filled with a simmering anger.
"And how exactly does Verena fit into that?" I narrowed my eyes, challenging him.
"If you had listened to your father and brought her to him when he asked, instead of doing only the gods know what, we wouldn't be in this mess," he scolded me, his eyes flashing with accusation.
"You mean fucking her." I couldn't help but glance up at him, my heart racing as I saw the anger take over his face. A storm was brewing in his eyes, and I knew I was pushing him too far. Verena would be furious when she found out what I had said, but in that moment, I didn't care. "What Verena and I were doing while my father wanted to use her as a pawn was fucking." I leaned forward, meeting his furious gaze. "I fucked her until she called out my name in the softest little whimper."
"I know the exact sound you're talking about." Eiran's grin made him look almost deranged as he tilted his head slightly, watching me closely. "But it wasn't your name on her lips when I heard it."
"You fucking…" I charged toward him, but I froze in my tracks as a booming voice echoed through the air.
"Boys." The crunching of leaves and twigs beneath heavy boots pierced the quiet forest air, announcing my father's arrival. Emerging from between the trees, he was flanked by Reed and Adler. My muscles tensed and my jaw clenched as I watched them approach. "I think that's more than enough, don't you?" he said, voice dripping with authority.
My father stood imposingly before me. His face was stern and commanding, his eyes piercing and unyielding. But I didn't back down, standing tall and meeting his gaze head-on.
"Son, it's nice to see you again," he said with false warmth. "We thought you had gotten lost."
"No," I shook my head defiantly. "I'm doing exactly what you wanted me to do. I'm trying to find the heir."
My father's eyes flickered with annoyance before settling on Eiran, who stood nearby. "That was what he was doing," my father said, pointing a finger at Eiran. "He had the heir in his grasp and was supposed to meet us at the southern border with her, but somehow that got messed up."
My father studied me carefully, too carefully. I knew he could see right through my facade.
"Eiran had told me that he couldn't hold off the king's men long enough to escape with the heir," I said casually, my voice betraying none of the rage boiling inside me, even though every fiber of my being yearned to slam my fist into Eiran's smug jaw. The urge for violence pulsed through my veins, barely contained beneath a thin veneer of civility. He had meticulously cultivated her trust, weaving an intricate web of lies and false promises, and even though I was already painfully aware of his treachery, this stark reminder ignited a murderous fury within me.
"It's odd, isn't it?" My father cocked his head, watching me carefully. "Eiran was able to kill every soldier he came across, yet he couldn't keep one girl in his grasp."
"Do you think she went willingly?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly as I tried to sound convincing.
"With someone, yes," my father replied coolly. "I'm just not certain it was one of the king's men."
With each measured step he took toward me, his eyes grew colder and sharper. The knot in my stomach tightened painfully, twisting like a coiled serpent as I could feel the unspoken accusations burning through me like white-hot brands. My palms began to sweat, growing clammy and slick, while my heart raced wildly in my chest, pounding against my rib cage as if begging me to flee.
Fuck.
"Do you have her, Dacre?" my father demanded, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine. The weight of my father's gaze bore down on me like a heavy cloak, each word he spoke rumbling through my bones. His eyes were like shards of ice, cold and calculating, as they assessed my every move.
I tried to maintain a composed facade, but my hands betrayed me with their trembling. "I already told Eiran that I didn't."
But my father's eyes only narrowed further, suspicion etched into every line of his face. "Then why did you leave camp in the middle of the night?"
"I'm looking for the heir." I crossed my arms over my chest as I watched my father, preparing myself for a fight if that was what it came to.
"You told me she ran back in Enveilorian, but it seems that's not the whole truth, is it?" He paused, studying me closely. I could see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to decipher my every move, trying to see if I was hiding something from him. "You claimed she ran, but you decided to leave the camp by yourself because you were certain the girl would seek you out if you were alone."
"I didn't…" I shook my head, but my father cut me off.
"Did she share any of her secrets with you while you were forgetting about your loyalties, buried inside her?" His voice was cold and sharp.
"I don't know any of her secrets," I answered honestly. "She had no reason to trust me with them."
He didn't believe me. It was written all over his face as he watched me, and his sharp gaze shifted toward Eiran as he commanded, "Find her."
Eiran took a step forward as if he was going to pass me, but I planted myself firmly in his path.
"That's not going to work for me." My words came out as a low growl, my anger simmering just below the surface.
My father's gaze met mine, sparks of fury igniting in his eyes. "I'm sorry?"
"I won't allow you to hurt her."
"Do you think I care about what you will allow? This is about the kingdom, boy. And you have put us in a position of weakness by losing her in the first place." His voice dripped with disdain. "Get out of the way."
My father's eyes narrowed into slits, but I couldn't bring myself to step aside.
