Shivers ricocheted through my body, and I struggled to stay upright.
“Where is she?” Korvin demanded softly. “Where is the other woman?”
My heart beat frantically, willing Shayn to just tell the truth. Korvin would look for Nikella, anyway. He would always look for her. She wouldn’t want anyone dying on her behalf.
Shayn shook his head, his jaw set. “There was no other woman.”
Korvin growled and shoved the knife through Shayn’s chest to the hilt.
I stifled my cry, hunching my shoulders and hanging my head. Ruru inhaled sharply, and Aiden’s fists clenched on his thighs.
Shayn had a family in Aquinon. He would never see them again.
Because of me.
No. Because ofthem.Because of the choices Shayn made. Because we were all fighting to be rid of these murderous men who had stolen so much from us.
I lifted my head, eyes burning with hatred.
Korvin was already staring at me. He tilted his head to the side, a smirk back on his dry lips. “Princess. My brother will be so happy I caught you. I was a bit too hasty with my first attack. Patience, Renwell’s always telling me.”
He wiped off his blade on Shayn’s limp body. “I suppose he was right this time. I tracked you to Norford, and a few idiot drivers there told me you were interested in the river checkpoints. So I set myself up at this one and waited.” He licked his lips and nodded at the Wolves.
They tossed Shayn’s body in the river on the other side of the barrier.
Korvin watched it with glee. “He’ll be the only one to reach Calimber, I’m afraid. If that was truly your intended destination. He’ll tumble right off the cliff into the sea.”
He chuckled, sauntering toward us. It took every ounce of willpower not to lean away from his sweaty bulk.
“Who else have I caught in my trap?” he murmured. “A boy. A princess.” He halted in front of Aiden. “Ah, the prisoner Renwell wanted all to himself. Are you the monster who shot my brother with an arrow?” He pivoted to Maz, and his eyes gleamed. “Or was it you, Dag? This is going to be such fucking fun.”
Korvin stepped back and jerked his head at the two Wolves. “Take her.”
“No!” Aiden, Maz, and Ruru shouted at once.
The Wolves shoved Aiden and Ruru aside and yanked me away. My numb body didn’t protest.
“Don’t fight them,” I begged Aiden as I twisted around to look into his furious green eyes.
The Wolves handed me to Korvin, who snared my wrist in a grip that could easily crush it.
He stroked my cheek, right over the scar his brother had given me. “Chain up the others by the fire. I want my sister to find us quickly. I’ll take this one.”
Needles of panic prickled over my cold skin.
This was a nightmare. It had to be. I was dreaming of him again. I would wake up and be safe in Aiden’s arms by the fire.
But I was trapped in Korvin’s hold. He smelled of oil and blood and death.
“Renwell s-swore,” I stammered, hating the weakness in my voice. “He swore he’d n-never let you hurt me again.”
Korvin’s eyes were soulless pits. “Renwell said you’d say that. He told me to pass along a message. ‘You broke your promise to me, so I’m breaking mine to you.’”
Memories of Korvin’s sunstone whip assaulted me. The agonizing pain across my shoulders.
Not again. I can’t. I won’t survive.
A feral shriek exploded from my throat. I snatched his knife from his belt and plunged it toward his chest. He caught my wrist, wrenching it backward. Pain sliced through my arm. I dropped the knife.
