I searched through the chaos, looking for my beacon in the storm.
I raced towards him, pivoting and clashing my blade against another who tried to take Rhodes down from behind. Rhodesfinished the man before him before turning my way and sinking his blade into a man’s chest, splattering my face with blood.
His eyes frantically searched up and down my body as I nodded, telling him I’m okay.
Behind me, River’s growl vibrated in my bones, deep and primal. I turned to see her teeth sink into someone’s shoulder. The crunch echoed like thunder through the trees.
The leader grabbed Fallon by the collar and slammed her into a tree, pinning her with one hand, sword raised in the other. She gasped, kicked at him—missed.
“FALLON!”
I couldn’t reach her in time.
But Nash could.
He barreled into the man like a ram, knocking him off her. They hit the ground hard. Fallon staggered, clutching her ribs, then set her blade to his throat.
He grinned through blood. “Arya will burn.”
“Then I’ll be the kindling,” she rasped.
She plunged the blade into his chest.
The fighting had stopped, but my heart hadn’t slowed. My sword dripped. My knees threatened to buckle. My body was buzzing like it had just been yanked out of the sky by lightning. The air was thick with smoke, blood, and the sounds of the dying. Only two of the enemy remained. They took one look at their leader’s body, dropped their weapons, and bolted into the forest.
My legs gave out. I dropped to the dirt, sword still in my grip, heart beating against my ribs like it wanted out. Rhodes fell to his knees before me, eyeing my injuries. Blood and mud covered his beautiful face. A gash was bleeding on his shoulder. His chest heaving.
Fallon wiped her blade on her thigh and stared at the body. “That’s one dream I hope haunts him in the afterlife.”
Noemi growled—a darker sound than I’d ever heard from her—and started toward Fallon, crushing saplings.
“How can you joke about this?” Rhodes stormed toward my sister, his boots grinding into the blood-soaked dirt before he shoved her hard to the ground.
She let out only a breathy laugh.
“Look around you, Fitzroy. You could have gotten us killed!”
“Like you aren’t used to this, Wylder.” Fallon’s voice was sharp as broken glass as she pushed herself upright, brushing blood from her palms.
“This mission is over,” Rhodes snapped, his glare cutting through her. “I refuse to work with someone who is purposely putting us in danger.”
Nash strode over to me, his hand steady as he pulled me to my feet.
“The mission will be over once it’s completed.”
“The three of us will complete it without you,” Rhodes bit out.
Fallon tilted her head, lips curling into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “I would not piss me off, Wylder.”
Rhodes stepped closer, his six-foot-two frame swallowing her presence whole—but Fallon didn’t budge. Didn’t flinch. Whatever grudge she held against the Wylders ran bone-deep, strong enough she’d risk everything to keep it… or expose it.
Rhodes scoffed. “The only reason I’m putting up with you is because of her.” He jabbed a finger in my direction. “She has the misfortune of being stuck with you and General Fitzroy.” His tone dropped, sharp as honed steel. “You want to joke about your fathernot caring enough to rescue her? Seems to me he can barely stand being in the same room as you.”
Fallon’s fist connected with his jaw before he even saw it coming. The crack of impact split the night, and my gasp came unbidden. Rhodes’s head snapped to the side.
He tensed, rubbing his jawline, then spat blood onto the grass. When his gaze found her again, it was lethal. “Proving my point. Every time you seem like you might not be as terrible as you make it seem, you prove everyone wrong.”
Fallon’s lips curled into something between a sneer and a smirk. “You act like you’re her saving grace, Wylder. But tell me… does she know the truth about you?”
