Page 115 of Fang & Fury

Bree’s gaze glinted. “So, it’s Gregor we need to bring down, not Niall?”

“Aye. He’s manipulating them all … likely even the king.”

“Are you—”

“Alar needs to know,” Lara cut in. “So does Cailean.”

“Then I’ll find them.” Gil drew the dagger from his hip and went to dismount.

“Not so fast, brother.” Bree jerked her head toward Lara. Her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. “Stay here with Lara … I’ll deal with Gregor.”

And with that, before he could say a word, his sister leaped off her horse’s back, drew her blade, and ran headlong into the melee.

They found Kayla alive yet pinned under a warrior who was attempting to drive a dagger through her eye. She’d been swept forward by the press, closed in on all sides by Circines.

Ailsa reached her just in time.

Leaping off Darach’s back, she flew across the yards separating them and slammed her dagger into the soft spot where the warrior’s neck joined the back of her skull.

There was no hesitation. Aye, the bavaan was well and truly back.

The woman slumped on top of Kayla.

Panting, face slicked with sweat and blood, the tattooist struggled out from under the corpse and let Ailsa pull her to her feet.

“The Reaper’s cods,” she rasped. “I thought you were dead.”

“I almost was.” Ailsa pushed Kayla behind her as another warrior headed toward them.

However, the clag-doo took him before he got within three yards of the two women.

Huge jaws fastened around the man’s neck, and a cracking sound followed as Darach flung him sideways. He landed in the mud and didn’t get up.

The beast stalked across to them, head lowered and tail snapping from side to side.

Kayla choked out a curse.

“It’s all right.” Ailsa shifted to Kayla’s side, her fingers clasping around her mentor’s upper arm. “Your sigils worked. He saved me earlier … and he’s going to—”

Her words cut off then, as her gaze alighted upon a familiar face a few yards to her right.

Bree was slashing her way through the press. Jaw set, face gleaming with sweat, she was starting to struggle, each step forward harder than the last.

Ailsa’s gaze narrowed. Wasn’t she supposed to stay at Lara’s side?

“Bree!”

The queen’s bodyguard slammed her dagger between a warrior’s collarbones and twisted. He grappled at her as he fell, yet she held on. As he kicked and writhed under her, Bree’s chin snapped up, her gaze sweeping over Ailsa, Kayla, and the clag-doo.

Her hazel eyes widened as she took in the massive feline.

Ailsa moved toward her. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to get through … to Cailean and Alar,” Bree panted, pushing herself up off the now still warrior. “We must find Gregor.”

Ailsa’s step faltered. “Why him?”

“My brother’s here. He’s found out the druid’s got the master tattoo that’s keeping all these warriors leashed. Not Niall. It’s him we must kill. Without Gregor, everything falls apart.”