Page 153 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

Terra’s head snapped to me and she hesitated. She’d been about to go down, no doubt to check Ruin for injuries, and see Carnage. Our eyes met and I shook my head, praying she’d know.

She hesitated a second time, looking at Ruin on our brothers’ shoulders, then back to me. And I knew the question in her eyes was the question everyone would have until they knew.

They needed to know. Whether he’d killed Kgosi or fled. Whether Donavyn was here or dead… they had to know what they were looking at.

“Put him down!” I screamed—so hard, my vision shook.

The cheers and delighted curses stopped suddenly, everyone turning to me.

And Ruin—who obviously hadn’t noticed me earlier, looked at me from his position on his brother’s shoulders… and his weary amusement became sly delight.

I shook my head at him too, and bared my teeth. Pointing, so every fucker in this launch hollow would know exactly who I spoke about.

“Do not treat him like a hero—he’s a traitor. He and his dragon, both!” I screamed so they’d all hear me as I started down the slope into the base of the launch hollow bowl.

A couple of the men below snapped heads back, then looked at Ruin. Others frowned. No one in the launch hollow moved, though something shifted in the corner of my eye, near the stable at the top, my squad brothers, rushing after me. But I ignored them. Throwing a hand wide towards Ruin and walking so fast I almost ran, I shouted at anyone who would listen.

“Don’t listen to him! Don’t believe a word out of his mouth! He’s a traitor and a murderer. He killed Donavyn!” I felt the silence in the launch hollow, the doubt, and I wanted to scream. I stopped walking and turned a circle to face them all—these fucking men with their fucking assumptions and camaraderie and I was sickened. “Can’t you see the truth? This prick once brought an entire squad of Furyknights to me, before I was Chosen and—”

“No one’s going to listen to the Commander’s mistress, Bren. Just shut the fuck up,” Ruin snapped, hopping off the men’s shoulders and striding calmly towards me with that cocky saunter at the bottom of the launch hollow.

“I am not the—”

“No, you’re not anymore. You can’t be the mistress of a dead man—though if he were still alive, I’m sure he’d see through you now that he knows your true colors.” I froze as Ruin turned on his heel and opened his arms. “Do you hear that? Our Commander is dead. Our Battle Commander and General, Donavyn Arsen, dead in a neighboring kingdom, because this little bitch fed him to the wolves in Fyrehold. And when she realized I was onto her, she fled back here to undermine me. Don’t listen to a word she says. I’ve been chasing a mole since I left here months ago. Turns out she was here the entire time. Well, your time’s up, Kearney!” he snarled, whirling back to face me. “No one’s going to fall for that naïve innocence anymore, you fucking black widow. I know what you did. I know who you killed. I know who you’re feeding intelligence to. And I’m here to take down the entire fucking nest of you!”

50. Ready to Fall

~ BREN ~

You can’t be the mistress of a dead man…

He was lying. He had to be lying. ‘Akhane?’

‘I don’t know, Bren. It’s been so painful—I don’t know!’

My knees wobbled and I braced, finding my balance, head spinning. No! They were alive, they had to be. But Ruin remained in front of me, a screaming testimony to the fact that something had gone horribly wrong. Again.

“Bren? Keep going!” Terra had appeared above me at the edge of the launch hollow, her eyes sad, arms folded, and jaw tight as she scanned the hollow and stared accusations at the men.

She believed me.

I couldn’t make this easy for him. He couldn’t just tell them lies and turn all of them against us.

I faced Ruin once more, who smiled maliciously, eyes narrowed and shaking his head as if I should be ashamed. And for a split-second it worked. I knew most of these men didn’t know me. Knew they’d known and admired him for years. Knew that in their eyes, I didn’t belong here. And he, whom they did trust, told them that I’d been the one to set up Donavyn. Of course they’d believe that.

But it wasn’t true.

I felt that familiar weight. The knowing of what was in the minds of others, planted by him. And a low, heated wave of rage washed over me. It made me want to weep—and scream in defiance.

This is what Ruin had always done. He made me worthless in the eyes of others. Left me in a position of weakness and shame.

Not anymore. I raised my chin and stared him down.

As Ruin continued to spew the worst of his lies, trying to turn all these men on me, I cursed and shook my head, denying every word.

When he faced me, smug and sure of his victory, I walked right up to his toes. “Lies. It’s all fucking lies. You traitor,” I hissed.

He scoffed. “That’s the best you’ve got, Bren?” he asked me quietly.