Then came the sound of pursuit. From the hall behind her, armored boots struck the floor in unison, and the shouts of elven guards echoed like thunder. A swarm of males appeared, weapons glinting in the torchlight, their war cries filling the space as theystormed after her.
His grip on his weapon tightened, and the fury in his chest roared to life.
“Go!” he barked at Ren and Riven, and they bolted past him, aiming for the entourage galloping toward them all.
They surged forward, pistols drawn, the thunder of gunfire echoing through the hall as each shot tore through the advancing guards. One by one, the elves crumpled, their shouts choking off mid-cry.
Jak sprinted after them, pulling his own pistol free.
Every shot he fired was fueled by rage for his best friend.Each guard that fell under his bullets felt like a step closer to freedom. And when his last round clicked empty, he didn’t slow. He only hurled the useless weapon aside and kept running.
“To me, Esmi! Hurry, and run to me!” Jak bellowed, voice raw.
Her head snapped toward him mid-stride, her storm-glass eyes locking with his. And then she was sprinting even harder, stumbling but never stopping.
Jak’s throat burned as he roared her name again, voice cracking under the weight of every sleepless night, every moment he thought they had all lost her forever.
Come on. Just a little further. You’re almost here.
“Jak!” she screeched, and she was close enough now that he could see tears streaming from her eyes.
The sight of her like this nearly tore his heart in half. Her arms pumped, her legs barely keeping pace as she fought to survive. The sound of the chains around her wrists was a melody of defiance against the storm chasing her—chasingallof them.
Then, at the very last stretch, her lips parted in a soundless cry and she leapt, soaring through the dim light straight toward him.
The world around them blurred as Esmyra reached him, launching herself into his arms. He surged forward, catching her midair. The impact of her body slamming into his shuddered through him, but his grip was iron as he held her up, lifting her clear off the ground.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, cold chains biting against hisskin as he buried his face into her shoulder for the briefest, precious second. Her heartbeat hammered against his chest as he crushed her against him.
“You’re safe. I’ve got you. We’re never letting them take you again,” he whispered into her ear, and she let out a whimper.
A fuckingwhimper. What in all gods had they done to her?
Rage burned through him as the sharp cracks of gunfire continued to ring out. And then, finally, a tense quiet crept in.
He held her tight, refusing to let her bloody feet touch the ground as her breath came in ragged gasps against his neck. Her body trembled in his arms, but she clung to him with the same desperation that burned in his chest.
Both Ren and Riven had emptied their pistols, the sharpclickof dry chambers echoing through the hall. Without hesitation, they drew their blades and aimed toward the three guards left. Ren rushed one, slamming the guard into the wall before driving his sword into the male’s throat with a brutal twist. Riven ducked under a sword’s thrust, hooking the guard’s legs and plunging his blade upward into the man’s ribs.
Steel clanged as bodies fell, and the stench of blood filled the narrow corridor. The final guard lunged for Riven, and Jak’s eyes flared.
“Hold on, gorgeous,” he whispered in Esmyra’s ear.
And then in a swift motion, he bent down and grabbed his dagger from his boot, whipping it toward the elven guard. Jak smirked as the blade embedded itself in the side of the male’s head.
Finally, silence followed once the male collapsed.
“Thanks, boss,” Ren huffed, eyeing Esmyra with a subtle, victorious grin.
“Don’t mention it,” Jak answered as he craned his neck to look at her while her face remained buried in his shirt.
“Can you stand?” he whispered.
She nodded, and he didn’t miss the tiny sniffle that escaped her. In any other instance he would’ve teased her for it, but he could only imagine what she’d been through over these last several months.
“Are you real?” Her voice cracked on the last word, mimicking his heart.
He looked at Ren and Riven, their eyes softening as they watched her.
