The darkness swelled, forming more solidly and coiling around my body. It snaked up and around my arms, wrapping around my torso, and dissipating into smoke at my feet. I clenched my fists and reined it in, kept it from going farther, but the threat was clear. The general saw it for what it was but, still, he did not balk. Instead, he dipped his head in acknowledgement.
"I don't intend to withstand you, Adrian," he replied, his voice a low drawl that vibrated against my bones and sent a shiver running up my spine. "And I would never attempt to claim you. You're a woman unchained, a weapon unleashed, and a power unbound. And I will spend every moment of the rest of my life by your side reminding you of that fact if I must. But even you have weaknesses, little corruption, and I fear the Viper is one of them."
The darkness snapped away, dissipating into thin air at once, some returning to me, as always, but most drifting out into the night. I took a breath and kept my amber eyes on his icy blue. Hewas right. Dante had been a weakness of mine for a long time. I'd been burned before for not acknowledging that. I couldn't allow myself to fall into that trust again. He hadn't earned it. Maybe he couldn't.
Without a word, because I couldn't bear to admit how right the general was, I nodded once. Then I settled upon the one wide bedroll in the sand and tried my best to ignore the heat of the general when he laid down right next to me sometime later.
***
We didn’t make it to the city. Three squadrons met us at the base of the sand cliffs just outside of the enormous cylindrical mountain that held Sanctuary and the Underground. They seemed to be ready for us, but hastily so, as though they hadn’t truly known we were coming but a scout had gotten to them in time to arrange some formation. That was good. It meant theGeistdidn’t yet know of our plans.
I stared out at the ranks ofPavosiansoldiers before us asGryfonrode up and down our column, relaying commands and getting everyone in place. This waswar, I realized. This was actual battle. The sword at my side felt suddenly much heavier even as I brushed along its edges with my fingertips, forcing all my nervous energy into the action of bouncing on the balls of my feet.
“Are you ready for this?”Zyamuttered at my side, already drawing her knives and assuming an offensive stance.
“Is anyone ever really ready for this?” I asked, wondering if and when I should draw my sword.
“It’s crazy, right?” Kane asked from my other side, hand already wrapped around the hilt of his own blade. “A year ago we were locked inside self-sustaining ecosystems, not even aware there was any conflict at all and now we’re on the front lines.”
We fell silent.
“I’ve never killed a man,” he whispered, voice carrying through the dry, empty air.
“You’ll never forget it,”Zyawhispered back and my head snapped toward her butGryfonwas already calling out commands.
We all faced forward, bending our knees and preparing as a war cry emanated from our opponents. They lifted their spears high in the air, screaming that their victory was for their gods.Kane's hand twitched on his sword. Zya's daggers were already spinning in her hands. Dante was a little farther down the line, close enough for me to draw on whatever bond still seemed to exist between us but far enough away that his own sword wouldn't find its way into my back the way the general feared.
“Stay out of range of those spears,” someone muttered at my back. I didn't have to turn to know it wasGryfon. He'd donned his own armor, a bright, shining silver, and was off his horse now, claiming he preferred to lead his men on foot rather than remain safely behind in the cavalry. His voice was so low only I could hear him as he spoke. “If you can get in close, do so with quick, efficient slashes. You don’t have to hit hard if you hit the right spot. Face, neck, behind the knee. Don’t go for organs, they’ll protect their torso first. If you get shocked, clamp your teeth so you don’t bite your tongue off.”
Instinct had me wanting to make some snarky comment about how this was a less effective pep talk than he gave the others but wisdom had me keeping my mouth shut. This was war and he was a general. It would do me well to listen to his advice. Particularly since he was giving it begrudgingly. We'd both been up far too early this morning revisiting the old argument of whether or not I should be allowed to fight in the battle at all. He claimed I was too valuable. I swore I wouldn’t lift a finger to help their cause if I were made to sacrifice my friends while I satcomfortably behind, waiting in the tents. So we compromised. I could fight but he wouldn’t leave my side. I found that more comforting than I cared to admit.
Suddenly,Gryfonraised his fist into the sky and there was a whoosh of air above me so violent it blew my hair straight into my face, wrapped around my head, and blew it back again. I glanced up to see a wave ofZver, dripping their bright green venom, red eyes glaring, soaring toward the enemy.
ThePavosianline faltered, fear plain in the young men’s eyes as they stared up at the beasts in horror. Their captains barked out a few commands and the line held, even as the firstZverswooped and Rainier himself rained down hell upon them.
“Now!” Gryfon called.
Taking advantage of their distraction, we charged. What happened after that was pure chaos. I met the first man’s steel with my own. He was off balance from having ducked as theZverswooped to engage a soldier right beside him. He stumbled when our swords clanged and I took advantage of his lost footing to plunge my blade into his neck whereGryfonhad showed me. He fell, wide-eyed, blood spraying out to cover me head to toe. I blinked as he died at my feet, warm blood seeping into the sand beneath us.
I just stared.
“Keep moving,”Gryfonbarked beside me, parrying a blow that was meant for me and slashing the man across the face before he could take another step forward. That soldier died as well, slumping down next to his companion as the pool of blood beneath our feet grew and grew.
It was carnage. Amplified by theZverplucking soldiers from the sands, soaring high above, and dropping them back down onto their fellows, the violence only escalated. Dante made his way closer to us as the battle raged on. He was more adeptwith the sword than I remembered from our sparring lessons in the gardens of House Viper that felt so long ago now. He cut down man after man, frowning all the while, until his cheeks were flecked with blood that was not his and his eyes were a smoldering green fire.
ThePavosianarmy, realizing they were fighting a losing battle, became more and more desperate to take as many of us with them as they could. They fought with wild abandon, swinging in sweeping arcs, not caring if they hit us or just each other. TheZverbecame a target for the few archers they had but a contingent of our own warriors saw that coming and silenced them quickly enough. So they died. Over and over and over. At my blade, atGryfon’, at Dante's, byZya’sknives or Kane’s sword. Why weren’t they fleeing? Why weren’t they pulling back?
Sanctuary.
I could see it looming over their shoulders. The same solid mass I'd left behind so long ago. And the Underground beneath it, the hole I'd created before, repaired.
Tiberius,I remembered.Sophie, Graham, Harrison, Dahlia, Milo, Maurice, Warren, my mother.
I kept repeating their names, kept forcing myself to remember the reason I was doing this, the justification for this slaughter. Even as my arms became slick with the young mortal warriors’ blood, even as my tears left burning trails through the grimy skin of my cheeks, even as claws and fangs ripped bodies apart all around me and the darkness coursed within my veins.
Tiberius, Sophie, Graham, Harrison, Dahlia, Milo, Maurice, Warren, mother.
I screamed, slashing out at a man’s hamstring and plunging my sword through his neck as he fell. He died quickly. It was the best I could offer him.
