Augustus’s hand found her waist, grounding her. Sword raised, jaw set, he stepped back with her—one slow heartbeat at a time.
The beast’s gaze swept from her…to Augustus…to the bundle in her arms.
The Vorash leapt.
The world shattered with sand. The Vorash landed hard, and its tail swept at their ankles like a scythe.
They jumped—barely. The spiked tail missed by inches.
The Vorash screamed toward the open sky, its cry warping the very air.
In her arms, Little Gus jolted awake. His neck twisted toward the sound, eyes narrowing, teeth bared. A soft glow built inside his mouth.
He vibrated against her.
Then—without warning—he launched from her arms like a hurled spear.
Kai burst into the cavern like an arrow loosed from a bow. Her boots skidded across wet stone. The spray stung her eyes.
Ahead, Fala crawled free of the geyser, gasping. Soaked. Alive.
Usti clambered to his feet. His gaze climbed Kai’s frame?—
Recognition flared.
Then fear.
He yanked Fala over by the arm and brought his knife up and around?—
Fala yelped, then froze as the blade stilled over her throat.
Kai halted, and Atsadi nearly collided into her.
Inola rose, soaking and wincing, clutching her wounded arm. “Usti,” she rasped. “What are you doing?”
Kai’s fingers buzzed from the weight of her sword. “Spill a single drop of her blood, and I’ll mount your head where the clans can watch it rot.”
Usti’s knife pressed deeper into Fala’s throat.
Atsadi took a half-step, hands raised. “Brother, you don’t want to do this.”
Usti’s eyes flared with heat. “I’m not your brother. My true brothers stood with me today.”
“And yet,” Atsadi said, taking a pointed look around, “you stand here alone.”
Fala shivered. Tears lined her lids. “Please,” she whimpered.
“Shut up,” Usti snarled, jostling her. Then, to Kai, he said, “You should be dead.”
Kai smirked. “Poison is the weapon of spineless men. You should have faced us with the same steel you turned on our elders.”
Inola’s eyes widened. “What? What did you do?”
“We need a clear slate,” he spat. “New leadership. A new way of life.”
Fala shifted slightly, her eyes locking onto Kai’s.
A blink. A breath. A plan.
