“Cadence —”
“Save it. I’ll keep your godsdamned chambers warm, shall I?”
She folded her arms over her chest, her posture rigid as she glared at me.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would pay for that later.
“We don’t have time for this,” Eamon said. “They’re pushing toward the command tower.”
I bit back another curse as I ground my teeth together. The stone beneath my boots seemed to vibrate with the distant tremors of battle.
I turned to Eamon. “Reinforce the western flank. I’ll meet you out there.”
He gave a sharp nod and disappeared from the room.
“I can help,” Callum said, surprising us all.
“No, Callum,” Cadence protested.
He cupped her face and leaned in, whispering something in her ear. When he straightened, he cast a pointed look her way.
Cadence hesitated for the briefest moment before nodding once. “Be safe.”
He hugged her tight, and she clung to him for a heartbeat before letting him go.
“Always,” Callum said with a grin.
Then he stepped back, and I filled the spot he had vacated. I leaned in and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“Stay inside this room and do not answer the door for anyone,” I instructed.
“Don’t… die,” she muttered.
I cocked a brow, a smirk pulling up my lips. “Worried about me, Temptress?”
She rolled her eyes. “Worried about myself. How long do you think I’d survive once you’re out of the picture?”
I clenched my jaw. She made a valid point.
“We need to go.” I strode from the room with renewed purpose, my brother and Callum falling into step behind me.
Distant screams threaded through the corridors, underscoring the rising urgency. I grabbed my blade, strapping it across my back with practiced ease.
“Don’t get yourself killed out there,” I called over my shoulder. “Your sister would never forgive me.”
“Pretty sure that ship has sailed,” he murmured, and Riordan chuckled.
I clenched my hands into fists, ignoring the insolent fucker.
The acrid stench of death assaulted me before I had even cleared the corridor. My nostrils flared as I pushed through the enormous oak doors leading to the main courtyard. The scene that greeted me was pure chaos.
Bodies littered the cobblestones, some ours, some theirs. Steel clashed against steel as men and women hit the ground with a wet thud. Blood painted the walls with crimson streaks; the coppery scent burned my nostrils.
“Godsdamn,” Callum said, his face pale as he surveyed the carnage.
One of the Wraith Borne spotted us, his hollow eyes fixing on mine with predatory hunger.
“Left flank.” I drew my sword in one fluid motion. The steel sang as it cleared the sheath, the familiar weight settling into my palm. The intruder lunged, his hands outstretched, and I moved right, bringing my sword up in a vicious arc.