"I overheard you and Reed." I nodded to the man behind him, to Eiran's father. "Do you really believe that the king will be lured out because of her? Do you truly think he will give up the reserves when he's bled this kingdom dry building it?"
"What I believe is that his heir had no business being inside our rebellion to start with, but it was you who brought her there." His expression hardened, his pupils flaring. "Why was she there, Dacre?"
"I found her beneath the palace. Thrown into the dungeons just as your daughter was." I let my mind go back to that day. She had looked so small, so broken.
But she had never been fragile.
"I was taught to protect our people, remember? And she had the rebellion mark upon her skin."
"That's odd, isn't it?" He crossed his arms, and I could practically see the wheels turning as he searched my eyes. "Why would the heir to the king be in those dungeons? Why would she possess our mark?"
My chest ached with the weight of my words, as if I were betraying Verena with every syllable. But she was not our enemy; she was not her father. "Have you ever considered that Verena isn't the traitor that you think she is?"
His response was sharp and filled with anger. "What I think is that my son is a fool."
"You're not going to hurt her."
My father scoffed, dismissive of my words. "What I will and won't do with the heir is none of your business."
"You want me to be the future king if you overtake this kingdom, but it's not my business what you do with her?" I shook my head and cast a sideways glance at Eiran. He stood rooted to the spot, his body tense and alert, like a statue waiting with bated breath for my father's commands.
My father's face contorted with rage, his features hardening into a mask of fury. He stalked toward me, each footfall echoing through the dense forest around us. "You'll be fortunate if you make it through this with your life," he snarled. "Do not dare to disobey my orders, lest you face the full weight of its consequences."
"I won't help you find her." My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a reminder of the grave consequences that lay ahead. It seemed as though the world had slowed, each drop of perspiration rolling down my brow a testament to the anxiety that snaked its tendrils around my very being.
But I was prepared to accept whatever consequences awaited me as long as she got away.
"Then you leave me no choice," my father growled, his voice edged with danger. "Seize him."
His men moved toward me. Eiran did as well, and I prepared myself for their attack. If my father thought they were going to take me willingly, he was wrong.
My heart beat wildly, adrenaline surging through my veins as I prepared to fight.
They stood before me, these men who were meant to be my people, and they were prepared to take me as their prisoner.
I was his son, yet he cared more that I hadn't given him the king's daughter.
I stood my ground, my eyes locked with my father's, and clenched my fists.
"You're a coward, Father." My voice trembling with emotion. "You're willing to sacrifice everything, including your own son, to maintain your power. You're no better than the king you despise."
My father's face twisted in anger, and he moved to strike me, but one of his men held him back. Eiran took advantage of my distraction and charged at me, his shoulder slamming into my stomach and knocking the breath from my lungs.
As I hit the ground, gasping for air, Eiran landed on top of me. He didn't dare give me a chance to catch my breath. Instead, he threw a punch, managing to connect with my jaw.
It echoed through the stillness of the forest, and a flare of pain raced across my face. With a grunt, I rolled to the side, attempting to break free from his grasp.
"You're a fool," Eiran said close to my face. "You're throwing away everything we've worked for, for a girl."
I barely allowed him to get the last word past his lips before I threw my elbow up, landing it against his temple.
He stumbled sideways, rubbing his head, and I saw my chance. I bucked him off me completely and climbed to my feet as quickly as I could.
Eiran still looked dazed from my hit, but his father wasn't. He hit me with a blow that took me by surprise, and Adler caught one of my hands in his before I could defend myself.
I thrashed and writhed, my body fighting against his iron grip. The force of the hit sent my head spinning and blurred my vision. As I gasped for air, I could hear the rhythmic rise and fall of our breaths, a symphony of struggle in the otherwise serene forest.
Every muscle in my body tensed as I braced for another strike, but it was my father's words that hit me next. "You have disappointed me, Dacre."
I met his gaze, my own eyes filled with defiance.
Eiran's father managed to seize my other arm, his fingers digging into my flesh. I fought against their combined strength, my muscles straining futilely.
With a brutal force, they shoved me backward, pinning me against a gnarled tree.
The rough bark scraped against my back as they slammed me into the unyielding wood, knocking the wind from my lungs.
My father's face suddenly loomed before me, his eyes dark with rage, nostrils flaring. For a split second, I saw the veins bulging in his neck and the tendons standing out in his forearm. Then his fist crashed into my stomach like a battering ram, driving deep into my abdomen. Pain exploded through my core as the air whooshed out of me in a strangled gasp.
I doubled over and struggled to catch my breath. My vision blurred as tears stung at the corners of my eyes. I could feel Reed's hands on my shoulders as he pulled me back upright until I faced my father once again.
"You think you can defy me, boy?" my father snarled. "You forget your place."
I didn't answer him. Maybe he was right, maybe I had forgotten my place, but I couldn't bring myself to regret it.
