Page 133 of The Heir's Bargain

After a moment, though, her chest rose, her breathing haggard.

She was still alive.

For now.

If Moris could hold on.

If Quint?—

Where's Quint? Panic rose in my throat as I scanned the area, the dead bodies, the paralyzed men, the?—

There.

Blade to throat, Quint looked to the stars, to the god who seemed to have forgotten us in the mountains.

The arm of the man who held Quint twitched, and without thinking, I ran.

Quint would not die today.

Quint would not leave behind his children, his wife, his family.

I pumped my arms, harder, faster. I sprinted as hard as I could—as fast as Gabriel. Then I dove, shoving Quint out of the way without any hesitation.

Searing pain tore through my torso, blinding and piercing.

One faint thought spun in my mind as hot pain spiked through my body, where the metal ripped through my flesh. But as I tried to grab the blade, I fell into a sea of darkness before I could grasp the thought.

Chapter 38

FYNN

My cards slipped through my hands.

Someone said something—my name?

I couldn't focus on the question, though. Wrinkles creased my forehead as the thoughts of those around me became jumbled in my mind. The thoughts were a torrent, a sea of words mixing as if whomever they belonged to was panicking, barely even able to keep a grip on their own mind.

Failed mission.

Attack in the mountains.

Hurt.

Hurt.

Hurt.

"No," I whispered as my fingers curled around the edge of the table. "No."

"Fynn, what's wrong?" someone asked. My brother? Lukas? I didn’t know, nor could I tell.

I couldn’t form any words as the thoughts of those racing down the hall came spiraling down the invisible threads.

A spout of nausea rose in my stomach, the alcohol turning, tumbling, twisting.

This couldn't have been happening.

Not again.

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