Dessie wiped blood and rain off her face, searching for Garrett. Ulric grabbed him around the neck, stood, and twisted. Garrett flew through the air to hit the shed where Dessie had been kept. The boards creaked and snapped in two.
“Garrett,” she screamed, trying to jump down.
One of the Realm soldiers put her right back in place, turning to fire again toward the enemy.
Garrett pushed out of the rubble, ducked his head, and burst toward the Cyst leader in a frenzy of energy that was too fast to track. He hit Ulric midcenter and lifted him, slamming him down to the ground. Then Garrett punched Ulric in the mouth repeatedly, shattering teeth that flew in every direction. With a fast motion, he grabbed his knife from his sheath and sliced. Blood spurted in every direction.
Three Kurjan soldiers tackled Garrett, throwing him off Ulric.
Paxton jumped into the fray, and blood flew as punches were interspersed with flashing knives.
Ulric stood, blood pouring down his chin. Two soldiers flanked him, and they ran toward a waiting vehicle, loading up and zooming out of sight.
A Kurjan soldier leaped in front of the helicopter, firing green lasers past the guards and directly at her.
Harold came out of nowhere and jumped in front of the lasers, his body taking the hit and shuddering. He smashed onto the ground, and water splashed up from the weeds. He convulsed, and blood burbled from his mouth.
Dessie tried to jump down, but Sam was there in front of her, yanking the Kurjan soldier off the ground and around the helicopter. “No, please. He helped me.” The soldiers wouldn’t let her out, so she rushed to the other side of the craft and threw open the door. Then she paused.
Harold sat with his back to the helicopter, with Sam’s bleeding wrist at his mouth. What in the world?
Sam looked up, his gaze sharp. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, her body hurting as if she’d gone through a meat grinder. But she was alive. The sounds of the fight died down as more helicopters rose into the air and various vehicles spun away. The smell of the storm mixed with coppery blood and smoldering wood choked the air.
Then she was hauled up against solid steel. She knew that body. “Garrett.” Relief swamped her so quickly her body sagged. “You’re okay.”
He held her tight, leaning over her to look at Sam and Harold. “You good, H?”
Harold nodded and pushed Sam’s wrist away. “Yeah. Leave some holes in me. I have to make this look authentic.” He stood. “Need a solid punch.”
Sam punched him so hard he fell back against the copter.
“Sam!” Dessie hissed.
Harold grinned, slapped Sam on the shoulder, and winked at her. “Later.” Then he dodged around the helicopter and disappeared into the woods.
“Let’s go.” Garrett held out a hand to haul Sam inside, where several other soldiers joined them. He sat and pulled her onto his lap, holding her tight. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.” She snuggled her nose into his neck as they rose into the air. The storm batted the craft around. “You?”
He kissed the top of her head. “Good.”
A cough racked her from the smoke, and she turned her head into his chest. Her lungs felt as if they were on fire. She leaned back. “Harold is a friend?”
“Harold is actually Hunter, and he’s my cousin. He’s Dage and Emma’s kid and a future king.” Garrett looked out the window. “Should’ve brought him home with us, whether he wanted to come or not.”
“He helped me. Isn’t he young to be undercover?” She’d never forget his kindness.
Garrett gave a short nod. “Way too young. But like I said, we face danger before asking any of our people to do the same. I’m proud of Hunter, but I miss him. Also, I saw you fight—am proud of you. Nice trick with the weeds. Didn’t know you could do that.”
She thought back. “Neither did I. It just came to me in the moment.”
“You did a good job, but I saw you get hit. Do you need blood?”
“I don’t think so.” Her body ached, and the pain in her wrist throbbed, but nothing seemed broken.
He tugged her head back and took her mouth, his lips possessive and hot. Then he released her. “I have a present for you in my pocket.”
