Page 148 of Crown of Lies

“Killian, on your left!” I shout, spotting a threat he can’t see.

Killian roars in response, spinning to meet the new challenger. “These bastards just keep coming!”

I scramble to my feet, desperately searching for Ambrose. He’s made it halfway across the room, heading straight for Quinn.

“No!” I yell, but my voice is drowned out by another explosion.

The floor beneath my feet trembles, and I stumble again. The mercenary with the knife takes advantage, lunging at me. I manage to deflect his strike, but his shoulder catches me in the chest, driving me back against the wall.

“Quinn, look out!” Nico screams.

I can see Ambrose closing in on Quinn, who’s struggling with her own attacker. She hasn’t noticed the masked man approaching from behind.

Gritting my teeth, I headbutt the mercenary pinning me. His grip loosens, and I shove him away, my eyes never leaving Ambrose’s advancing form.

“Quinn, behind you!” I yell, praying she hears me over the chaos.

I watch in horror as one of Ambrose’s men grabs Quinn from behind. She struggles, but Ambrose is there in an instant, pulling something from his pocket. My heart races as I see the glint of a needle.

“No!” I roar, but it’s too late. Ambrose plunges the syringe into Quinn’s neck, depressing the plunger.

Quinn’s eyes go wide, her body stiffening for a moment before she starts to sway. My heart stutters in my chest as the realization hits me like a freight train. Ambrose drugged her. He’s trying to take her.

Fury courses through my veins. I slam my elbow into my attacker’s face, feeling cartilage crunch beneath the blow. He drops like a stone, and I’m already moving, sprinting toward Quinn with everything I’ve got.

Just as I reach her, she summons a last burst of strength. She twists in her captor’s grip, slipping free and stumbling forward. I grab her before she can fall, wrapping her arm around my shoulders and holding her up.

“I’ve got you,” I grunt, trying to keep her on her feet while fending off Ambrose’s men.

But she’s barely conscious. Her head lolls against my shoulder, her feet dragging as I try to move us away from danger. It’s no good. She can hardly stand, let alone walk.

I look around frantically, assessing the situation. My friends are fighting hard, but we’re badly outnumbered. Nico is bleedingfrom a gash on his forehead, while Killian’s surrounded by three attackers. We can’t keep this up.

“We need to get out of here!” I shout, hoping my voice carries over the chaos.

Quinn stirs against me, her words slurred but urgent. “Back… there’s a way out in the back.”

I nod, tightening my grip on her. “Guys! Fall back! There’s an exit in the back!”

Nico and Killian acknowledge with quick nods, slowly retreating toward me while keeping the attackers at bay. I start moving us toward the rear of the shop, half-carrying, half-dragging Quinn with me.

Quinn’s legs suddenly give out, and she whimpers, the sound piercing straight through me. My anger at Ambrose surges, matched only by my determination to keep her safe. Without hesitation, I scoop her up into my arms.

“What are you doing?” she mumbles, her words slurring together.

I hold her tighter, my voice low and fierce. “What I’ll always do. Protecting you.”

I press a quick kiss to her temple, then shove her into Nico’s arms. “Get her out of here,” I shout, turning to face our attackers. “There’s an exit in the back room. Go!”

I throw myself back into the fight. My fists fly, connecting with jaws and noses and guts. I duck and weave, using every trick I’ve learned over the years to keep our attackers at bay.

A burly guy rushes me, but I sidestep at the last second, grabbing his arm and using his momentum to send him crashing into a display case. Glass shatters, and he goes down hard.

I risk a glance behind me. Nico is carrying Quinn toward the back room, Killian covering their retreat. Good. They’re making progress.

Two more mercenaries come at me simultaneously. I drop low, sweeping the legs out from under one while blocking a punch from the other. As I rise, I drive my elbow into the second man’s throat, leaving him gasping for air.

We’re almost to the doorway of the back room when Ambrose’s men surge forward en masse. They’re getting desperate, realizing we’re about to slip away.

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