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I caught Raenisa’s dubious look as I pushed Vaernix forward, her legs traversing the rocky terrain with ease. This was why we’d domesticated the beasts in the first place, to carry us over our jagged mountain ranges in Athain.
I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves before pushing ahead, ready for whatever might come our way. We raced through the boulders, dodging rocks and leaping over crevices until we came to a narrow opening that led into darkness.
Without hesitation, I rode in and a flurry of arrows struck my chest before being deflected by my armor. Screaming rebels scattered from Vaernix’s path, having never seen a vanira up close before, but others attacked us with swords and spears, their faces determined. They wore makeshift armor made of bones, their eyes black hollows in the low light from their face paint.
I twisted and turned to avoid their attacks, my sword clashing with theirs as we fought. The sound of metal striking metal filled my ears as I focused on taking out my opponents one by one. Raenisa battled alongside me, her long hair flying behind her as she spun and kicked her enemies. Herrath was a few feet away, fending off attacks from several rebels at once, but he seemed to hold his own.
“Run! We’ll hold them off!” A young male Wraith Remnant shouted. I searched for Striker as I batted away a spear, taking off the arm of a rebel with it as the man screamed. Striker was a sinewy youth that wore clothing and a hood that hid his skin and face during raids. Any of these men could be him.
“Look for my sword!”
Raenisa and Herrath fought alongside me, their weapons clashing against our enemies’ with ferocity. The smell of fresh blood and sweat filled the air as we pushed our attackers further into the darkness. I swung my sword with ease, knocking aside their attacks and striking back with deadly precision. Raenisa fought beside me, her movements fluid and graceful as she twirled her staff, eliminating anyone who came near. Herrath was quick to follow, his spider mount crawling up the sides of the mesa to take out any archers who tried to shoot at us from above.
“They’re escaping!” Herrath shouted, a streak of blood painting his cheek.
“Capture one! We need to interrogate them!” I leaped from my vanira, grabbing a male Kyrie Remnant when a whip wrapped around my wrist, tearing my hand away and letting my captive escape. My eyes widened as a young Inferi Remnant ran out of the shadows, tall horns curling from his head and fiery eyes blazing as he yanked on the whip, pulling me off my feet. My first thought was that he looked like a younger Haemir, with the same firm chin and nose.
I scrambled to my feet, trying to dodge his strikes. Was this him? Haemir’s son? His whip caught my chin, opening the skin and I growled, advancing on him. He may be talented, but I was a warrior full-grown and battle-tested with the might of Atar on my side. The whelp didn’t stand a chance.
The Remnant was about to strike when a loud battle cry sounded from behind us. A magenta-haired rebel threw herself at me, but Herrath intercepted her. The Inferi Remnant glanced at her, giving me the opportunity I needed. With a quick feint, I sliced through his whip with my sword and tackled him to the ground, pinning him beneath me.
“Roza, run!” He screamed as a grunt sounded behind me, Raenisa grappling with the girl until she pinned her and Herrath sprinted off after another fleeing rebel.
The Remnant struggled against my grip, his hands beating furiously against my armor, shredding his skin as he cursed me.
“Where’s Striker?” I demanded, pressing my forearm against his throat.
The Remnant’s face twisted in a sneer as he spat at me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice dripping with hatred.
I could feel my patience slipping away, and I pressed the blade of my sword against the pulse fluttering in his neck. “You will tell me where he is or I will cut your throat.”
My threat didn’t seem to have an effect on him, and the Remnant snarled, refusing to back down. His eyes blazed with anger and defiance, but I could see fear in them as well. He knew I was serious, and I would not stop until I got what I wanted, even if it meant killing him.
I pressed his head harder against the ground, his horns scraping against the stone. “WHERE. IS. HE.”
“You’ll never find him,” he said through gritted teeth, refusing to answer my question.
My grip tightened on his throat as my blade dug into his skin. “Where is Striker?”
“Fuck you,” he growled. Raenisa shouted as the Sirin Remnant rolled out of her grasp and kicked her before jumping on the girl once more, straddling her before beginning to bind her hands.
“Ydonja’s tits, they’re wily.” She panted as the Remnant cursed her, saying some things that gave even Raenisa pause and I knew she was memorizing them to use on me later. She knotted the rope before gagging the girl with another length.
Herrath approached, a female Fae Remnant in his possession, already bound and walking docile before him.
“Not if you’re fast.” He sent her a cutting smile she didn’t return, instead raising her hand in a lewd gesture. “There aren’t any left. The rest have fled somewhere else in the caverns.”
I glanced down at the Inferi Remnant, who glared at me. “We’re taking our prisoners back to Adraedor for more questioning,” I announced, holding his gaze, and watched as a spark of fear lit in the depth of his eyes. He knew what that meant, and he knew there was no escape. Not for any of us.
Chapter 10
Kael
Iwokeslowly,Theron’scitrus and leather scent thick in my nose. Wait. The Marshal? My eyes flew open when I realized I slept on a soft bed and not on the floor in the sparring room.
I glanced around the room, taking in the rich tapestries and ornate furnishings. I was in his bedroom. This time, there was no escaping my circumstances; I hadn’t just used him to sneak into the castle but had been invited into his bed. My cheeks burned with embarrassment and shame as I got up to leave.
A sudden movement drew my attention to the door, and I tensed, ready to defend myself. But instead of an attacker, a servant entered the bedroom. Her ochre skin glowed in the morning light, and her curly hair framed her face like a halo. Mirijana, the same Kyrie Remnant as before. She breezed in, giving me a knowing look when she saw me standing there in my lingerie.
