Page 98 of Ashborne Forged

“…I know Ronen will handle the squad, but you’re going to have to be the one to watch for Bren with our other duties, because he just won’t have the access.”

“Got it. Ronen’s good. He’ll understand.”

“Tell the General I’m a little bit worried there might be a problem with that new swear-in. He’s been isolating, and that’s not usually his way. He might just be getting used to having to hide so much. But you need to keep an eye on him. I was going to raise it at the next meeting…”

Gil gave the patient nod that meant I was telling him things he already knew.

I swallowed. He was right. Even if he wouldn’t take it as seriously as I did, that was his prerogative.

I was no longer a Shadowfang. No longer entrusted. It didn’t matter what I thought anymore. Even knowing Donavyn was using this, that he’d paved the way to bring me back, there were no guarantees. This might be my last moment in the Keep, which had been home for over seven years. The only seven years of my life I cared to remember.

It felt like the floor had fallen out from under my feet.

“We’ll handle it, Vos. Don’t worry about it.”

I scoffed and turned from the harness to gape at him. “Don’t worry about it? You understand what’s happening?”

Gil nodded once. “It’s just a different mission. You’ll figure it out. You always do. And Grace is fire. You’ll probably get there and find out she’s already killed the guy and is running the place.”

I huffed. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.

But the mirth faded quickly. I’d seen the fear on her face of being in Breckon’s hands. Seen how desperately she fought to stay out of that dark, dusty old house even before we completed the bond.

A memory returned in a jolt, of myself, in those early days with her, so angry and consumed with my own fear that I dismissed hers. Minimized her fear of the very life she’d just been dragged back into.

I felt sick. What the hell had I done?

“…biggest problem you’re going to have is deciding whether to come back once you get her. You two, and your dragons? Free? Shit… the Creator trusted you with a mate, Vos. It boggles the mind. But it must mean you’ve done something right.”

He didn’t realize. I’d done so much wrong.

I turned back to the harness. Kham was agitated, blowing, and struggling to remain still. With my hands shaking, I struggled to get the last of the straps in their keepers.

But finally, it was done, and I grabbed the bags I’d packed, checked my knives one last time, and scanned the stable for anything I might have forgotten.

Then it was time. I turned to face Gil, and found him standing just a few feet away, his face somber.

“Is she worth it?” he asked quietly.

I nodded without hesitation. “I’m not coming back until she’s safe. I can’t leave her in that fucker’s hands…” A blistering heat crawled through my body as my mind conjured everything that arrogant fuck could be doing to her. I had to push the thoughts away or I might lose my mind. “I have to get her out.” It was the simple truth.

Gil didn’t question. “Just don’t get caught. Cover your tracks. And be smart about clean up.”

I sighed. “I’m not killing him, Gil.”

“Oh.” He frowned the way I would if someone had told me something that made no sense, but I was trying to be polite.

I gave him a pointed look. “Brother, the day we kill just to get what we want is the day we stop having any claim to honor.”

“Honor is sometimes overrated. Especially in the presence of evil pricks.”

I shook my head and almost laughed. “You know, everyone thinks that of the two of us, you’re the nice one?”

Gil smiled. “I am. You’re a stone cold bastard most of the time.”

“And you’re creepy as fuck.”

He shrugged, but his expression grew serious again. “If you aren’t going to kill him, what will you do?”