“I’m going in,” he said because Emrys was hovering over him waiting for an answer, though it seemed self-evident.
“Absolutely not.”
“I won’t take anyone else with me, but I’m not leaving her in there. Not while she’s hurt. Not while the witch does God knows what to her. Not if there’s any hope that Asher is still alive.”
Emrys crossed his arms. “You asked me to be objective. I am telling you that this is an objectively stupid plan.”
He belted on his sword and ignored his men who had gathered by the fire, watching him with growing concern. “I can at least distract the witch. Keep her attention off them. It will give them a chance to survive until morning.”
“We can discuss that,” Emrys said calmly. “A distraction is reasonable. You running alone into the nest is suicide.”
Casrian rolled his eyes. “You’re being dramatic.”
“I’mbeing dramatic?”
Daris approached. “What’s happening?”
“Your captain has decided to charge the fort,” Emrys said shortly.
“The girl?” Daris asked.
“Captured,” Emrys said. “He’s not thinking straight.”
“Hasn’t been since he found her,” Daris agreed. “It’s very unlike him.”
“Bewitched?” Emrys asked.
Daris shook his head. “I don’t think that’s it.”
Casrian glared at them both. “I’m standing right here. Wait five minutes. I’ll be out of your way, and you can discuss this all night.”
They exchanged a look and Casrian had a heartbeat to brace himself before they moved. They rushed him as he reached for his sword. He landed on the ground hard, his sword arm pinned by Daris while Emrys shoved a knee into his chest.
“You’re not doing this,” Emrys growled. “If I need to put you in chains and leave you with the wounded, I will.”
“I sponsored you,” Casrian said, shocked at the betrayal.
“And I appreciate that, truly. If I didn’t think you were so fucking good at your job, I might just let you do this. But it would be a shame to lose someone of your caliber.”
Casrian had a reputation. It kept other witch hunters, even those under his command, at a distance. Wary. Other than Daris, who he’d known since their earliest days at the Academy, there was no one else who’d have challenged him.
Emrys showed no signs of backing down. Fucking pirate blood.
“I’m going to kill you,” Casrian spat at him.
Emrys grinned. “You can try.”
35
“Rowan.” A hand clamped over her shoulder and shook her awake.
She rolled over to swat the hand away and pain exploded in her head.Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. She placed a hand to her temple and groaned.
“Shh. Something’s happening above. You need to wake up.”
“Do I?” She rubbed her gritty eyes with her hands, trying to force them open. Then she remembered that theywereopen. It was just impossible to see anything down here. “Maybe it would be better to sleep through whatever it is.”
Asher breathed a laugh. “I doubt she’ll let you sleep through anything.”
