Page 49 of Fate and Flame
I ran into the middle beside him, and we stood back-to-back, weapons out, ready to fight whoever moved forward.
“Thanks for coming,” he said from behind me.
“Apparently, saving your ass is becoming a habit,” I answered.
The soldiers moved as one, and Rhogan dealt one lethal blow while I blocked the swing of another. The third got me in the arm, so Rhogan began fighting him as I continued with the one in front of me. Within minutes, the king’s soldiers lay on the ground, blood pouring from them.
Even if we didn’t have to leave, I wasn’t sure I would have been able to stay here again. I would never think of Briar’s Keep and not remember this day. The bloodiest day the rebels had ever seen.
We left the room and exchanged a glance as we realized the rest of the compound had gone utterly silent. Rushing back to the steps, we found so many more fallen fae than were there before. Something had happened. I looked but couldn’t find Rook among the fallen.
Rhogan pressed his hand to his ear and then pointed down the hallway Megere and the females were in.
We moved silently forward, listening, weapons ready. The hall curved to the left, but the moment we turned that corner, we would be visible. We stopped and waited with backs pressed against the wall until I heard Eadas’s deep, dark cackle and instantly moved to rush forward.
Rhogan grabbed me and slammed me back against the wall. “Don’t,” he whispered into my ear. He peeked around the corner, and his face dropped. He moved back against the wall and took a deep breath. “Eadas has Rook by knifepoint. Megere is on her knees with two soldiers holding her down.”
“Just the three soldiers then? We can take them.”
“Not before Eadas slices Rook’s throat, Temir. You have to make a decision. We can storm that hallway and potentially save Megere, but Rook will die. Or we can wait and see what he wants from her.”
“I know what he fucking wants from her. We have to save her.”
He nodded.
“Move,” Eadas screamed.
We paused, and Rhogan opened a door just in time for us to slip in as the five of them passed us, moving toward the front steps. I hadn’t felt anything from Nadra, and I had to believe that meant she was still okay, still barricaded into the room. I had to try to save her mother. We slipped out of the room together and stayed all the way back until they entered the landing before the exit.
“We have to go now, Rhogan. They can’t take her.”
We rushed forward, no longer worrying about staying quiet, rounding the corner just before they made it to the door. Eadas’ eyes flashed with amusement as he caught sight of us. “Oh, Temir. I was hoping I would see your body among the dead. It seems you are forever resilient.” Eadas stood behind Rook with a knife to his throat.
“Let them go, Eadas,” I seethed. “You know the king wants me more than he wants either of them.”
“That may be, but he’s requested something your mate’s mother just isn’t willing to give up.”
I met eyes with Megere. I could tell her iron will was faltering.“You can’t do it, Megere. Don’t give him what he wants.”
“You can and you will. Don’t think I won’t hunt down your daughter. She’s got to be hiding around here somewhere.” Eadas pressed the knife further into Rook’s throat.
“No, please.” She shook with fear.
Rhogan and I moved together, going for the soldiers.
“Stop,” Megere cried as she watched the blood pour from Rook. “No one move. I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”
“You can’t,” I roared.
She pulled out a tiny spool of thread. Calling forth her magic, she wove a small square of fabric as she looked to Rook and said, “I never loved you.” She held it out for Eadas and he nodded to a soldier to take the fabric she had woven from lies.
Rook’s eyes never left her.
“Now, was that so hard?” Eadas asked, dragging his knife across Rook’s neck and tossing his body to the side while Megere screamed and ran to him.
One of Autus’ soldiers held her back, but she punched him in the face. Rhogan and I both leaped forward to pull her away, but it was too late. The male sank his sword right into her chest. Rhogan roared again, killing both males as I moved to Megere. Eadas had slipped out, and if I chased him, Megere would die. She might die anyway, I realized, as I grabbed her hand and pulled on my magic.
The sword the soldier had used was wide and short, impaling her entire torso. Large tears fell down her face as she tried to move to Rook’s fallen body on the floor.
