The pain that bloomed in his knuckles was nothing compared to the catharsis. He shook off the sting while Noah slid to the floor, dazed. As much as he’d love to finish him, Rune was in danger. He had to get to her.
Moonlight filtered through the windows here, giving the soldiers behind Gideon a better view. They fired on him as he raced down the steps. Gideon jumped the rail, and their bullets missed.
He shouldered the front door open and bolted outside, hoping he wasn’t too late. That Rune was still alive.
Shouts echoed from inside as Noah raised the alarm. By then, Gideon was already rounding the house.
He stopped in his tracks at the sight of Rune on her knees and Laila raising her pistol, about to fire.
“Laila! No!”
Startled by his shout, Laila flinched. The crack of her gun split the night. Gideon looked to Rune, who seemed startled but unharmed.
The shot had gone wide.
Laila drew a second gun and pointed both straight at him.
“Are you out of your damned mind?” she shouted, fury etched across her face.
He lifted his hands to show her he wasn’t a threat. “This is not the way we win.”
Her chest rose and fell with her unsteady breaths, but her aim remained steady.
“Laila—”
“Shut up, Gideon.”
Shouts echoed from the house. Soldiers would swarm them soon, and it would be over. With Rune’s hands tied, she couldn’t cast any spells. And Gideon was one man against dozens of soldiers—many of whom he’d trained.
Laila glanced over her shoulder, toward the house.
“Laila…”
“I said,shut up. I’m trying to think.” She dropped her arms in an infuriated huff. “I’ll give you fifteen seconds, all right?” She nodded to Rune. “You better hope she runs fast.”
Gideon wanted to hug her. Instead, he grabbed Rune’s arm and hauled her to her feet.
“Thank you.”
“Now you owe me double!” she shouted as they ran.
Rune led them past manicured hedges and groves, to the wilder part of the gardens. They were nearly at the garden gate when the bullets started to fly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Gideon lifted Rune over the gate, then jumped it, careful to keep his body between her and the soldiers. Shielding her from the gunfire.
They ran through the meadow. With her hands tied, Rune was slower than usual. The first time she stumbled, Gideon helped her up and a bullet lodged in his shoulder. He bit down on a growl as the pain seared through him.
They kept running.
The second time Rune stumbled, another bullet found itsmark—in Gideon’s hip this time. So he scooped her into his arms and pressed on, keeping his eyes on the woods up ahead. Rune didn’t fight him—which should have been the first sign something was wrong. She simply gave in, pressing her cheek against his chest as she slumped in his arms.
Soon, his shoulder and hip throbbed with heat and pain. He felt himself slowing.
He was losing blood. Too much blood.
Get to the woods.
