Besides, Augustus had plenty of back-up: the Blades, the Rangers, Lili and Petrina, and Selene. He hadn’t asked for it, but the mercenaries added a small show of force, as well, including the three heads of the Bladesworn.
Walking the familiar paths felt like a dream…or a nightmare. He’d grown used to the varying levels of attention over the years. The way women undressed him with their eyes or the antagonistic sneers of men from rival crews.
Today, women preferred to study the cobbled lanes, and men crossed to the other side to avoid him altogether.
Lili shuffled ahead of their group to come up on his side. She hadn’t ceased being angry with him, but that never stopped her from talking to him when she felt it absolutely necessary. “Something’s not right.”
“I know.”
Chapter
Thirty-Four
Augustus’s heart beat a mile a minute as they climbed a hill toward the city center, a place they called The Crossroads. Here, the buildings were cleaner, and the balconies were made from wrought iron. It was the place where all roads and paths inside Warian Bay converged, where they held drunken parties and vulgar plays and angry brawls.
The Crossroads was too quiet. Augustus knew better than to believe this was normal.
Cassia’s voice rose through the din of his racing thoughts. “Death comes for us all, Augustus. Patience lets you face it on your terms.”
A show of force wasn’t enough. He had to be smart about this, or more lives than necessary would be lost. He stopped and faced his people. “Split up into groups and scatter. Stay quiet and alert.”
“What’s going on?” Selene asked.
“They knew we were coming,” he said. He felt sick knowing he’d walked her right into this. “Go with Oskar.”
“No—”
Oskar appeared at her side. “Now’s not the time to argue.” The man must have read the pleading thoughts racing through Augustus’s mind. “Nothing will happen to her while I’m still breathing.”
Petrina swaggered forward, flipping knives. “I’ll be there too.”
The entire group of Blades surrounded Selene, but she only had eyes for Augustus, and her jaw was set in warning. She wasn’t going without a fight. “What about you?”
Augustus drew to his full height and threw on the smile he knew aggravated the fuck out of anyone who saw it. “No need to worry about me,i psychi mou. No monsters ahead. Only men.”
Her hands flew to her hips, and he was lucky she couldn’t actually cause fires with a look like that. “Don’t be cute.”
“I don’t actually have a say in that. I am.”
Selene groaned. “Augustus.” Silver lined her eyes suddenly and wet her lashes. “Please stop.”
Augustus caved and dropped the facade. He held her face and set his lips to her ear. “I love you, and I need you to stay safe.”
Her hands tightened around his biceps. “Don’t you dare leave this world without me.”
He almost lost it right there. Her words cracked something open he’d been holding together with grit and gallows humor since setting theAkiasablaze.
“Never.” He kissed her lips, which were now salty from her tears, then the space between her brows. “See you soon.”
“I love you,” she choked out, and backed toward the others.
Without her touch, cold washed through him. He remained frozen on those cobbled stones as she disappeared between buildings with her friends.
The remains of his people blinked back at him in silence. The Rangers, Lili, and the mercenaries—they were short a few members, including the youngest of their leaders.
“Where’s Tomas?” Augustus asked.
Darian, the eldest, flashed a smile. “I sent him back to the ship. For backup.”
