Page 35 of Fragile Oath

“The road is blocked!” he called back.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, my heartbeat racing as the sounds drew closer. I pulled back the small curtain in front of the window, risking a glance outside. At the edge of the tree line were shadows, the few sparse rays of light that had managed to peek through the canopy glinted off of silver swords and the tips of arrows.

Galina’s sharp intake of breath pulled my attention back inside the carriage. Her eyes were wide with alarm, and I felt guiltier than I should have when I made eye contact with her. I didn’t want to care this much anymore, but my stomach churned at the fear behind her crystal-blue gaze, even more so when I opened my mouth to make it worse.

“It’s the rebels,” I said evenly. “At least ten of them. Stay in the carriage. I’ll check it out.”

“No, you can’t,” she shot back. Her cheeks blushed a deep shade of pink, panic creeping into her expression.

Alexei turned to glare at her. For speaking? For daring to argue with a man? For caring what happened to me?

It hardly mattered, though. Because just like I knew he would, the prideful bastard spoke up next.

“I will see to these rebels myself,” he announced.

His shoulders were set in determination, but there was an undertone of concern lining his words. In his sick way, he did seem to care what happened to Galina, when he wasn’t the one inflicting the damage.

He darted a glance between me and his unwilling bride before finally opening the door to the carriage and climbing down the small steps.

I exchanged a quick look with Gallagher, and he nodded grimly, turning to follow suit.

A sharp intake of breath passed through Galina’s lips, her blue eyes shot with panic. I couldn’t risk saying anything, so instead, I pulled out the tiny scroll that I had received from my man just yesterday, silently setting it down next to her.

Then I turned and left the carriage, drawing my sword with more anticipation than I ever had before.

Because honestly, after everything, I was going to enjoy this.

ChapterSeventeen

GALINA

I could barely hearmy own thoughts over the drumming of my pulse in my temples. My chest was tight, my palms sweating as I lifted the parchment and carefully unfurled it.

The script was tiny, three squashed lines written in sharp, hurried Socairan.

It is taken care of.

They left once they knew their daughter was safe.

Out of enemy territory now.

Hope warred with disbelief,and I held my breath as I reread the lines two more times.

It had to be about my parents. They were safe?

The paper shook in my trembling hand, causing the lines to blur. This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.

Questions swirled in my mind like a tornado. My breaths came fast and shallow as my gaze traveled to the open door of the carriage. Gallagher was standing guard, his hand on the hilt of his sword and his attention fixed on the scene in front of him.

Suddenly, I heard everything, all of the sounds my racing thoughts had drowned out before. The clang of steel, the grunts of pain. Each clash of swords reverberated through the forest like thunderclaps, leaving a lingering tremor in the air.

I pushed the carriage door open further, to risk a glance at the rest of the scene. One of the Wolf soldiers lay dead at Alexei’s feet, while the other had only just fallen to his knees, Davin’s sword stained red as he wrenched it back from the man’s body.

His blood sprayed out over the pristine white snow, while his lifeless eyes drifted closed.

Judging by their positions, they had died defending Alexei, who was still going strong in the center of whatever makeshift battlefield they had created.

He was completely surrounded by Davin and his soldiers, and these newcomers, who clearly weren’t the Viper’s men.

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