“Fuck.” Andrian jumped to his feet. Sebastian and Ciana broke apart but still gripped each other tightly. Sebastian scanned the tree line with a grim set to his brow.
“I have to get her out of here.”
“We need your help. To fight.”
“I can’t leave her defenseless, Andrian.”
Gods, did Andrian understand. If it weren’t for his ever-present bond with Mariah, the constant assurance that she still fought, that she was better than Kol, he would be doing the exact same.
There had to be another way. Some other way to get Ciana to safety, but also keep Sebastian there fighting by their sides?—
Something moved across the clearing. A figure stepped into the sunlight, a young woman with thin shoulders and long, unbound brown hair. Her white robes were tattered and dirty and stained with a splatter of ruby blood, but her face was clear and open and more awake than he’d ever seen before.
Anniliese Hareth.
The girl’s gaze flitted around the clearing—to the dead bodies ofmudae, to Matheo firing arrow after arrow into the oncoming squadron, to the queen and the god locked in their deadly duel. Finally, her attention swung to Andrian. Her brow hardened and she gave a sharp nod, glancing at Ciana.
She lifted a hand, beckoning.
Sebastian stood, spine stiff. Ciana rose with him, tucked tightly to his side, trembling slightly.
Andrian gripped Ciana’s shoulder, her wide amber eyes meeting his.
“Go to her,” Andrian said. “She can get you out of here.”
“Wait,” Sebastian growled. “How are you sure we can trust her?”
Andrian hesitated. The last time he’d seen Anniliese, she’d been at Khento, a captive of Ksee’s and Kol’s. He’d extended his hand then, offering to take her from that nightmare. She’d refused.
But not because she felt any allegiance to them. She’d wanted to stay because she wanted to be there when they met their end.
Something told him that Anniliese had left the life of a Royal behind the moment she’d uncovered the fire in her veins.
Andrian met Sebastian’s hard glare. “Do you trustme, brother?”
Emotion—too complicated to name—flickered in Sebastian’s face. “I do. Of course, I do.”
Andrian nodded at Anniliese. The screeches of the approachingmudaegrew louder. “Then you can trust her. That much, I swear to you.”
Sebastian hesitated just a moment longer. He looked down at Ciana.
“Go,” he said, repeating Andrian’s words. “Run. Deep into the woods. And don’t stop until you hear nothing but the birds.”
“But…what about?—”
“I’ll be fine, Goldie.” Sebastian’s expression softened. “I’m an Armature. Fighting demons for my queen is what I was born to do.”
Ciana sniffed, nodding again. Sebastian kissed her softly, one more time. He hoisted Andrian’s sword in his right hand, nodding toward Anniliese. “Get somewhere safe, Ciana. I will find you when this is all over.”
Ciana choked back one final sob but gathered her ragged skirts in her hand. She raced across the edge of the clearing, golden curls bouncing behind her. The Royal-turned-priestess grabbed Ciana’s hand, mouth moving with urgent words. The two women vanished into the trees, racing through the underbrush.
To safety.
Andrian could feel the moment the revelation struck Sebastian. His shoulder’s pushed back, his grip tightening on the sword. His gaze found Matheo—his blood brother—in the center of the clearing, still firing arrows.
The first of themudaelanded. Matheo dropped his bow, drawing his blade.
Kol cursed, low and vicious, as Mariah landed another blow. A zing of victory raced down their bond, tugging a smile to Andrian’s lips.
