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There was a whirl of movement from the corner of my eye. Sparing a furtive glance, I spotted the commander raising a hand, instructing his scrambling men to stand down.
It appeared he wanted to see how this would all play out, and I was more than happy to put on a good show.
“You’re going to pay for that,” Adam snarled, barreling toward me, his eyes flashing with malice.
With a sly smirk, I ducked beneath his swinging arm, sidestepping his assault with my gloved hands clasped behind my back.
He was strong. Practically taller than two of me. But I was faster. Much,muchfaster.
He probably thought I’d gotten lucky yesterday at the general store, but now he would understand that I worked tirelessly for thatluck.
Ducking once more, I avoided what would have been a painful blow, diving to the right and spinning before Adam even registered that he’d missed his target.
“Not so cocky now, eh?” I taunted, my copper hair slipping free from my loose braid. A thin sheen of sweat lined my brow, and my pulse hammered against my throat.
Maybe I was just twisted, but the rush that came with the fight fueled me. Fighting made sense—it was a dance I could learn, a rhythm that soothed.
Adrenaline was better than any drink. Better than a stolen kiss or a cloudless sky. I thrived in its decadent chaos.
When my fist collided with his ribs, he let out a thunderous groan, his lungs emptied of oxygen. The hit wouldn’t do much to stop him, but before he could counter, I bowed and kicked my legs, sweeping him clear off his feet—
Into the exact position he had put Liam in.
“You look so much better down there.” I hovered above Adam, whose hands were flat against the pale stones, his chest rising and falling with rage. My own breath remained even and assured.
The hair on the back of my neck prickled, and I dared a hasty peek over my shoulder.
As Adam scrambled to his feet, his dignity all but decimated, I found the obsidian helmet of the commander trained my way. I couldn’t see a single shred of flesh, his eyes concealed beneath long jagged slats, but Ifelthis gaze.
Goose bumps broke out along my arm, and an unfamiliar wave of uncertainty swam across my skin. Unlike the icy dread that had consumed me earlier, this coldburned.
When heavy boots pounded the stones, I forced my eyes from the commander, focusing instead on my brutish opponent. Grunting, I jabbed left, ducked, and then gracefully spun, delivering a blow to the back of Adam’s head.
He toppled to the pavement, crashing to his knees as his head bowed forward. The image of Adam’s face smashed against the stones would be a memory I’d forever cherish.
Vindictive delight practically radiated from my every pore. I smiled at the sight of the drool pooling from Adam’s mouth, how it mingled with his blood.
He was well and truly out.
I squeezed my eyes. The fight was over. Liam was safe. Adam was deliciously shamed.
But now, it was time to face what I’d done.
Spinning on the heels of my worn leather boots, I faced the Knights, avoiding the whispering crowd that was likely to gossip about this for years to come.
The commander hadn’t moved an inch. Every Knight behind him merely faded away, a blur of armor and metal and pointy ends.
“Name?”
I nearly stumbled back in awe. The mighty commander deigned to speak. And his voice…it was smooth and deep, like red wine on a winter’s evening.
“Kiara Frey,” I answered, shoulders squared and chin raised. I might regret this moment for the rest of my days, but I wouldn’t cower. Not even before the likes ofhim. The Hand of Death.
The commander remained frozen. A statue. Lifeless.
I understood why many feared him. He had the vexing gift of rousing terror without moving a muscle. An enviable trait.
My breathing hitched, and as time dragged, my poor heart threatened to combust. My lips parted when he spoke—
