Page 268 of The Lands Defying
An eye for an eye.
Blood for blood.
I turn to her at that, and smile at the hard look in her eyes. “Always so bloodthirsty.”
She looks me dead in the eye. “I will boil the blood in their veins until they feel like there is a fire within their belly, and they will be burned from the inside out.”
“Make sure it hurts.”
Belldame places her palm to my cheek, and I lean into the touch. “Your mother would be so proud of you.” I take a deep breath.
“I hope she is.”
My eyes glance to Sarah as she helps Josh place blades in the holder on his hips, her eyes shimmering as she mutters soft words to him. Colten and Hudson are off to the side, Hudson’s head bowed as he speaks to the younger male, his hands flexing at his sides. Always protective.
My eyes move to Seb next, he stands with Zaide, both flipping a blade in their hands, and I grin at the smile on Seb’s face. He’s probably taunting him about how he has better knife skills, when really, they are probably the same. Taylor speaks with Jerrod and Damian further ahead, all of their arms folded, and I wonder if they are going over formations, again.
Kade is sitting on a bench, his eyes bruised around the edge and I know he has been sparring with Darius recently. It pains me, but he’s having less outbursts that come with confusion, so I’m trying to tell myself that it’s helping.
Darius says it is.
Sam perches next to him, her eyes lowered but he looks at her, his eyes shining full of concern. She doesn’t speak, she just looksinto the fire at the center and I can tell he doesn’t like seeing her like this. So sad, so withdrawn.
I can’t blame her with the horrors she must have seen in The Drylands, only she hasn’t spoken to anyone about it.
I’m not even sure she has told Kade.
She will be staying here with Kade, Sarah, and the rest of our pack, along with the people who chose to stay out of the fight. Not that I blame them. What we are doing is risky, but like Belldame said, they will not suspect an attack so soon.
Even Edward agrees.
Kade strokes a hand over Sam’s head, and when she doesn’t so much as blink at the contact, Kade’s shoulders slump.
“She will be okay,”I tell him, and his head whips up to me.
“She hasn’t spoken to me since she found out about everyone attacking the castle.”
I nod.“I know, but in time, she will, Carzan, she will.”
He nods, shuffling closer to her to comfort her.
“The kid needs to learn patience.”
I huff out a laugh as I reply to Darius.“Like you?”
He pauses at that.“I can be patient.”
“Just not with me,”I quip.
“Definitely not with you.”
My eyes move to Darius at that. Leo is talking to him, his hands moving as they are obviously deep in conversation, but Darius’s eyes are on me.
I nod my head to Leo.“Don’t be rude.”
“I’m not.”
“He’s talking to you.”I laugh.
