Chapter 46
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
FOX
F ox’s father was a big man, never relenting on his training even after two decades out of the field. But he also wasn’t expecting to be sucker-punched by his inferior. In the same moment the general stumbled back, his hand touching his bleeding lip in surprise, Ian tossed a set of keys from his pocket into Sofia’s outstretched hand.
Chaos erupted.
As soon as Sofia opened their cell door, she ran to the others, unlocking them with practiced fingers as she dodged the fists and weapons amid the fighting.
Fox watched for only a minute, trying to understand what he was seeing, but a yell from Ian drew his attention and then the hilt of a sword was being thrust into his hands. He was tired, his nose likely broken, and he had no idea what was happening, but it didn’t matter. Taking a deep breath, he shoved his way into the melee, lashing out toward his father.
His sword made contact with his father’s own, rattling up through his arms. He was still weak from weeks of near starvation, but his anger seemed to count for something.
“Traitorous scum,” his father hissed as their blades met again and again. “Your brother would be disgusted by what you’ve become.”
“You never truly knew Leon,” he said, feinting to the side before swinging at his father’s leg. He didn’t know how true the words were until he’d said them out loud. Yes, his brother was always questioning the treatment of the Dragonborn, but Fox was starting to suspect it was more than that. He cared. He would have been on Fox’s side—on Ian’s side.
It was this thought of Ian that had him stumbling, his father’s blade cutting into his arm before he could dodge to the side. Ian was fighting for the Dragonborn. He’d come to save Fox, but it wasn’t just that. He’d looked at Sofia like he knew her. She’d known him. Vato.
Fox hissed out a painful breath.
“You never stood a chance against me,” he said with a sneer as Fox stumbled back.
“Fuck you, Father,” he said, even as his father’s sword swung down toward him. He already knew his own parry was going to be too slow. Too late.
His father’s sword went flying as a blur of black and brown attacked him from the side. Sofia was latched around his waist, hands flailing as she scratched and raked at him, weaponless though she was. She drew blood, hissing and howling like an animal, and Fox could only watch with wide eyes. It took a minute, but his father threw her off, her body crashing into the bars of the nearest cell.
But even as his father straightened himself and looked around, Fox smiled.
It didn’t matter; his father had lost. Every cell was open, half the Dragonborn already holding weapons. The two soldiers who had been with his father were bleeding out on the ground.
His father was outnumbered. With a growl, he swung his blade one more time, nearly taking Sofia out at the knees as Fox pulled her back. And then his father ran. Like the rat he was, scurrying away down the hall and leaving them to their small victory.
A few Dragonborn cheered, but Fox ignored them. This was only the beginning of the fight.
“Are you okay?” he asked Sofia, hands searching her body for wounds. Blood was smeared across her face, but he couldn’t find any cuts.
“It’s not mine,” she said, grin feral.
“We need to go after him,” Ian said, coming up behind Fox and looking at where his father had disappeared around the corner. “If he gets back up or tells the chief commander…”
“Got it,” Fox said. All too ready to finish this, he grabbed the sword and turned back to Sofia, mouth going dry as he looked at her. “Get the hell out of here. Get them all out of here.”
He didn’t move for a second, his body fighting with his brain. His hand was held in midair, halfway to reaching for her, fingers twitching. He wanted to grab her. He wanted to kiss her. He needed to go.
Body finally coming under his command, he turned and ran, following the sound of his father’s footsteps. He forced himself to not look back.