Page 92 of To Bleed A Kingdom

Acknowledging my command with a nod of their heads, we all lift the hoods of our cloaks and slink between the trees, disappearing into the Cursed Woods.

Chapter 18

Silas

Sweat drips down my nape and my breath saws from my lungs as I dart between the trees of the Cursed Woods. Branches scratch my cheeks and tear at my clothes, but I ignore the stinging pain. For the trees’ talons are wisps compared to the claws of the creatures stalking us.

A fallen maple appears, blocking my path, and I spring over the trunk, my feet already moving before they touch the other side.

“Shit!” a male shouts, followed by a loud oomph.

Glancing over my shoulder, my irritation spikes when I discover Calder sprawled at the base of the log. Cursing internally, I race back to the idiot guard. “Get up,” I order, my eyes searching the shadows for the Soulless.

“I can’t!” he cries, rubbing his ankle. “I think I broke it.”

“You’re fae,” I hiss. “You’ll be healed within minutes.”

Tears trailing down his cheeks, he pushes off the ground, only to crumble in an instant. “I can’t! My ankle won't hold my weight.”

Curling my lip at the pitiful excuse of a guard, I grip his arm and jerk him up to his feet.“Do you want to die?” I ask, shaking him. “Because if you don't get up, that's what’s going to happen.”

“We shouldn't even be here,” he moans, leaning all his weight on me. “Not with only two guards.”

“It doesn't matter what should be. We are here, and right now there’s a pack of Soulless hunting us.” Hearing the sound of pounding feet closing in on us, I shout, “Run, dammit!”

He pulls his arm from my grasp and hops once… twice… three times, then falls like a sack of potatoes.

Watching the fully grown Nature fae wail and sob while snot drips down his nose, I can't help but to consider leaving him here. In normal circumstances,I would never do such a thing, but he isn't really a male at all. His appearance is mediocre, his power weak, he’s useless at absolutely everything, and he makes this odd donkey sound whenever he laughs. I can only imagine how awful his future children will be. No, this fool should not be encouraged to procreate.

No one will ever know. I'll say he ran off half-cocked into the woods.

I'd be performing a service to Cascadonia! Saving whatever poor female he's destined to pair with from a life of annoying laughter and dimwitted chatter. All I have to do is walk away and allow the Soulless to drink him dry.

Having already spoken my Guards Oath and knowing a male is only as good as his word, I dismiss the idea with a groan and crouch before Calder. “I’ll shift, and you can ride on my back.”

His wailing cuts off and he meets my gaze. “But shifters don’t allow riders.”

I grit my teeth. “I'm aware of that.”

Sniffling, he wipes beneath his nose. “You’ll let me ride you like a horse?”

“Not like a horse,” I snap, then pause to inhale a deep, calming breath.“I’m a tiger.”

“But I’ve never ridden a tiger before; only a horse.” His lips turn down into a frown. “How will I hold on if I don't have any reins?”

Regretting my offer more and more with each passing second, I reply, “You’ll figure it out.”

Red, puffy nose scrunching, he gives me a wary look. “You won’t eat me, will you?”

I'm leaving him here. That's just too much stupid to exist in the world.

“I'm not going to eat you, but the Soulless will.”

Grunts and growls echo through the trees, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.

“But don’t tigers-”

“No more questions!” I shout, cutting him off with a swipe of my hand. “You can stay here and die, or you can ride on my back. Make your choice.”

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