Page 78 of Forged By Heart and Claws
“Stop!” I barked, standing between the sword and Briar.
Silus growled, and his nostrils flared. “She doesn’t belong here.” His sword didn’t leave his hand. He turned sharply and spotted Siray stepping from the shadows, the dim glow of the orb lamp outlining her silhouette.
“You brought Kaylen?” His voice turned hard. “And one of the other candidates?”
I gritted my teeth, my heart returning to the regular rhythm now that Briar was out of danger. I didn’t like his tone. It was clear he thought I’d once again made a bad decision.
Before I could answer, a familiar voice echoed from behind him. “Well, if you were going to bring back reinforcements, you could’ve done better,” Thalen drawled, poking his head around the corner. The flickering lamplight caught on his silver-whitehair, casting a ghostly sheen over his grin. “Though, I’m not thrilled Silus wasn’t able to kill that onebefore Briar saved the ungrateful wench.”
Briar exhaled, but her grip on Kaylen didn’t ease. “She swore she’d tell us everything she knows. If she doesn’t, Silus can finish the job, or we can hand her back over to the guards.”
Snorting, Kaylen lifted a brow. “You’d never be able to do that. You want to be everyone’s savior.”
The urge to strike the horrid woman soared through me again. Few people ever made me feel so violent by merely talking. I pivoted around Briar and shoved Kaylen away from her. “Do not speak ill of my queen again. You’d be dead if it weren’t for her, and she won’t have to be the one to harm you. After everything you did to her, I will enjoy taking your life, and I can ensure that whatever fate Colm and Calla Lily had in store for you looks like a mercy if you ever cross Briar again.”
“You’d better be right about this.” Silus wrinkled his nose and focused on Siray.
“Whoa!” Siray stepped back. “I’m not here to cause trouble, but I am here to take those pyre pots down.”
“Enough.” I clapped Silus on the shoulder. “They’re with us. For now. Did Finbar’s men arrive?”
He nodded, still coiled tight. “They dropped off supplies—blankets, food, oil, and medicine. Nothing fancy, but better than starving. Some decent blades too.”
“And the shadow beasts?”
Silus’s jaw flexed. “Two attacks by yellow-eyed bastards. We held them off, but they’re getting bolder. They were focused on the western entrance, probably smelled the guards trying to leave.”
Thalen gave an exaggerated shrug. “Too bad they didn’t lose their magic too. Fighting insane shadow beasts wasn’t in my plans, but hey, why not? It’s just so much fun.”
“Is everyone safe?” Briar’s voice was steadier than I expected. She kept an eye on Kaylen.
“So far. The palace is old, but the tunnels are holding, and water is flowing. We won’t be impacted by the flooding. The good news is we have strong doors. Never thought I’d be so grateful for having working doors.”
"If you're commenting on what happened back in the onyx cellar, I'll have you know we kept the doors shut the whole time. But if you want a show, just let me know." Thalen waggled his brows.
Silus glared at him. "Not the time or the place."
Thalen shrugged and winked, his grin coy. "Maybe not now. But you really ought to try?—”
“Do not finish that statement.” The last thing I wanted to think about was Silus doing anything like that with my sister. “Or I willkillyou.”
“At least I’m not the only one he’s threatening,” Kaylen muttered.
Thalen looked down his nose at her with a sharp lift of his eyebrow. “Don’t even try to put yourself at my level.”
Before anyone could respond, Elara’s head peeked around the corner. Her dark-blue eyes focused on us, then moved to Kaylen and widened. “What’s going on?”
I didn’t want to explain multiple times, so I gestured behind her. “Let’s get inside, and I’ll tell you everything.”
Elara stepped aside, though her sharp gaze remained pinned on Kaylen and Siray. “Ladies.” She gestured them through.
Kaylen entered first, her chin high despite the bruises. Siray followed close behind with her lamp and bomb still in her hand.
Elara arched a brow. Her posture seemed steadier than before. Though her skin was still pale and bruised, and one wing gave a faint twitch, there was a quiet resilience in her now. An unwavering strength that reminded me of Briar. “I suppose weshould go in,” she said, voice dry. “Make sure our guests aren’t gutted on sight—since I assume their presence isn’t without purpose?”
My father always told me that enemies of my enemies could be useful in war. “It’s not.”
Thalen leaned against the wall with a grin. “Well, Chaos is involved, so that’s the answer.” He winked at Briar. “You’ve got a real knack for picking up strays. Just try to keep them from bleeding on the carpet. Oh, wait, we don't have carpet. Go ahead and bleed then.”
