Page 27 of A Rift in the House of Bruin

“Maybe now’s the time to use your skills,” Luca whispered to Nico.

“You think I want to manipulate these people after Mic called me out?” Nico muttered. “If I’m going to win them over, it’ll be because I earned it.”

“Spoiled cubs? That’s all you see when you look at us?” I spoke up, unable to contain my anger. They looked to one another for confirmation, nodding, mumbling their agreement. “You know nothing—other than the lies the noble houses have fed you for years. Yes, we were born of royal blood. But we’ve spilled that blood in defense of Hiraeth. I stood side by side with the crowned Queen of Neverland—against the bastard prince.”

A wave of chatter rippled through the group. The myth of the bastard prince had spread far and wide across Hiraeth. The very mention of his name still sparked fear into those who knew the stories.

“We fought back against his dark armies. We were in his grasp—and still, we defeated him. When the other realms abandoned Neverland, the Hiraethian princes were there. We fought and won in a war of the realms. We are battle-hardened soldiers. The things we’ve seen would give you nightmares forthe rest of your life. Now tell me—what haveyoudone for this realm?”

Silence followed. Hostile stares faded into awe and wary admiration.

“I understand your hesitation,” Nico said quickly, seizing the moment. “I’ll prove myself to you. Prove I’m worthy to lead. Just give me a chance.”

“And how do you propose to do that?” Sawyer asked.

“How any real Hiraethian settles things,” Nico said. “We let our beasts sort it out. Me against your best male.”

“What are the terms?” Sawyer stroked his beard as his eyes filled with mirth.

“If I lose, Whisperhold is yours. I’ll even surrender myself—no resistance, no fight. But only if you let my family go.”

His damn honor would be the death of him.

“And if you win?”

“If I win, you lead me to your camp. Introduce me to the leaders of the Raven’s Hand. Let me share my side of the story. If they don’t like what I have to offer, we part ways.”

Sawyer stepped back as the group huddled around him, whispering among themselves.

“This is stupid,” I muttered. “We should finish off any loose ends and keep our heads down. We can’t trust them.”

But it was a waste of breath. I could see it in Nico’s eyes—his mind was made up.

“I thought Neverland had changed you,” he said. “You’re going to have to learn to trust someone, or we’ll never save her.”

He patted my shoulder just as Sawyer stepped forward again.

“We accept the terms,” he said, spitting into his palm and offering it to Nico.

There were few who could rival Nico’s size. Sawyer was one of them. He stood at least an inch taller, with shoulders broadenough for two grown males. Nico didn’t flinch. He stepped forward and shook his hand with a firm grip.

“Who do you name as your champion?” Nico asked.

“It’s you and me, cub king,” Sawyer said with a smirk.

Nico’s jaw clenched at the insult, but he nodded and turned to prepare for the fight. “If things go sideways, take Mic and Fallon north to Vaelryth,” he told me, tugging his hair back into a knot as he pulled off his tunic. “There’s a portal in the ruins we visited as kids.”

“Here’s a thought—don’t lose,” Luca muttered, taking Nico’s clothes before gripping his shoulder.

Nico shrugged him off, refusing the energy boost Luca tried to give him.

His honor was going to get us all killed.

Sawyer handed a worn leather chest plate and a belt heavy with weapons to Levi. The armor was clearly too small for his frame—and far too expensive for a man living in the slums of Dunharrow.

Either his family had fallen from grace at some point, or he was a damn good thief. Either way, he wasn’t someone to be messed with.

The two of them stood ready in the clearing, the sun bleeding through the ancient canopy and highlighting the patch of green. Nico raised the small blade in his hand and ran it over the veska on his chest—the small scar we all bore. The place where we drew the blood offering to release our beasts from their corporeal bonds.

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