There was little to do at the north gate, for it had been so heavily guarded before the attacks began. As it was the closest to the palace, we had incorrectly assumed that would be their primary target. But we were all wrong; now, good people would die because of our choices.
Both Matthew and I were reserving our power for Lachlan. Most enemies were cleared out before we arrived, but it was already a blood bath. There were barely two hundred members of The Horde left as we arrived. With our thousand soldiers, we wiped them out quickly. Three hundred stayed behind, given orders to double-check the houses and establishments around the area.
More enemies might have hidden amongst the buildings, and I refused to leave a single bastard alive for their crimes against Aethion.
I dropped the last man’s body near my feet, his blood spilling onto the street like water. The killing didn’t phase me, not for a single moment. Perhaps that should have scared me, but it did not.
Matthew stood next to me, his hands covered in crimson. I had never seen this side of him—the ruthless killer who did not stop until his enemies lay dead at his feet. I was not ashamed to admit it was impressive and slightly erotic.
Most of our soldiers were sent to the eastern gate, where the Horde had breached our defenses. Neither of us had eyes on Lachlan yet, but I knew he was closing in. I could feel him all around me, the weight of his presence nearly suffocating.
Matthew grabbed my hand, pressing a soft kiss there. “We will find him, Eva. And I will ensure he does not live to see another day.”
I straightened my back, attempting to push the thought behind me. Even though they were distant, the sound and clang of metal on metal surrounded me while a coppery tang infiltrated and permeated the air. “What happens if we do not?” I asked, looking up into his green eyes.
“Then we will hunt him down, but his pride is too great to leave without facing us. He will find us. One way or another.”
I hoped he was right, because I was unsure how much more I could take. Unfortunately, my power seemed to agree, threatening to burst forth and destroy everything in its path just to relieve me.
Loud, thundering hoofbeats sounded ahead, followed by the horns of war. We looked up in time to watch a sea of red crash against tents of black. It was difficult to see, but I would recognize those colors anywhere.
Angoria was here.
We ran forward, forgoing the area near the palace to reach the eastern gate. Within a moment, Matthew grabbed my hand, and we disappeared into a thick fog of shadows, popping out near the top of the street.
It was a massacre, though evenly matched. Thousands of men battled each other in the field outside of the destroyed archway where a gate once stood. Archers shot from atop the parapets and tall houses. But no matter what was thrown at them, The Horde kept returning.
They were like roaches who refused to die.
The clacking of hooves on stone had me reaching for my dagger before I could think. I threw it blindly, though I knew it would fly true.
“Fuck, Eva. You could have killed me!”
Matthew’s shoulders sagged in relief as Trystan rode up to us on the back of an Angorian stallion, my knife lodging into a bare wooden shield. He hopped down, and Matthew surged toward him.
The brothers hugged, both overjoyed at seeing the other alive. Matthew looked like a bloodied god, and Trystan nearly rivaled him. He wore no proper armor, but his clothes clung to his body from dried sweat and gore. Scratches and cuts peppered his body, but they were healing quickly.
“I was becoming worried when you had not arrived yet,” Matthew said, checking Trystan for injuries.
Trystan shrugged, swatting Matthew’s hand away as he circled his brother. “We would have been here sooner but ran into a problem.”
“A problem?” I asked, brows furrowing.
Trystan chuckled, running a hand through his messy hair. “Kalen’s father had a small army of his men stationed up the road, ensuring no one could escape the area before The Horde could attack. Unfortunately, he ran like the fucking worm he is and left his men behind to be slaughtered.”
“Coward,” Matthew spat, turning to me. “We’ll have to take care of that problem sooner, rather than later, darling.”
I nodded, pondering how Kalen would react if we told him we would kill his father. But, of course, he would not mind if it meant getting his mother out alive and safe.
“Oh, I meant to tell you,” Trystan began before smiling. “We ran into some friends.”
Matthew and I whipped our heads back to the scene below and noticed flecks of emerald green mixed in with the sea of black and red.
Druiston had come.
I did not know how, but they were here and fighting.
“King Saveq had gotten word early this morning about Lachlan’s plans and was in the process of sending his men when he received your ravens. So he and his wife brought them back and forth until they could not carry anymore. I’m not sure what kind of power he had on hand to do such a thing, but it was a godsdamn beautiful sight when we stumbled upon them.”
