Page 140 of Sands of Atonement

They were older Atrovian, faithful to the last. I didn’t train these men. These men were already there as I began to lead. But that meant one advantage for us: they were weaker.

As he raised his blade, my finger lunged to the base of his sword, slamming it into his teeth, knocking most of them out. I swung his blade into my possession and kicked my boot up his jaw. As soon as he stumbled back, I killed him with his own sword. Less agile.

Now, with two heavy swords in my hands, I lifted them, crossing them both, and pulled them through another traitor.

And another. Casimir slashed one of the traitors.

A few more men entered the building behind us.

I heard a sharp shout from my right, from Casimir. I whirled to see what he saw.

Yven.

She was trembling at the sight of a long sword in her chest. Crimson blood flew down her beige dress and onto the floor. Her knees fell first before the rest of her body slammed down. Dead.

Casimir went rabid.

Killing everyone in his wake.

This was my fault.

Two men stood before me, in a fighting stance, their eyes barely holding mine. I swung my sword and charged them with all my strength. Blood sprayed in my face, but it didn’t stop me from staring into their eyes until the life faded behind them.

Piercing screams of my dying servants rang beside the metal clashing into each other, and all I could think about was Eshe. All I could think about was losing her again.

I had just found her.

Chapter 35

Eshe

The screams jolted us from the bed that Norrah and I were sleeping on.

“What was that?” Norrah said in a shaky voice.

Another shriek split the air, and gooseflesh spread over my arms. Something didn’t feel right.

I laid a hand on her shoulder. “Stay here.”

Without wasting another breath, I snatched two daggers from Ezra’s bag and rushed to the door, ready to dismember anyone.

“Are you leaving me?” Norrah whispered behind me, but she seemed a mile away.

Whirling around, I saw the horror in her eyes. I couldn’t leave her. What if someone—Gabriel—was here for her? The thought of ripping his arm out of its socket sent a thrill through my hands. With as much gentleness as I could muster up, I reassured her, “Of course not.”

Clashing of metal sprang from outside in the hallway. Something heavy dropped against the door.

“Blow out the candle, now,” I murmured hurriedly.

She did as I asked, near the bedside, and fell to my side. “He’s here for me, isn’t he?” Tears sprang to her eyes, and I could see the guilt rapidly building up in her, though none of this was her fault. She didn’t deserve this—she didn’t deserve to be forced into a marriage with a monster. Her arms snaked around mine, and I could feel the trembling in her body.

“We don’t know that…” I said, unsure.

“This is all my fault,” she whispered, almost choking with tears.

I faced her, tempted to smack the shit out of her. “Don’t you dare say that. You are worthy of freedom. You are worthy to have control over how you want your life to look. Ezra is out there fighting, and if it is for your freedom, then that is an honor.” I swallowed and stared into her eyes that were beginning to dry up. “It’s an honor for anyone to be your friend.”

She bit her lower lip, attempting not to cry, and then nodded.