Page 116 of Of Wind and Terror

“Gaia,” Aleksander curses, dropping to his knees.

He brings a hand to her lashes and shuts them, obscuring her eyes from view.

Permanently.

Grief threatens to claw at my chest, but now isn’t the time to give in to my emotions. I need to get the fuck out of here. Now.

I cradle Kassandra closer against my chest as panic rattles my nerves.

I haven’t been to Blaze’s castle in…who the fuck knows how long? I have no idea how to navigate these hallways.

“What is happening?” Aleksander demands again, unsheathing his sword and holding it at the ready. “Are we under attack?”

“I think it’s the Mark of Chaos!” I have to raise my voice to be heard over the screams, cries, and shouts.

I twist Kassandra’s body slightly so Aleksander can see the jagged mark on her smooth flesh, currently a vibrant shade of red. It seems to be glowing from within, as if someone lit a candle beneath the surface.

“Shit!” Aleksander stares at Kassandra for a moment longer, but he doesn’t demand I hand her over.

Which is good, because I wouldn’t give her to him, even if he asked.

Instead, he steps in front of me, sweeping his eyes in both directions. “We need to get the fuck out of here before we’re buried alive.”

“You’re fucking telling me.” I shift Kassandra slightly so she’s more secure and then take off after Aleksander.

At first, I have no idea where he’s going—he seems to be taking pathways at random—but then I realize that he isn’t just guessing the direction.

He’s following the sounds of screams.

Bile scorches my throat like claws tipped in acid.

All of this carnage and destruction…

All of these dead fae…

I pray Kassandra doesn’t wake up until we’re free of the castle. I don’t want her to have to see this and blame herself.

There are over a dozen bodies on the ground, all of them twisted in unnatural ways. All of them covered in blood. All of them staring straight ahead, their vacant eyes penetrating my soul.

The walls continue to crumble around us. Huge pieces of cement drop like fucking raindrops—if each raindrop were the size of a ball and ten times heavier.

We reach a fork in the hallway, but before Aleksander can lead us down one way, a door opens, and Blaze and King Darius come running forward. Blaze’s eyes immediately home in on Kassandra like moths drawn to a flame.

His pace quickens until he comes to a stop in front of me, his chest heaving, his eyes wild, his hair covered in debris. He reaches for Kassandra…and then immediately drops his arms back to his sides, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He grabs the battle ax he always keeps on his back and swings it in a smooth arc.

“Protect her with your Gaiadamn life!” he roars.

I want to snap at him that I’m already doing just that but realize he’s offering me something he never gave me before—trust. He knows that he’s a better fighter than I am, so he’s willing to lead the charge with Aleksander, and he’s trusting me to keep an eye on Kassandra.

So instead of retorting, I simply nod once and tighten my grip around the female I love.

The female I’m beginning to believe we all love.

“What the bloody hell is happening here?” King Darius demands.

He sweeps his gaze over the dead bodies on the ground, and genuine grief splays across his face.

“I don’t know,” Aleksander lies easily. “Perhaps we’re under attack?”

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