What if she did and Adreona had been successful—and her memories of me had been altered?
I’d spent so long getting her to open up to me—I hated the idea of having to do it again. I’d do it in a heartbeat, but her not remembering our memories,our story?—
“I’m ready,” Luciana called out. I caressed my hand over Lennox’s face one more time before scooping her into my arms, her strong body limp in my arms.
“Be ready to be on the lookout. We don’t know how many guards will have returned from the fire by now.”
We made our way down the hallway quickly, following the same path we came from. I didn’t know if that was a smart decision or an incredibly stupid one, but it was the only way we knew how to get out.
Lennox’s body bounced against mine as I jogged down the hall at Luce’s heels.
Luce stopped when we reached the end, peering her head around the corner. “There’s a bunch of guards blocking the exit!” she hissed. “I think they found the bodies we hid on our way in here.”
“Fuck. How many of them?”
She looked around the corner again. “Five.”
I mentally calculated. “You take Lennox.” I placed her in Luce’s waiting arms. “Wait for my signal.”
I reached for my magic, pulling it to the surface.
I’d make them pay. Every fucking one of them.
I kept my back to the wall as I slunk down the hallway. The guards were too preoccupied with their dead friends in the closet, they didn’t spare a look at me.
I kept my footsteps light as I approached the first guard.
His neck snapped easily under my grasp. I grabbed the sword from his side before I let him slide to the ground.
His companions drew their swords, but not a hint of fear flooded my system.
I lunged before any of them could move, my sword finding a home in the female guard’s gut. Blood spurted as she folded over, gripping her stomach.
I kicked out, sending her flying backward, her head hitting the wall with a crack.
I turned in time to meet an incoming blade, our swords clashed, the sound echoing in the hallway.
My boots squeaked in the blood staining the floor as I shifted, shoving my sword upward into the guard before twisting and slicing it across the next one’s arm.
They cursed, dropping their sword as they reached for their injured arm.
“This is for thinking you could lay a hand on my wife.” I shoved my sword through his neck with a snarl.
“Remember who you’re dealing with next time.” Thenext two guards fell easily, their blood blending with the others pooled on the floor.
I turned to signal Luce, finding her already jogging down the hallway with Lennox slung over her shoulder.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” she muttered as she passed Lennox back to me.
“You don’t have to ask me twice.”
16
LUCIANA
“Bring him to my room. I’ll keep an eye on him and Lennox.” Declan nodded before slipping off Nico’s back, holding Nol in his arms.
It had been a slow trip back to the inn, we moved as fast as we could with two unconscious bodies through the dense forest in the snow.
