"And I am giving you new orders," says Kyrian.
"Ones I unfortunately cannot honor.” If Talyn sounded somewhat apologetic at first, all the consideration is now gone from his voice. His hand tightens on the hilt of his sword toindicate that he’s ready to enforce his orders with steel. "If you could just follow the protocol, I’m sure Prince Theron will see this issue resolved quickly,” Talyn adds. One last attempt at diplomacy.
On my other side, Kai shifts his weight slightly, not quite reaching for his weapon but not far from it either. Logan's claws dig into the dirt, leaving furrows in the soft earth. We are one breath away from a brawl.
Three against five—I’m not so delusional as to imagine myself and Ellie as anything but a liability.
For a second, I entertain the notion of escaping while the males hold each other’s attention. But that would be worse than futile. Even if we could make it away from the triad and the patrol, where would we go? The fae would track us faster than a wolf on the scent of an injured deer. Then I catch sight of the blue-haired soldier’s face and know for a fact that should I fall into his hands, I will be begging for death. For a very long time.
“Your highness,” Talyn warns, his patrol shifting into offensive formation, their weapons glinting. Five against three.
Kai, Kyrian and Logan are the best warriors I’ve ever seen, but on the heels of an exhaustive run and against a fae sentry patrol? With two humans weighing them down? I don’t like their chances. And I like the consequences of Talyn’s sentries taking Ellie and me intocustodyeven less. My heart pounds.
Can the fae smell fear? Does it make them that much more hungry?
"You're making a mistake, Talyn," Kyrian is saying to Talyn. "The situation is more complex than you understand."
"You've brought the enemy into our camp. The Commandant's daughter, no less." Talyn's tone no longer tries to disguise his disgust. "Last chance. Surrender the prisoners to proper custody."
The word makes a fresh chill run through my veins. A chill and then a sharp, sudden pain. I wince, nearly staggering as the world lurches sideways beneath my boots.
Shit.
Not here.
Not now.
Ellie steadies my elbow while I press my palm to my temple, trying to will the vertigo away. It’s like trying to bribe a hurricane with polite requests. I’m overdue for my next dose of tonic and my body is determined to let me know it. Now. Because why not now.
Beside me, Kai and Kyrian are no longer posturing. Their weapons are out, blades gleaming in the low light, held steady but tight. Grim lines bracket their mouths. They’re not negotiating anymore.
Which is when it hits me—harder than the pain, harder than the betrayal. They’re truly worried.
The two most dangerous males I’ve ever met—immortal, unreasonably powerful, and apparently out of patience—don’t know if we’re walking out of this alive. And if they’re uncertain?
We are well and truly screwed.
"Just in case it's relevant, the mercs lost your entire delivery, not just us," Ellie's melodic voice suddenly rings through the violence-laden air with suicidal irreverence. "Tremendous incompetence, really. You might want to check if they're still collecting payment for jobs they never completed."
What the hell?
Kai keeps his attention on the patrol, but Kyrian, Talyn, and even the wolf turn incredulous faces in Ellie’s direction.
"What?" Talyn spits out.
"The mercenaries," Ellie continues, flipping a strand of dirty hair from an equally dirt-streaked face. "They were supposed to deliver a bunch of Spire cadets to you, right? Well, they failedspectacularly. Couldn't even manage basic prisoner transport. I'd demand a refund if I were you."
"Uh, Ellie," Kyrian says cautiously. "This may not be the time to offer business consultation."
"I might forget later," says Ellie. "Or be dead. And then what good would I be?"
"Ellie-" I start.
"—I mean, honestly," she continues, talking over me. "Who hired those idiots? Is telling the difference between 'capture alive' and 'get stuck between two armies and almost get everyone killed’ truly that difficult. Amateur hour, if you ask me."
"I'm not," Talyn says, then clarifies, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he's developing a headache. "I'm not asking you. I'm?—"
Kai's shadows explode outward like liquid night, wrapping around the male's ankles and yanking him down to the ground with a heavy thud.
