"She's mine,” Nyssa growled.
"It doesn't have to go this way," a familiar voice called out.
Nyssa and Lex both froze, back to back together, and then they looked up the dune.
Ash was approaching them.
"You," Nyssa seethed. She started forward, not caring that her fingertips were blackening, that she was leaving a trail of smoke behind her—
The back of Lex's arm shot out against her chest. Nyssa jolted in her step, chest heaving at the sight of the smug Dreamer standing on the Umber beach, his arrogance in thinking he could come in and subdue a great army stagnant in the air.
The fighting dwindled with their voices as though no one wanted to miss this fight. Dreamers and Belwarks backed up in a line to the dunes behind Ash. The horde of Honest men and women moved opposite their enemies behind Lex and Nyssa.
"How dare—“
"Get off my beach."
The stark of Nadir's command shivered over the silence. He pushed through his people, Bala behind him, and he came to stand in front of Nyssa and Lex. His chin rose, blood splattered in his hair and over his shirt. No one could turn away from him even if they wanted to. His very presence demanded attention.
"You just traveled two hundred men into certain death, Captain,” Nadir said, a twinge of sarcasm and disbelief in his tone. “Did you think I would heed to the same crown that murdered my King?"
"Your King is King Rhaifian Sunfire," a Belwark argued to his left. "And your orders—“
"I don't take orders from cravens unworthy of their titles," Nadir seethed, causing Nyssa’s hair to rise on end.
"The only crowns I heed to are here on this beach,” he finished.
"You have committed treason. You are hoarding the fugitive Prince and Princess," a Belwark said from a horse.
Nadir chuckled darkly under his breath, and he rubbed his hands together, weight shifting from foot to foot as he slowly stepped up to the guard.
"Hoarding the fugitive Princess," Nyssa heard him utter in a low voice.
Nadir moved faster than Nyssa could comprehend.
His short blades whipped the air. One struck through the guard’s throat, the other across his stomach. The man fell in slow motion as his body spilled blood and guts. And when his lifeless body hit the dirt, Nadir simply stood firm over him, shoulders rounded and chin high.
"Fucking right, I'm hoarding the fugitive Princess."
Nyssa's heart fled, but she didn't allow anything on her face. She watched Nadir turn in a half-circle, hardened gaze glaring at the rest of the Belwarks and Dreamers. Finally, his eyes landed on Ash.
"Take your pets and get off my beach before I force you off it in pieces."
"My orders are—“
But Nyssa didn’t want to hear anything he had to say.
“What business do you think you have to come into this realm?” she started, stepping forward. “What business do you have coming intoanyrealm not your own? How dare you demand such fromany of usafter what you did?"
Ash stared through her for a long moment. "What I did was necessary," he finally answered.
"Necessary?"
Fire blazed in her palms that she couldn't control. Her form rose to the occasion and threatened to take over.
Nyssa allowed it.
Her eagle screeched.
