White-hot wrath poured into my veins like lightning.“You bastard!”
My fingers seized the hilt they’d been searching for. The Wolf stabbed for my heart. I sidestepped and whipped the sunstone sword through his neck like it was a twig.
Just as Renwell had done to my father.
It was easy. So very easy.
The head tumbled away, and the body collapsed at my feet. Blood and gore dripped from the long, glittering black blade. But I felt nothing. Death came for my rage as it’d come for the Wolf.
A harsh gasp tore my attention away. Davka had rolled over, a crimson puddle blooming around her.
I hurried over and fell to my knees at her side, dropping my sword. Blood soaked her chest and my fingers as I tried to cover the wound.
“It’ll be all right. I can stop the bleeding. I’ll—I’ll get some bandages. Some herbs. Nikella probably has some. There’s also a healer’s shop nearby,” I babbled.
Davka shook her head, grasping my fingers. More blood trickled from her lips as she opened her mouth.
“P... protect,” she said in a garbled whisper.
I nodded rapidly, my tears dripping onto her chest. One breath. Two breaths. Then she was gone.
Protect.Protect what? Whom?
It was the only gods-damned word she’d ever spoken to me, and I didn’t know what she wanted me to do.
Throwing my head back, I howled at the burning night sky.
She’d died protecting me because I couldn’t fucking fight. The burn marks on her arms from the Den battle weren’t even healed yet.
A shout drew my attention to a distant corner of the square where Aiden fought three different Wolves. His sword was soaked with blood, and several other Wolf bodies lay in a mangled heap.
I watched in awe as he attacked like a feral animal without hesitation. Like he knew every one of their moves before they made it.
But he was outnumbered.
I seized my sunstone sword and raced toward him. I swung at the legs of the nearest Wolf. His body fell. Legless.
Blood coated my boots. My mind.
The sword was so light in my grip. So deadly. Having it in my hand made me feel powerful. It was intoxicating.
My eyes landed on the dead gaze of a Teacher next to one of the severed legs. My mother’s eyes had looked like that. My father’s. Now Davka’s. And so many others.
I gripped the sword harder. Whatever blood I shed, it wasn’t enough. Never enough.
“Kiera!” Aiden shouted.
I glanced up in time to see a Wolf lunging for me with a knife. I swung for his arm but missed. The force of my swing spunmy back to him. Fiery pain exploded across my shoulders as he sliced me.
Aiden roared with fury, taking a step toward me. But his distraction cost him. The Wolf who’d been on his knees in front of Aiden flung a knife, which burrowed into Aiden’s thigh.
I cried out as he stumbled.
Gods, no. Not Aiden, too. I can’t?—
With a growl, he ripped the knife from his leg and whipped it toward me. I gasped. It whirred past me and sank into the neck of the Wolf who’d been about to strike me again.
But the remaining Wolf had seized Aiden by the throat, knocking the sword from his hand. Aiden kicked backward, but the Wolf held on.
