He was going to die.
“Drop the sword, bitch,” Rurik snarled.
I forgot the sword was still in my hands. Slowly, I spitefully turned to him, and giving him a dark smile, I replied, “Make me.”
I was ready to do something reckless but was stopped by Silas’s hand on my shoulder. My eyes darted up to him, his grip firm but not painful. He gave me a warning look before I glared back at Rurik and dropped the weapon.
Our stare down was interrupted by Edmund’s wail. Silas released my shoulder and quickly ran over to him before kneeling at his side.
His face paled as he examined him. “Fuck…” Silas muttered.
“I-I’m going to die…” Edmund sobbed.
“Pussy,” Rurik muttered.
Roland shot him a violent glare while Silas kept eye contact with Edmund and took his hand is his. I could swear I saw tears shining in his eyes as he studied his friend.
Elowen ran down and kneeled at Edmund's other side. “Let me help him,” she begged.
“Elowen,” Merrick scolded, his icy eyes full of warning.
She ignored him and pulled Edmund’s right pants leg up above his knee. Black inky swirls, just like that of the Undead, marked only half of his lower leg. “It’s below the knee and hasn’t spread yet. If we remove his leg, he will live.” Edmund bit back a sob as she pulled off his right glove and arm guard, then carefully pushed up the sleeve of his shirt, exposing the same black markings running halfway up his forearm. “Same for his arm.”
Before Silas could object, she continued, “Lena can wield fire.” She nodded her head towards me. “She can burn the wounds to stop the bleeding. And I’m not only our best healer, but I can take away the pain.” She motioned at her cuffed hands. “I just…I need these off.”
Rurik scoffed. “Do you take us for fools?”
Elowen clenched her jaw, baring her teeth. “He is going to die otherwise, you asshole!” she spat out. Merrick and Vi looked at me with widened eyes. None of us hadeverheard Elowen swear.
Silas turned to study me, jaw ticking as he contemplated what to do. Edmund’s cries became more devastating, and he shrieked as he clenched his arm, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Please…” Elowen pressed.
Hendry stepped behind and put a hand on Silas’s shoulder, and I could see tears forming in his eyes, too.
He wasn't going to let us.
Fuck that.
“You would let one of your men die when there’s a way to save him?” I argued.
“What good would a cripple be to us?” Rurik said plainly. “A missing leg and arm…” He shrugged. “He’d be useless,”
My lips curled into a snarling frown. “You are a pathetic piece of shit,” I snarled. I turned to Silas. “Let us save him. I promise the second it’s done you can put these back on,” I pleaded, gesturing to my bound wrists.
“Your Highness, you can’t possibly be cons—”
Silas raised his hand as he stood, cutting another soldier off. Keeping his eyes on me, he walked until he and I were face to face. Roland, who stood to my side, studied me with an expression I couldn't place.
“If you so much as—” Silas began.
“I promise,” I said calmly.
“There isn’t much time!” Elowen cried out.
Silas quickly placed a thumbprint on the reader located on the metal bar that linked the cuffs together. The red gems marking each cuff lost their light as they clicked open.
I could kill him in an instant, and I wondered if he knew that. I ran over to Edmund, kneeling beside him as Silas removed Elowen’s restraints.
