Kai breathed against the knife’s edge. Read the male’s hesitation. She met his brown eyes with cold fury.
“My blood will be answered with yours,” she said through gritted teeth.
He flinched.
She tensed, ready to strike?—
Behind him, a blur of movement burst through the crevice—shadow and sweat, streaked with mountain dust. His shirt hung open over a sweat-slick chest, hair knotted high.
Atsadi froze, and his dark gaze flicked from Kai to the male and back.
Kai had seen many versions of her husband: thoughtful, kind, relaxed, even scared.
This was none of them.
His nostrils flared. The cords of his neck strained—then he roared, low and guttural.
Atsadi exploded forward, and his shoulder slammed into the male’s side.
They crashed to the ground in a tangle, one blade flashingbetween them.
Kai couldn’t tell who had the upper hand. They rolled fast, a blur of limbs and steel, the brutal sounds carrying more weight than sight.
Atsadi finished on top, several feet away, and drove his elbow into the man’s temple. Once. Twice. A sickening crack echoed, followed by stillness.
His next breath was sharp. His head hung forward as if too heavy to bear.
Kai staggered to him, her mouth too dry, her thoughts a jumbled mess. All but one: he’d spent the evening with Fala. They were supposed to be together.
Atsadi got to his feet and gripped her shoulders. His voice came out almost pleading. “What are you doing here? This whole shaft could collapse any second.”
“Where’s Fala?” she demanded.
His hold loosened, and his jaw turned slack. “Fala? We parted a long time ago.”
Her heart clenched, breath gone.
“Kai.” Atsadi shook her gently. “Breathe. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“The healers. They went into the mines to help.”
“I know?—”
Atsadi froze.
Her mouth worked, but only one word escaped. “Fala.”
“No,” he said, head shaking. “She went home. She’s safe.”
Tears erupted from her eyes. “Fala went into the mines. She’s still down there.”
Nikolas had lost sight of Dimitrios some time ago. Too long.
He was far too young to go down in infamy as the man who let the crownless king die in their first real battle together.
Still, it’d be nice to know his friend wasn’t bleeding out somewhere.
Nikolas cut down another Soterran. His horse was slick with blood and froth, sides heaving beneath him. The enemy lines were breaking. He could feel it.