His fist rammed into my stomach again, the impact jolting me with a force that was somehow harder than the last. I dug deep within myself, searching for any reserve of power or strength, but only found exhaustion.
With each blow, my body convulsed and trembled with pain. The force of his fist against my skin like a physical manifestation of the greed that had been consuming him.
"Take him away." My father's voice thundered, shattering the tense silence.
Their grips tightened on my arms, sending sharp bolts of pain shooting through me as they began to forcefully pull me forward.
A shock wave of power pulsed from my core, vibrating the very air around me. My power. No. Her power.
My father's expression shifted from smug triumph to stunned surprise as a force slammed into his chest. He stumbled backward, his body crashing to the ground.
As Eiran's eyes widened in disbelief, Verena emerged from the shadows of the trees, her form bathed in the moonlight filtering through the leaves. Tension etched her features, her jaw clenched as if she were holding back a torrent of power.
"Let him go," she commanded, the sound of her voice sending a chill down my spine, making me shiver involuntarily.
"Well, well, if it isn't the princess," my father sneered as he wiped blood from his split lip with the back of his hand. "And yet, my son was just so adamant that he hadn't seen you."
Verena's piercing gaze never faltered; her eyes locked onto his with an intensity that could set the world ablaze. Her anger was palpable, radiating from her in waves that threatened to engulf everything and everyone around her.
"It would appear that he might be taking after his father." She held her hands out at her sides, fingers splayed and ready to unleash her magic. The air hummed with energy, charged by the sheer force of her fury. "You are nothing but a liar, after all."
My father grinned smugly, his eyes darting between Verena and me as if enjoying the chaos he had caused. "It appears that you take after your parents as well. I met your mother a few times. She was such a good whore for the king. It's good to see you're holding up the family tradition."
Verena's eyes blazed with a fierce fury, and a bolt of raw energy surged through me like wildfire. It seared through my veins, igniting every nerve in my body and setting my senses alight. Both men let out agonized yells as the force seemed to burn them, their hands recoiling from me as if I were a scorching flame. My gaze flicked between them and I saw Reed stare down at his trembling hands, shock and fear etched into his features as he stumbled backward.
My father was climbing to his feet, his hand clutching his chest as if trying to contain the inferno raging within him.
But it was too late. The power within me surged, a tempest of raw energy begging to be unleashed. I felt Verena's presence beside me, her own magic humming and crackling in harmony with mine.
What was that?
"You are no better than my father." She was still staring directly at mine, her eyes ablaze with a fury that rivaled the sun itself. "You want to abolish a king, only to replace him with one just as ruthless." Her voice carried a weight that seemed to shake the very ground beneath our feet.
My father laughed, the sound cold and angry. "Yet you were hiding away from him in my city." My father pointed at his chest. "You sought refuge from us, but now you damn us?" My father glared at her, and me at her side, with hatred burning in his eyes. "You damn my son?"
Verena's eyes narrowed, gleaming with a fierce intensity as she stepped forward, her magic swirling around her like the chaotic winds. Dark tendrils of energy danced in the air, shimmering with an unsettling beauty.
My feet instinctively followed hers, each step echoing the tumultuous rhythm of her resolve as I moved in line just behind her. As my fingertips gently brushed against her back—a soft, unspoken gesture of solidarity—I felt the tension radiate from her. She straightened, exuding an air of defiance that made her seem larger than life.
"What will you do with me?" she demanded, her voice reverberating among the trees. "You sent Eiran after me, you sent him to betray my trust. There's no telling how many men you sent into this dark wood, and for what?"
Eiran's eyes darted away, his jaw clenching at her words.
"For the good of the kingdom," my father sneered, his voice echoing dangerously in the stillness. "You will be used for the good of the kingdom."
"She won't be used at all." I couldn't stop the words from falling past my lips.
"And who do you think will stop me?" My father's gaze met mine, a mirror of who I was to become. His words hung in the air, heavy with accusation and poison.
Verena's hands lifted with an air of defiance, as if she was going to prove exactly who it was that would stop them. I could feel her power emanating from within me, intertwined with my own. It surged through my veins, filling me with strength that I lacked on my own.
My arms reached out instinctively, mirroring her movements. I let the power unleash from my fingertips, her black smoke pouring out of me in a way that magic never had before, and it slammed into the four of them, sending them flying backward.
Adler's back slammed into one of the nearby trees with an earth-shattering thud. His body lay sprawled on the ground, his once powerful limbs now limp and lifeless. His eyes now dull and hollow.
I had killed him.
I locked eyes with my father as I wrapped Verena's hand in my own. If he had thought me a traitor before, then I was much worse now.
I was their enemy.
The son of the rebellion, yet I was choosing her.
I had killed one of them for her.
"We need to go," I whispered urgently to her, my hand gripping hers as we turned. She nodded once, her hand squeezing mine tightly as we took off before any of them could get to their feet.