Page 59 of Heat of the Everflame

“Missing,” I mumbled back.

“Put her down,” Vance ordered.

Luther slid me over his body until I was standing on my own. “Stay behind me,” he mouthed with a grave look, then turned to face the group.

“Separate,” Vance said. “Weapons off. Hands in the air.”

I tugged off the baldric holding my broadsword and tossed it aside. “Did Cordellia send you to do this?”

Vance scowled. “I don’t answer to her.”

“You’re in Arboros, and she’s the Mother of the Arboros cell,” I shot back. “Or are you all traitors who put the Guardians below your own interests?”

Some of the men exchanged hesitant looks.

Vance glanced at his men and frowned. “Dell is too soft on the Descended. She’s weak—just like your mother. If they’re not strong enough to do what must be done in this war, me and my men will.”

Luther pulled the Sword of Corbois from its scabbard and stabbed it forcefully into the soil in front of him. Instead of stepping away from me, he took a step back, pressing me further into his body.

“I saidseparate,” Vance barked. “And I know you have more weapons than that.”

I used Luther’s body to shield my hands as I reached into my waistband and pulled a small dagger I’d borrowed from Alixe, then tucked it beneath Luther’s sweater at his back. His low rumble told me he understood what I had done, and he didn’t approve of me disarming myself for his benefit.

“That was my only one,” I called out. I shifted to the side and lifted my tunic to show my bare waist as proof.

Luther pulled two more blades from the front of his belt and kneeled to unstrap one from his boot, then tossed them into a heap at his feet.

Vance gestured with his good arm. “Step away from each other.”

I started to move, and Luther sidestepped to block me. “No,” he said calmly.

“Now,” Vance demanded.

“I’m not letting you anywhere near her. You have our weapons, and you have us surrounded. That’s good enough.”

Vance’s eyes narrowed. He jabbed a finger toward Taran. “If I have to say it one more time, your friend here gets a spear to thebelly. And we all know what that godstone can do to Descended scum.”

Taran’s eyes locked with Luther’s. Some silent discussion passed between them, and when it was over, each of them gave a short nod. Taran’s jaw pulled tight as his chin rose.

“No,” I whispered. “Vance, please...”

“Go on then,” Taran said. “You’ll have to kill both of us to get to her. Might as well start with me.”

Vance raised his eyebrows, looking between the two men, then at me. “Well, if she’s willing to let them die, so am I.” He shrugged. “Gut him.”

“Wait!” I screamed, throwing myself forward. Luther reached for me, but I stumbled out of his grasp. “Stop—I’ll do it. Whatever you want. Please, just don’t hurt them.”

The men with the spears looked at Vance for confirmation, and he smiled wide. “Good. At least one of you hasn’t had your brain rotted away by toxic Descended blood.”

He motioned for his men to collect our weapons, then turned to a man holding a crossbow and gestured to Luther. “Ifhemoves—” He pointed at me. “—shoother.” The man nodded and raised the crossbow to my chest, the black-tipped arrow gleaming beneath the moonlight.

Luther’s eyes turned dark with rage. His stance went preternaturally still, though his gaze followed Vance with predatory focus.

“I tried to warn Henri this would happen,” Vance chided. “I told him Descended women think they’re too good for us, but he said you weren’t like that, because you were raised as a mortal.”

He strolled closer, chuckling as Luther growled a low warning. “Then I told him that was even worse, because I’ve yet to meet a mortal woman who won’t get on her knees when a Descended man comes calling.” He stopped in front of me and sneered. “You’re proof enough of that. Your mother wassupposed to be our leader, and she spread her legs for one of them instead.”

Fury exploded in my chest, turning my blood to boiling hot oil. Every muscle strained against my skin to launch at him and tear his tongue from his mouth. The only thing holding me back were the spears at Taran’s side and the voice of my father in my ear.

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