Cato nodded, but Hawk was the first to respond. “Next hallway, past the end of the isolation rooms.”
I followed Cato and Xerxes to the door. Thor moved out of the way, facing the end of the corridor where the soldiers approached, but when I stepped out, I found a wall of ice already blocking their way.
Not for the first time, I yearned for my magic. I wished I had access to my lightning, to my protective shields. I wanted to be more than a weakness to the group, especially as they surrounded me.
A hand touched mine from behind, and I felt a tickle in the back of my mind.You are not a weakness, Hawk said, his voice startling.You are so much more than your powers.
I replied silently, hoping he would hear me.How can you be so sure? You don’t even remember what I was capable of.
His fingers wrapped around mine in such a comforting way, it was strange to think that this male was the Hawk I knew. The Hawk who only ever touched me in training, or who held me when my mother died, who kissed and told me he couldn’t be with me anymore.
It made me wonder who the real Hawk was.
But that was shoved out of my mind when we rounded the corner. The stairwell Hawk mentioned stood open, flooded with guards.
“Dante,” I said, staring at the male standing between two soldiers.
His lips twisted into a cruel smile. “You really thought it would be that easy?”
“No,” I replied, “but I did wonder whether you would be hiding or not.”
The smile dropped as he stepped forward, his army following. “You should have stayed in your cage.”
Before I could respond, the floor between us split open with a rumble. I stumbled backwards into Hawk’s chest as a chasm appeared, flooring breaking off and falling into the chamber below.
Cracks branched off in all directions, following the growing hole, and crawling up the walls towards the ceiling.
“Move back,” Xerxes growled. “Soon, the hallway will cave in.”
Soldiers appeared behind us, having finally broken through the ice wall.Shit.
We were cornered with no way out except down.
42
Xerxes
Icurled an arm around my fated, half protecting her from the false king, half keeping her close in case the damage I’d done to the compound took us with it.
The ever-growing destruction forced Dante back towards the stairwell, his eyes alight with an anger that promised retribution. But he called for the removal of his soldiers from the stairs, telling them to go down.
If we went down with this floor, they would capture us there. He was always going to meet us no matter where we tried to run.
The ground trembled as more of the floor fell away. The hole was now too large to jump, too unstable. And I wouldn’t want to, especially knowing now my fated was with child.
It explained the changes happening to her body, to her scent. And to know that it had been forced upon her by the other female caused a storm of emotion to wage within me. My Primal wanted to tear the female’s head off for what she’d done.
To Primals, especially females, there was always a choice. For some Primal beasts, they could expel a pregnancy without the need for healers. For them, it was a natural process, and one that was respected for all.
To know my fated hadn’t been given that same respectmade me tremble with rage. But my need to protect her, to keep her safe regardless, stopped me from returning to the isolation room and tearing the female’s heart out.
The corridor filled with the dozen other soldiers from the other hall. There were less of them, but more beasts amongst their ranks. Including the female I’d met with my handler. She appeared with a carefully hidden expression, standing apart from the others.
From what I could tell, there were four other shifters. It wouldn’t be too difficult to take them out—between the bear and me, we were more than capable. But there were seven other creatures I didn’t recognise. Some of their faces were familiar, but not their power sets. I couldn’t read their magic.
Behind me, my fated made a sound in the back of her throat. I stilled, trying to keep her behind me, but she tried to move. Thankfully, the winged-male—Hawk—shifted to stop her from exposing herself to the soldiers.
Soldiers summoned their magic. I barely felt it brush my skin; not the air-wielder who made a wind rush through the crumbling hall, and certainly not the one who summoned flames in their hands.
