Page 44 of Beast

I headed into the room with Ruth, ready to do what needed to be done.

“See, I didn’t remove it.It’s still in the sheath,” Ruth announced proudly the moment I opened the door.

I couldn’t help but smile.She was so proud of herself.“Very carefully pull it from the sheath,” I instructed.“Remember, it’s double-edged.Both sides will cut you if you’re not careful.”

She slid the blade out slowly, her eyes lighting up as the steel gleamed in the candlelight.“It’s so beautiful.”

“And deadly,” I reminded her.“If a hellhound catches you with a claw or tooth, you’ll die.It won’t matter that you killed the hellhound.Your mother will mourn you for the rest of her life, and I’ll miss you.”

She stared at me for several seconds, her expression growing serious as my words sank in.“I’ll be careful.I promise.”

I believed her.“It’s for self-protection only.No charging out to kill hellhounds.Promise me that.”

“I promise,” she said solemnly, then glanced down at the small knife secured to her hip.“Should I leave my little knife here in the room?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head.“Let’s get both situated on you.A girl can never have too many knives or swords.”

She grinned.“No, they can’t.”

I helped her adjust the scabbard, showing her how to hold the sword properly for maximum striking power.Her thin arms managed to lift and hold it, and I had to blink back the sting of tears.Revenge against Federation soldiers was one thing.But this little girl?I loved her too much to even think about her dying tonight.

I pulled her into a long hug.She squirmed in my arms.“Don’t kiss me.That’s gross,” she protested.

I snapped my jaws twice in mock frustration, and she laughed.

“I want teeth like that when I grow up,” she said, pointing to my sharp incisors.

“What?No girly teeth for you?”

She shook her head firmly.“I want to be beautiful, just like you.”

Out of the mouths of babes.

Chapter Twenty-One

Marinah

Cabel met us outside the outpost walls and led us to a large group of Warriors.The tension in the air wrapped around us like a suffocating fog.Missy had told us earlier that over a thousand soldiers had joined the Federation camp just two miles away.They’d had a hundred men before the reinforcements arrived.This morning, the soldiers began collecting their belongings.They were either leaving or preparing to attack, and I doubted it was the former.

King spoke in hushed tones, his voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry in the stillness of the night.The air was chilly, with no breeze.I hated the cold.Times like this made me miss the warmth of our island even more, but I pushed the thought aside.I needed to keep my head clear, and daydreaming about home wouldn’t help.

We had nearly two hundred Warriors against more than a thousand Federation soldiers.If it weren’t for the hellhounds, it would almost feel manageable.There was no doubt in my mind that Smythe was leading this force.The question was whether he realized the Shadow Warriors had allied with the outposts.

Spying in this new world wasn’t what it used to be.Satellites were useless now.You needed eyes on the ground, and the Federation wasn’t known for their subtlety.A thousand men was nothing to them, and I suspected most of these soldiers were red stripes.Their job was simple: die first.The thought made me shudder, but I forced myself to focus on King.

“If they release the hellhounds first, we’ll send Beck’s force,” King said, nodding toward Beck.“You’ll have fifty Warriors.The humans in the outpost are ready to fight, and with Shadow Warriors coming from two sides, we should be able to take out the hounds.”

After everything with Ruth and the recent reminder about the importance of following the chain of command, I needed to learn and understand our strategy.So, I listened and absorbed every word.

King pointed to the makeshift map drawn in the dirt.“We’ll establish a line of Warriors here and here.We’ll hold our main forces back and avoid revealing our full numbers unless absolutely necessary.”

Beck stepped forward, pointing to what looked like a ridge.“With your permission, I’ll take the left flank with Cabel.It’s closest to the outpost, and we can charge in once the hellhounds attack.”

King nodded.I watched him work, the way he didn’t second-guess himself.He saw a problem, found a solution, and moved forward.That was King.His intense eyes met mine.

“I’m taking fifty men,” he said.“Your squad will take the front.Here.”He pointed to the spot he wanted me to lead.

For a moment, I couldn’t process his words.One of my claws flicked out involuntarily, pressing against my chest.“Me?”

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