I hadn’t been paying attention, hadn’t had my senses up. I’d been too tired. I fell back down as Maverick released me. When I looked, I saw Lady Claw standing behind Maverick. In one hand she gripped his hair, holding him up. Her other hand, claws extended, was a mess of gore. She’d ripped out the man’s throat. She looked a fright, bloody and bruised, but her eyes were filled with madness. And Maverick… was dead, his eyes vacant and unseeing.
It had happened so fast, and I was so weak, I just lay on the ground trembling. MyHerogift had fled. My spirit was shattered at the sight of Maverick’s dead eyes and blood-covered body.
“I’ve killed the head of the House,” Claw sneered, voice pained. I could tell she wasn’t doing well either. “Now for its heart.” She tossed Maverick’s corpse to one side and I saw her eyes go wide and hungry with bloodlust.
An arrow caught her a glancing blow on the shoulder and she cried out in shock, looking toward the woods in the distance. She snarled and a moment later was in cat form, bolting away at full speed.
I didn’t quite know what had happened. I crawled over to Maverick just to check, perhaps, maybe, if I could wake Ant…
But no, the man was well dead, far too much blood staining the ground around him. I still couldn’t believe it. I lost all my senses then and wept hot bitter tears.
This was my fault. Those Nobles had come to kill me and… and my Housemates had died, protecting me.
Maverick’s words came to me, replaying over and over in my mind:
Of all of us, you need to live. You’re the one the mistweaver said would ruin all their plans. So, you live, you hear me! That’s an order!
I needed to live, and for that — for me — how many of my new family had died? Maverick, like a father to me, would never smile that warm smile of his. Fennec was probably dead, Foggy would never forgive me. And… Jack I didn’t know for certain. He’d been like an older brother… well more like a stepbrother who thought you were hot and wanted to sleep with you. Ant was alive, but I’d seen the pain written clearly on his face. His words made sense to me now:At least I can save you, which meant he hadn’t been able to save Amber. She’d been like an older sister to me, more experienced in… everything and always seemingly knowing what I was doing and who I was with. Always there to help. Now she was dead too, and her death had nearly killed Ant.
Spirits! What had I done?
“Legs? What happened?” I recognized the voice, but it took me a long moment to register it.
Alvere was turning me, holding me close. “Gods above, this is a mess. What in The Deepest Pits happened here?”
I couldn’t answer. If I tried to speak only sobs came out as I cried upon his shoulder.
“Hush, it is well. We’re here now,” he said, stroking my hair. “I did find some Fey in the woods. They repaid the fleeing Elistans for their treachery tonight. Then… I went looking for you. I saw that woman kill Maverick and come for you. I…” He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry I missed her, but that shot was taken from nearly five hundred yards. Yes, I know, don’t worry about explaining now, just…” He held me tighter. “Gods, what a mess,” he whispered.
And I couldn’t agree more.
A mess thatIhad caused.
Chapter 26
It wasa long time before I could do anything other than cling to Alvere in desperation and defeat. Wordlessly, he helped me to my feet. I looked around slowly. The night was dark and deep, but there weren’t any bodies around me.
“The Fey have moved them,” Alvere said softly. “Come, you should rest.”
“No,” I croaked, voice hoarse and raw. “I… I need to see them. I need to know who’s…”still aliveand who’s dead… who I killed.
You didn’t kill any of them, Auwei said, trying to reason with me, but right now I wasn’t in any mood to listen.
They died for me. That’s the same thing. I may not have killed them with my own hands, but I got them killed.
Auwei sighed deeply. She kept trying to send me warmth and love, but I was hollow and cold right now, a void sucking in her emotions without feeling them.
“This way,” Alvere said.
I walked, leaning heavily upon him, my legs faltering often, weak as water. By the end, he was more carrying me than helping me.
We came to an open area and laid out before us were… some of the night’s dead. Of the foes were Lynx, Lion, and Tiger. There were other mundane soldiers, but I gave them little attention.
Of my House… the dead were: Maverick, Amber, Jack, Fennec, and Tusk. The last must have died elsewhere that night. I stared at them cold and unfeeling for a long moment, as I thanked the Spirits that Sparrow and Silence weren’t among the dead.
“Have you seen enough?” Alvere asked, and I could hear the pain and sympathy in his voice.
I took another long moment to paint this picture in my mind. I needed to remember each of these faces. My friends, no my family, who had died for me. Finally, I turned away. Alvere scooped me into his arms and carried me to his pavilion. The common area in front had been filled with extra beds, and there were wounded resting here.
