Page 122 of The Fox Heir

My eyes grow wide. “Tell me he’s alive!” I don’t miss the edge of panic in my voice.

Her mouth is a thin line. “I haven’t seen him.”

“Nalina!” Hunter yells above the crowd. “Take her!” He’s fighting his way through the masses, swinging his father’s sword at the soldiers.

“Hunter, no!” I gasp, twisting in her firm grasp.

With one final push, Hunter finally reaches us. He grabs the reins of Nalina’s horse. “Bring her to the castle.” His voice is urgent yet calm, like a well-trained commander.

“Not without you!”

Nalina’s grip tightens on my arm. I dig my fingernails into her hand. She grimaces through her split lip, but she refuses to let go.

Hunter finally reaches me. He grabs my shoulders, his deep brown eyes staring intently into mine. “I’ll find you.”

In one swift movement, Hunter grabs me around the waist and kisses me so deeply, the world vanishes. The blood, the screams, even the rain dripping down my face fades away. I lose my breath, my thoughts, everything but him. His mouth is fierce and desperate, tasting of blood and sweat. His kiss feels achingly like a farewell. Like he knows this might be the last time. My heart breaks even as it soars.

He pulls away, his eyes staring fiercely into mine. “I promise.”

“You’ll die.” An unexpected sob chokes my voice. I can hardly get the words out.

His gaze burns, unflinching. “I swore to protect you.” His voice lowers, just for me. “But you know it’s more than an oath, Sienna. It’s you. It’s always been you.”

A sob builds in my chest. I believe him wholeheartedly. I trust Hunter completely. He will come back to me and we will find our way through this. All of it.

Nalina jumps down from her stallion and grabs my upper arm in an iron grip. Her voice is terse. “We’re leaving. Now.”

She lets me go and draws her sword so suddenly, it makes me flinch. She cuts down two encroaching Fox Soldiers in barely more than a breath. Their bodies collapse in the mud at our feet, but all I can feel is the weight of Hunter’s hand still pressed to my waist.

“I can still fight,” I lie. My head is pounding, vision swirling. I can barely focus on Hunter’s face in front of mine. The world is a blur of rain and blood, but he is painfully clear.

Hunter steps backward, eyes on me one last time. “You will fight. Just not here.” He nods to Nalina.

She doesn’t waste more time. She grabs my waist and practically throws me up onto her horse, then she leaps onto the saddle behind me. She clicks her tongue once, sharply, and the horse bolts, hooves cutting through muddy puddles swirling with blood, insects, and rainwater.

But I look back and see Hunter standing alone. It’s a familiar sight, him on a battlefield. Me leaving him.

Only this time it’s different. This time, he begged me to leave him. The irony of it is enough to break my heart in two.

Nalina grabs my head and pushes it down just as a spear whistles past, close enough to split the air beside my ear.

“Eyes open, Fox,” she growls, kicking her heels into the horse’s flank for more speed.

We charge through the battle and into the castle’s splintered gates, narrowly avoiding colliding with Fox Soldiers and Gwyllion fighters alike. The horse skids through the castle grounds, leaping over fallen debris.

Nalina draws the horse to a stop at a wooden door along the castle’s interior wall. She jumps down from the saddle, not even bothering to tie the stallion anywhere before she pulls me roughly from the horse.

“Where are we going?” I ask. My head aches so much, I fight the urge to vomit.

She draws out her silver sword. I turn to fight whoever’s behind us, but there’s no one there. When I turn back toward her, her eyes are on me, hard and dark. She spits a mouthful of blood onto the cobblestones and tightens her grip on her sword’s hilt.

My stomach drops. Something is very, very wrong here. I reach down to grab my silver knife from my boot, but I can’t see straight, and it clatters to the ground. My head is swimming. Nalina stares at me wordlessly.

My heart pounds through my skull. I have to get away from here. I look between her and an alleyway. I make a run for it.

I don’t get far.

Nalina kicks her legs under my feet, knocking me to the ground. My knees crack painfully against the stone. This time, I do vomit. When it’s over, I roll onto my back, gasping. She steps over me, looking down at me from above. Through the encroaching darkness at the edge of my vision, I see her face as rain drips from her hair, her chin, her nose.