“Then you’ll be grateful we brought a few seasoned killers as well,” Naveah said, her voice grinding stone. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword.
The scout’s eyes widened as he recognized the master of the armory. He gave her a curt, reluctant nod before directing his attention at me. “The king is on the ridge, planning the counterassault, and I’m taking you to him. He’ll tell you to head home.” His voice lifted. “The rest of you, stay with your mounts. Do not get in the way.”
He turned, leading the way up a gentle slope. I fell into step behind him, Pherin silent on my shoulder.
The low, guttural chittering of the Skathe horde was louder here, a constant, sickening hum that vibrated through my bones. It was the sound of our death.
We crested the ridge, and my breath caught. A war council had gathered around a massive map spread over a flat-topped boulder. Gavelle circled above, no doubt reporting the situation. Kira stood among the group, her red hair a slash of blood, as well as Trew’s Aunt Coralee, her face pinched as she pointed to a place on the map.
And Trew of course. He stood at the center of the war council like an ancient battle god come to life, his black leather molding every muscled line of his body. He wore weapons strapped to his spine and thighs like deadly accessories. His dark hair caught the light, and when he turned?—
I forgot how to breathe. This wasn’t the man who’d held me gently in his arms not long ago. This was a king who could conquer worlds, a warrior who could level mountains.
He was absolutely devastating. And absolutely mine.
His golden gaze locked onto me, and the expression that crossed his face showed pure shock, followed by anger. Terror. And underneath it all, something that looked very much like pride.
Gavelle landed beside him, ruffling his feathers, his head cocking this way and that.
Leaving the others, Trew stalked toward me, ignoring the stunned silence of his commanders, his gaze pinning me in place. The chittering of the Skathes and the tension in the air faded to nothing.
The scout smirked and strode away.
Then there was onlyhim.
“You impossible, brilliant, reckless woman,” he breathed when he stopped in front of me, his voice a low, furious rumble. “Why are you here?”
“You left me behind,” I said simply.
Pherin peeped.
He scowled. “I left you behind to keep you safe.” His furious gaze swept past me to the mass of fighters and dragons waiting in the field above the village. “Is that an army of new recruits?”
“No, it’s an army of warriors who refuse to hide while their king rides in their defense.”
His jaw worked, the muscle ticking violently. “This is not a trial, Isi. This could be a slaughter.”
“Then we’ll face it together.”
His eyes blazed with so much fear it stole the air from my lungs. He was looking at me, but I’d bet anything he was seeing my body torn apart by Skathes.
“We will fight together to keep each other safe,” I said softly. “Nothing less.”
Before he could answer, a blood-freezing roar echoed from the plains. The whole seething mass of Skathes surged forward, a black tide rushing toward the fragile buildings of Silverstream.
“They’re charging,” a scout screamed from where she stood on the edge of the ridge between us and the Skathes.
Trew spun, barking orders. “Archers, first volley. Vanguard, to the front line. Kira, you take the left flank. Coralee, the right.”
Warriors and commanders scattered, running for their positions. Dragons soon took flight, armed soldiers mounted on their spines.
The air soon filled with the thrum of bowstrings and the shrieks of dying monsters.
Pherin left my shoulder and flew to the ground, landing beside Gavelle, looking up at him like a child would an idol.
Trew turned back to me and grabbed my arms, his grip bruising.
“I can’t believe you’re here. That you came.” Wonder threaded through the anger as his eyes searched mine.
