Page 267 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“Where did you get that?” Xan asked, eyes wide and fixed on her blade.

She smirked at Razik. “I was faster than a dragon and won it.”

“By mere seconds,” he snarled.

“It’s stillmine,” she tossed back.

“If I take out more guards in the next few minutes, I get to use it in the next fight,” Razik said, sauntering past her and drawing a blade from his magic.

“Deal,” she replied eagerly, darting past him.

Luka watched, more than a little confused at the interaction, but the clamor of feet told him guards were nearly here. He’d have to contemplate his brother’s relationship later.

His father hadn’t been wrong. He was slow moving, and Luka felt like he was dragging him along. Cienna kept pace on his other side. It hadn’t escaped him she would have known Xan was down here this entire time. She hadn’t said a word either, but the betrayal didn’t hit the way it had with Tessa. He had expected something like this from Cienna. She had always spoken in riddles. For all he knew, she’d dropped hints, and he’d just never understood them. But Tessa?

After these past months? After the slow building of trust and breaking down of walls? After finally giving in and accepting he was part of something unconventional but not caring because it meant he could still have her? After all of that, for her to not say a fucking word?

“I’m ahead by two,” came Eliza’s voice.

“One,” Razik growled, his flame-wrapped sword plunging into the gut of a sentinel. The dragon fire spread, turning the Legacy to ash.

“Luka!”

He paused at the gasped snarl, turning to face Valter.

“You will take me with you,” the Lord said, limping forward. And yep. He definitely smelled.

Luka stepped back, taking his father with him. “You’ve lied to me. For years. You’re lucky I’m not taking my time with your death right now.”

“As if you’d dare after all I have done for you,” the Lord scoffed, hazel eyes landing on Xan. “We all made sacrifices for the good of Devram. Isn’t that right, Xan?”

“Donotspeak to him,” Luka snarled.

“Make a choice, young warlord,” Cienna cautioned. “If you stay for vengeance, we may not walk out of here, even if you make it quick.”

“As much as I wish I could, his death isn’t mine to take,” Luka answered. “He’s wronged my brothers far more than he’s wronged me.”

“Glad to see you still have some sense,” Valter said, foolishly attempting to straighten his shirt. “Let’s go.”

“I never said I was taking you with me,” Luka deadpanned. “I’ll leave you here for Rordan to find.”

“You can’t do?—”

But a wall of flames erupted, a curse sounding from Valter as Luka turned his back on him. He could have killed him. Maybe he should have. But Tessa had left him alive for a reason.

She always had her fucking reasons.

He couldn’t think about her right now. Right now, his focus needed to be on his father; so they made their way down the corridor, Razik and Eliza taking down any guards that crossed their paths. Eliza was a whirlwind of flame, her red-gold braidflying with every precise turn and strike. There was no doubt she was skilled as she threw a dagger before turning and plunging her sword into another. Razik followed her almost lazily, as if he trusted her to hold her own. If anything, it appeared he was letting her have her fun while still making sure he kept up with the sadistic competition between the two of them.

The Fates must have been on their side because they made it to the corridor, everyone Traveling out the moment they crossed the threshold. Luka helped his father lower onto a sofa, the male groaning.

“I haven’t had cushion under my ass in decades,” Xan sighed, sinking into the fabric.

Luka couldn’t help his chuckle. “What do you need? Food? Water? Something for the cuts and burns until we can remove that collar?”

“Liquor,” Xan said. “Valter’s good shit.”

Luka nodded, leaving to retrieve just that, and when he came back, Razik and Eliza were having a heated conversation on the other side of the room. Blood was splattered across her white top, blending in with her black clothing. She still held her sword, gesturing wildly with it.

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