Page 73 of Battle Fluke

But she couldn’t find it within herself to do it. She couldn’t face them.

Zendalia was right.

But Honour didn’t want to let her have the satisfaction of knowing that.

And yet, she was still General Honour. She was still the leader of the troops. She couldn’t let them go into battle without facing them. Steeling herself, Honour did what she had to do. She left to face the music.

26

Kyree stared at the Reine city gates. Her heart hammered. She’d known without a doubt that she was going to come back here. And having Hudson next to her was exactly what she’d needed. That boost of confidence and courage. The support. The hope.

They’d raced to beat Hudson’s men there, to get ahead of them so they could get the men in for the fight. Kyree gulped.

“Nervous?” Hudson asked.

“She wasn’t exactly happy the last time she saw me.” Kyree scraped her nails over the sensitive line where skin met scales. The balance of pleasure and pain keeping her grounded in the moment, not letting her mind wander to fears that hid in the corner, just waiting for a time to pounce.

“Either of us,” Hudson added. She took Kyree’s hand and gave her a tight squeeze. “She’ll be pissed.”

Kyree laughed lightly. “How do you know? She could be sappy and in love.”

“Honour? Never.” Hudson scoffed as she started forward, dragging Kyree with her.

I guess it’s now or never, Kyree thought. They moved into the gates, the guards stationed there immediately noddingtoward Kyree and letting them through. Since when did she have that power? Kyree held onto Hudson’s hand, keeping it firmly in her own. She wasn’t going to let go so long as she had a chance.

“Where do you think she’s at?” Kyree asked, mentally cataloguing every place that Honour might be at that particular moment in time, even if she didn’t know.

A loud hoorah reverberated through coral swimways. It sent a shiver up and down Kyree’s spine. She didn’t want to think about what it meant, but based on what she’d seen Hudson do with her men, she could guess.

“She’s ramping up the men.” Hudson’s lips curled upward, a satisfied and excited look on her face. Kyree had seen that look before. She’d memorized it, because she’d given it right before they’d made love. “They’re preparing for war.”

Kyree shuddered in fear. Goosebumps ran up her arms, and her scales itched with it. She didn’t want to go to war. She wanted to hide away in the deep soundings, bring Hudson and Honour there, and never resurface so long as she could. Even though she knew that was pointless. Neither Hudson nor Honour would allow it—in fact, she wouldn’t allow it herself. But that didn’t stop her desire to hide under a rock and ignore the fact that the chances of them living were slim.

“Come on.” Hudson pulled hard on Kyree’s hand. She swam fast, but Kyree’s longer tail propelled her forward quick enough to catch up. “She sounds like she’s almost done.”

“Done?” Kyree furrowed her brow. “Done what?”

“Telling them they’re going to win.” Hudson’s voice was a hushed whisper.

Kyree’s heart thudded hard. “Does that mean they’re leaving?”

“Shortly, yes.” Hudson increased her speed. “We need to catch her first.”

They really did. They had to tell Honour what Nylah had shared with her. Kyree cringed. This wasn’t going to be a good conversation. And it definitely wasn’t going to be easy. But they had to make Honour believe them, they had to convince her that Soulara could be saved, that the humans could be defeated. There had to be a way around this war, some way that they could win. Some way that they could all be together in the end.

Right?

The flash of Honour’s tail was a balm to the fire burning in Kyree’s soul. If just seeing Honour could do that, what would actually talking to her do? Those nerves ramped up again. Honour wouldn’t let them talk. Kyree followed Honour’s trail, tugging sharply on Hudson’s arm and changing their direction entirely.

“Where…?” Hudson trailed off, no doubt having spotted Honour’s colors. “Ah.”

Kyree pushed harder, faster. She had to catch up. She had the advantage of a longer tail, but Honour and Hudson trained for this every day of their lives. Kyree didn’t. She was soft by comparison.

“Honour!” Kyree shouted, but her voice faded behind her. “Honour!”

Honour stopped sharply. She flipped around, her arms spread out to the sides as if in a starfish position. She looked ready to attack. Her lips thinned, and a deep line formed in the middle of her forehead. She was pissed. There was no mistaking it, and there’d be no avoiding it either.

“Get out!” Honour roared.

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