Razor.
I couldn’t be more excited to see him. I’d been afraid he’d been injured when the coliseum fell. Except why was he here? Now?
“Razor! You son-of-a-bitch! I’m so glad to see you again!” Nathan approached him and gave him a bro hug.
Razor’s grin was quick. “Still a little too touchy-feely, I see.”
Deshawn stepped forward and offered his hand. “You saved my dad’s life. I can’t tell you how much my mom and I appreciate that.”
“Believe me, he’s saved my ass too many times to count. He’s the reason my Faction wasn’t dismantled.” He said earnestly. “Now listen, time is short. The portal ahead—it’s a trap. Selene and Ubel are waiting for you to attempt to use it.”
Torren stiffened. “You’re sure?”
Razor looked puzzled at his presence before answering. “They fortified their position overnight. Once you step inside, the circle closes. You’d never have the chance to make it through.”
Kharox’s heavy form moved beside me, his voice deep and certain.“The man speaks truth.”
Razor’s eyes widened slightly at the sound of it. “Ancestors above,” he breathed. “That’s a Varruk. The one you helped escape, I assume?”
“Yes, his name is Kharox. He’s the reason we’ve come this far.” I wasn’t surprised he’d figured out it was me behind that whole incident.
Razor studied him for a long beat, then nodded respectfully. “Then I owe him as well.”
“What’s your plan?” Oren asked bluntly.
Razor turned to him. “Nyberie.”
Zeke looked at him with surprise. “That’s Draxon territory.”
"Yes, but it’s the best shot you’ve got. At this point, you’re out of options.” Razor looked at us all in expectation.
Chloe exhaled, “He’s right. We can’t risk the portal. Nyberie’s the smarter move.”
Deshawn grunted. “Smarter doesn’t mean safer.”
“No,” Razor agreed. “But it’s hope. And right now, that’s more than what’s waiting over that ridge.”
The group went silent.
Every face turned to me.
Kharox lowered his head, golden eyes meeting mine.“Your choice, Khal’ Sira. I will follow.”
My chest ached at the weight of it—so many lives balanced on what I said next.
I nodded. “We go to Nyberie.”
Razor’s relief was sharp but brief. “Then we move now. There’s a river trail about a mile west that feeds into an underground passage. Once we cross the threshold, we’ll be under the Draxon border and safe from Ubel and Selene.”
Oren gave a slight nod. “Lead the way.”
Kharox rumbled,“If this is the path to survival, then we run.”
And we did.
Through fog and darkness, we chased after Razor—the forest receding behind us, with Nyberie’s promise ahead.
The sound of the river deepened as we descended, echoing off stone walls like a heartbeat. Razor walked ahead, guiding us along a narrow path cut between dark cliffs. The air shimmered faintly—Nyberian energy, old and heavy, bleeding through the cracks between realms.
