But I ignored her as I staggered out of the large tent. Bodies lay all around me, and blood filled the air. The rusty iron stench was so potent I could taste it with each breath. People screamed and cowered behind anything they could find. They hid from the sight of death as if they wouldn’t relive this day for the rest of their lives.
I pushed forward, reaching down to pick up a dead man’s dagger. He wouldn’t need it anyway, and I didn’t think I could carry anything heavier. I spared him a glance, though, taking in the way his soulless eyes stared up into the sky. His throat was slashed, dried blood caking the skin around his wound.
Something twisted in my gut. I’d been in war before, seen more dead bodies than I could ever count in a lifetime, but something about the ones who died with their eyes open unnerved me. It was as if they wanted this world to be the last thing they saw, but how could they want that when death surrounded them? There was nothing glorious about these surroundings, yet he stared out anyway.
Or perhaps it was an effort to cling to life—to hold on and not go into that endless darkness just yet. I couldn’t imagine dying alone, which was ironic given how I was prepared to end my life only hours ago.
Making a split-second decision, I swept my fingertips over his lids and closed them. Despite his wounds, he seemed more peaceful that way. Even if I did it more for my sake than his.
The dagger felt strange in my hand. It was an added weight to my already dragging limbs. Despite ignoring the woman’s warnings, I knew I could not fight. I would lose or be a liability, but perhaps I could cause enough of a distraction that Renai could run and get somewhere safe.
That was all I wanted, anyway.
The incessant nudge of our bond was pushing me forward, despite my injuries. It hadn’t mattered that she didn’t want me; I couldn’t fucking let her die. And I refused to lie down and rest when the world crashed.
She deserved more than this life andme, and I would die to give it to her.
The gates ahead were locked and bolted, sentries standing by with their weapons drawn. As I approached, they held out their hands. All of them shook with fear of the unknown. It was most likely their first time in a situation like this. I couldn’t blame them. Shit like this was terrifying if you did not know what to expect.
“We can’t let you out,” one of them said. “Heis out there. It’s too risky to open the gates.”
My jaw clenched as I bit down out of frustration. If Lachlan was out there, this was more than a matter of simply life or death. We were talking about the end of everything we knew and held dear. He would have no qualms about killing Renai, or anyone else for that matter, who got in his way.
“Let me out of those gates now or open the smaller entry—I don’t give afuck—but you will allow me to pass,” I growled. “My mate is out there, and I have to get to her.”
They looked at one another, clearly believing I was deranged from my injuries and desire to step out of safety. These wards wouldn’t fall; they’d been in place for as long as I could remember. I’d never been one to care much about our history unless it had to do with training. But there was a vague memory of Eva prattling on and on about it when we were kids.
“Let. Me. Out,”I said.The thrumming increased, and my heart beat faster. I could no longer control my breathing; the thought of Renai dying out there stole the air from my lungs. The urge to push past them and knock down the door consumed me until I thought I might die.
Finally, an older sentry moved from behind the group I spoke to. He limped to the smaller gate and opened the latch quickly. “We won’t be letting you back in if you go out there until this war is over. We have women and children to protect here. Families that don’t deserve to die because of your impulses.” He stared at me sternly, but I caught the understanding in his eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d lost someone once upon a time.
I nodded once. “I understand the risk.”
He pushed open the door just barely enough for me to slip through. “I hope you succeed,” he said in a gruff whisper. I didn’t have time to turn and thank him before he slammed the door, and I heard the lock click into place.
The city was consumed by red. Blood and flames seemed to converge on one surface or the other. The heat was stifling, and vast plumes of black smoke rose. I could hardly see the bright blue sky through the thick of them.
There was something strangely poetic about being surrounded by absolute destruction on a summer’s day. The juxtaposition of the two was almost laughable.
Up ahead, I saw a massive beast dead on the ground. Its body was nearly burned through as if ravaged by something acidic. However, it couldn’t have been dead long, for the substance was still making its way through the remaining flesh, leaving a rancid, lingering scent.
I scanned the area, trying to find where she was. Renai was close. I could feel it in my fucking bones, but there were too many things happening for me to concentrate.
Finally, shouts from up ahead drew my attention to the middle of the wide-open town square ahead. It didn’t surprise me that Lachlan had brought the fight so close to home, where we might be distracted by saving the lives of innocents inside the palace walls.
Kalen stood between Arabella and Renai. His head swiveled between the women as if making some type of choice. They struggled against their captor’s holds, blades pressing into their flesh. Visions of slashed throats and daggers plunged into chests filled my mind. I saw the dead, staring eyes of the man I’d stolen the dagger from. I saw Erina’s blood pooling on the floor.
It made me sick.
But my nausea quickly faded as I saw Lachlan standing before Renai, her body trembling as he ran a finger along her jawline.
Sick was no longer strong enough to convey how I felt. My vision bled red, like the blood I longed to extract from Lachlan for touching her as he did. I would peel the flesh from his bones and savor every moment, relishing the feel of his blood coating my fingers. There would be no mercy as I pulled his rotten heart from his chest for even looking in her direction.
This was a fury unlike any other I’d felt before.
I kept to the shadows as I crept closer, which I hated. I wanted to run and pull her away from him, to hold her and tell her it would all be okay, but I couldn’t.
You need to be smart about this,a voice warned me.If you rush in now, you will only get yourself killed, which will only kill Renai.
