Page 55 of Claimed By Brothers

Cynthia exhales sharply. “That’s what I was trying to tell you. I know we agreed to do this ourselves and rely on Binzen and Izzo to retrieve their son from the riverbank, but I know we also considered the risks of every single option we had to work with. So, I spoke to Maur and Kai about it.”

“You did what?” Jewel gasps.

“I had to! Look at us!” Cynthia replies. “We’re fucking helpless! Umok is going to kill that boy! We were trying to avoid more bloodshed, but it is what it is. We need the Fire Tribe now more than ever!”

Umok draws his sword, the obsidian shimmering against the growing flames. “Prepare for battle!” he shrieks. “Defend your positions and cut down every one of these savages! The future of Sunna belongs to us!”

We’re smack in the middle of the battle, the four of us. On one side, there is Umok, still in possession of Valen and still flanked by one too many Sky Tribe mercenaries—with more of them pouring out through the gates and climbing the fort walls with their crossbows loaded and ready. On the other side, I recognize plenty of familiar faces and tribal colors—the Tallas tribe with their stocky fighters and thick war clubs; the Kreek tribe with their impeccably sharp steel and obsidian swords and their blood-curdling ululations; the Hadana clan with their twin blades and glimmering battle shields encrusted with volcanic glass shards; and other clans from farther up north. But they’re led by the Mal scion, by Binzen and Izzo, accompanied by Kai and Maur, by Helios and other chiefs of the Fire Tribe.

They’re all here, determined to put an end to this madness.

They’ve come to take their son back. To take their women back. To destroy Umok once and for all. I can see the blood lust in their eyes, the fiery ruthlessness visible in every single movement. There is only one way this ends tonight. And it is not what I had hoped and prepared for.

“I had to do it,” Cynthia says. “We’re crazy and strong and resourceful, I know. You, me, Alicia, Jewel… We could take on the whole frickin’ world if we wanted. But in matters of war and violence, we’re just not enough. We need them to save Valen and to save us. You were right, Amber.”

“About what?” I manage, unable to take my eyes off Binzen and Izzo.

They can see me from afar, their gazes glowing red with determination. I don’t see anger on their faces, nor rage. I only see their iron-clad resolve, and I feel our bond growing stronger with each passing second as I’m reminded of how much more powerful we are when we’re together rather than apart.

“We belong here with them,” Cynthia says. “At least for now, we are better off with the Fire Tribe than on our own, struggling to get back to a place we may never see again.”

“I will kill every single fucking Fire Tribe heir tonight!” Umok declares loudly, his voice booming through the drums. “Starting with the Mal offspring. Bring him out!”

I can hear Valen’s cries getting closer as Umok’s men carry him through the thickening throng of mercenaries emerging from the fort. My anger gets the better of me. I’m determined to screw with this bastard’s head and make it harder for him to control not only his men but also himself, so I shoot him a cold grin and touch my belly for everyone to see.

“It’s too late for that,” I yell to Umok. “Valen will have a little brother soon, and the two of them will inherit this planet. The two of them and the many more who will come from our wombs will carry the Fire Tribe banners across Sunna and revive this world while you and every single one of your men will rot in the sun.”

My announcement makes Umok freeze. He did not see this coming. His lower lip quivers with dismay.

“I’m not the only one,” I add. The girls quickly catch on and nod in agreement, choosing to play along and feed into the lie if only to rattle him to the core. “We’re all carrying Fire Tribe children in our wombs already.”

“You’re too late,” Alicia says.

“You’re not even worthy to reproduce,” Jewel adds.

“I hope I have twins,” Cynthia chuckles cruelly. “I’ll name one after you if you’d like. At least someone will remember you then, Umok. Because you will die tonight.”

Umok lets out a blood-curdling roar that makes the night itself quiver and the stars disappear into the pitch-black sky. Even the moons seem to briefly hide behind a string of yellowish clouds as the drums of the Fire Tribe come to a sudden halt. I hear the flames crackling on their torches. The clinking of their swords and armor. The rustling of their footsteps across the hard ground. Their growls and huffs of anticipation.

The entire flow of time stops.

I can only do everything in my power to survive. To save myself and my unborn baby.

I can only pray that Umok’s men have enough sense in them not to follow him down this dark path from which no one can be retrieved. Killing a child is unforgivable. And if it takes killing hundreds of Sky Tribe fighters in order to keep Valen alive, then so be it. I’ve tried my best.

May fate itself sort things out.

And may it show no mercy toward Umok. He certainly hasn’t shown any toward us.

26

Binzen

When Maur and Kai reached out to tell us of Cynthia’s decision, I wasn’t entirely shocked. I knew she and the girls were planning something reckless. I also knew I couldn’t change their minds for them. I could only make sure Izzo and I were prepared to jump in and save them when push came to shove. But the Hadana twins’ involvement gave us the upper hand. We had a few hours to better prepare for battle, rally our troops, and track Amber along her journey back to the Sky Tribe’s camp.

Izzo wasn’t happy to see what she was up to, but even he conceded it made sense. Amber is a good woman, a kindhearted, honorable woman who was ready to put herself in the line of fire in order to save our son. For that alone, she is worthy of our undying love and gratitude. But to hear her say she is carrying a child of her own, our blood coursing through her womb, does something to me. It’s doing something to Izzo, too. I can see it in his eyes.

The clarity.

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