Iliya thrashed against my grip, but I held firm, raising the blade in my free hand. Just like Enso had taught me—aim for the head and don’t hesitate. I thrust down, the tip of my blade aimed at her skull.
“Don’t kill her! We need her alive!”
I looked up to see Isabella standing above us, clad in attiremirroring my own. Her hair was neatly braided into two rows, and determination etched her brow even through the soot and dirt smudged on her tanned skin. Laid over her shoulder was an axe as large as her, the blade stained a brownish red. I frowned at the vampiress, making my displeasure clear.
“She must be publicly executed—her and Codran both,” Isabella insisted.
Iliya had frozen beneath me, staring up at her apparent savior. I grimaced. “Fine. Do you have something to bind her?”
“Sure do.” Isabella unclipped a frayed rope from her hip, its salty scent mingling with the air. I took it from her.
As the rope touched Iliya’s wrists, she renewed her frantic struggle. Her bucking caused my leg to slip and slam back against the splintered wood. I hissed at the pain shooting through my knee. This was such bullshit. Without a second thought, I drove my blade into her throat, ignoring the spray of blood that followed.
“Sit still,” I snapped, rolling my eyes at her screams. It wouldn’t kill her, but I hoped it hurt.
Just as I finished binding her, not bothering to take the blade out, a soldier clad in Bursuc colors charged toward us. His eyes locked onto Iliya, stress for his lead lady emanating from him. My muscles tensed, and I scrambled to my feet before he could reach us. But Isabella was quicker. She stepped in front of us, feet planted to brace herself. As the soldier came within range, she lunged forward with a remarkable blend of speed and grace, raising her axe and swinging it at the enemy.
The blade sliced through the air with a whistle, like the wind was crying at being cut apart, then it swiped through the soldier’s midsection with ease. His body crumpled, hitting the ground with a dull thud. I should have felt disturbed by the sight of the gruesome remains staining the sand, but I found my mind strangely numb.Instead, I was struck by Isabella—the little vampiress who had helped me pick up the broken pieces of myself, that had always been so kind to me, had just chopped through a man like a butcher cuts through meat.
It only deepened my affection for her.
She nudged me with her hip. “We need to move. Out here, we’re targets. Enso has locked down the Javali House; we can take her there.”
I didn’t question the authority in her tone. Instead, I worked to peel Iliya off the ground. She thrashed, but with the wound in her neck that I wouldn’t allow to heal, she could hardly fight me. Following close behind Isabella, we maneuvered through the chaos, her axe carving a path ahead.
Emotion threatened to bubble to the surface, but it felt like a wall was barricading my chest that refused to let it out. Fear for Roman and the others gnawed at me—were they safe? Had they captured the traitors? A flicker of satisfaction warmed my gut at the thought of successfully capturing Iliya. Capturing a vampire—albeit a weak one—meant my training was working. Yet none of that penetrated the weariness weighing down my mind. Nothing mattered except putting one foot in front of the other.
The Javali mansion was busy with an organized sort of chaos. Blood and body parts littered the floor, but soldiers in blue and silver garb swiftly worked to clear the scene. In the center of the room, amidst shattered gilded furniture, stood Enso. His hair was tied back in a bun, with black strands framing his sharp features. Scraps of his shirt clung to his massive frame, singed and torn. His face was set with fierce determination as he barked orders to his soldiers.
Suddenly, Razvan appeared before me, just as battered as the rest but gratefully in one piece. “You caught her, Es! You are remarkable!”
He helped me escort Iliya to the barracks below the main floor,guiding my numb body with a gentleness only he possessed. There, Roman, Catina, and Sorin stood in front of an intimidating cell with grimy bars as thick as my legs. Gregor and Codran lay in a bloody heap in the center, bound with thick, rusted chains digging into their flesh.
Razvan took Iliya from me just as Roman scooped me into a sweeping hug. He smelled of dirt, sweat, and blood, but beneath that was the woodsy scent I knew and loved. I sank into his embrace, letting myself go limp against him.
“You had me fucking panicked,” he sighed, inhaling my hair. His body shuddered, and his grip tightened.
“I saw the smoke and was scared you wouldn’t come back to me,” I admitted, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing.
“Oh, Estrella, don’t you know I’ll always come back to you?”
I breathed him in, willing the rest of the world to fade away. We were safe. We had done it.
Chapter 46
ROMAN
Knowing Estrella was safe upstairs, tucked in bed after a well-deserved bath, allowed my muscles to loosen slightly. Seeing her on that battlefield, surrounded by enemies, had been a nightmare. Watching her run off after a vampire while I was unable to do anything to protect her… that was my personal brand of torture.
But everything was alright now. We had reclaimed Molvon and captured most of the traitors. I glanced at Catina, who paced back and forth, flipping her blade in her palm and muttering irritably to herself. It was my fault Edward got away; Codran and I had accidentally barreled into Catina, giving him the split second he needed to retreat with the remnants of his army. That cowardice had effectively ended the battle but robbed Catina of her chance for revenge. That guilt would gnaw at me until the opportunity arose again. Fortunately, I had a feeling it would not be the last time we faced Edward before this was over.
Are you ready?I asked, casting a questioning glance at Catina.
She glared at me and drove her blade into the floor, only to pick it up and spin it again.At least I get to gut someone.
I nodded. I was grateful for her, especially in times like this. She may be prickly, but that was precisely what we needed—something hertime spent with Edward had honed her into. That she could set aside her frustrations for this purpose... she was loyal to the core, and I loved her for it, despite everything.
My attention shifted to Codran. It had been a fight not to just kill him, but I had to keep my sights on the horizon, and of the three, he had the most information. Every time I saw that evil smirk, I was dragged back to Estrella’s memories. He had inflicted that terror and helplessness. I couldn’t wait to see him fall apart.
