24. TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FOUR
Darius
Sleepless nights with Mina are a lot less entertaining than I imagined. Being on constant alert for danger keeps us alive, though. We only manage a few hours of sleep, partly due to lurking danger and partly due to an exhaustive debate about today’s travel arrangements.
Last night she insisted on riding horseback until we reach Brastrova. I tried explaining that women of her status don’t ride outside of carriages for safety reasons, but that only made her double down on the demand.
Mina insisted on being treated as a warrior first and a queen second.
I’ve witnessed her skill with a blade and bow. She’s fierce and analytical, with an aptitude for strategy that far surpasses my most seasoned soldiers.
She won’t be easy prey. Not like Mother.
Mina’s laughter draws the attention of every soldier, distracting them from their duties. Not that I can blame them.
In the warm sunlight, her beauty is ethereal. The wind plays with her long braid as she chats with Staefan about the merits of spears on the battlefield. We scan the hills for threats as we ride, ready for an attack should the raiders be foolish enough to try.
Our ranks are more bare than I’m comfortable with. We had to leave a contingent of soldiers behind with extra weapons to train some of the locals. Until reinforcements arrive, there is no extra blade for Mina.
She refuses to take one from a soldier, but at least she has her dagger. The short blade is well hidden in her flowing vermilion pants. Between riding full mount and her outfit, my council must be seething in their plush carriages.
Her controversial choices are the safe option in case of an attack.
I yielded to both requests when she promised to follow my orders without hesitation for the entire ride.
Not that she has a great track record for obedience, but this is the first time she vowed to do so—a difference I cautiously trust.
Anyone else and I would’ve shoved them in the carriage without a second thought.
I can’t use fear to control her. I’m not sure a force exists that can make Mina Ardeshir do anything she doesn’t want to. A will of fire burns behind her every move and word.
If I’m not careful, that flame will burn me alive, melting the barricades I spent my life carefully constructing.
When we break for lunch, I allow Mina to eat with her ladies, ensuring they are well guarded the entire time. Their dynamic shifted after Lady Hunter’s untimely exit from their ranks. Mina thinks more time together will ease the tension.
Breaks are few and far between otherwise, offering too great an opportunity for attack.
The terrain switches from forests to fields every few leagues.
The region is best known for forestry and hunting, so people outside the city live pretty far apart.
Anyone who wants to celebrate our union will have to travel to Brastrova before we turn our caravan south.
Sweat drips down the back of my shirt. The sun is an unforgiving guide as we ride faster and longer than usual.
With our altered pace, we make it to the easternmost city on our stop well before nightfall.
The commanders smile in relief as we approach the towering gates safely, but I won’t feel comfortable until we’re shut in behind the massive stone walls.
The closer we get to the gates, the stronger my gut churns. I scan the surrounding hills, but they offer no place to attack. The city itself boasts lines of armored guards and people waving flags. Arriving half a day early disrupted their grand welcome, but I’m grateful for a smaller crowd.
Fewer people means fewer openings.
“What are the chances we have earned a small nap before our formal dinner tonight?” Mina asks, leading her horse closer to mine. She flashes me a tired smile but remains on guard.
“I think that can be arranged.” A bath and a fresh change of clothes are in order at the very least.
Mayor Veleskov rides out on horseback to meet the convoy and lead us into the city. He’s a round-bellied man who willingly surrendered his viscount title and land for the peace my reign offered. Infighting left the nation leaderless for generations until I came along.
His usual scowl comes into view around fifty feet out, but his riding posture is tight. Odd for such an accomplished hunter. The same clawing instinct that’s kept me alive through countless battles washes over me. Something is off.
I place one hand on Mina’s knee and give a warning squeeze.
The air thickens as Veleskov brings his fingers to his lips and lets out a piercing whistle. A warning that an area isn’t safe to hunt.
The ghostly tune is cut short when an arrow sinks into the back of his skull. He slumps sideways, his horse racing off in a panic and dragging him through our ranks by a tangled boot. A couple of the newer soldiers startle but manage to maintain formation. My men won’t scatter and panic so easily.
Orders ring out as the next arrow comes racing toward us. Staefan’s sword flashes through the air, cutting it down long before it reaches Mina and me.
The once welcoming crowd replaces their flags with swords, racing from the gates with a roar. They bottleneck their numbers through the entrance—a foolish formation given how our caravan is set up.
“Hold formation!” I shout.
Clashing metal fills the air as the enemy collides with our front lines. Screams ring out, but my focus remains on Mina. I grab her horse’s reins and pull her closer to me.
The men lining the top of the wall fire a volley of arrows.
I ready my sword. I’m fast enough to cut any down that get close to either of us. I will protect her.
None of the arrows reach us, though. A burst of wind shifts their trajectory straight downward into the bodies of their own men. More screams rise from the front as Mina lets out a small whisper.
Unyielding in her concentration, she doesn’t notice the man charging at us with his sword high. Staefan cuts him down before he gets too close, painting our horses in his blood.
Mina’s lips move in time with the gales, cutting down arrow after arrow until none are left. How many more casualties would we have suffered if not for her interference?
Nearly a dozen haphazard volleys thrust into the backs of the enemy instead. The pile of corpses is so great that the next wave is forced to crawl through them to get to us. The archers abandon the wall and join the fray on the ground in a fresh surge.
“Get back to the carriage,” I command. “Now.”
She’s done her part, and now I’ll make sure she gets to safety before ripping into these criminals myself. I won’t let a single one of them live. Bloodlust flows through every nerve, sharpening my focus.
I dismount my horse, sword in hand, turning back only once to make sure Mina follows orders. Her horse races toward the middle of the caravan, a streak of flame through a field of gleaming steel.
A man appears in my periphery; his sword is aimed right at my neck. I bring my blade up to parry his strike and cut him down without ever taking my eyes off Mina’s retreating form.
I turn my attention to the halved man and drive my sword through the back of his head. Anger, frustration, and the misery and helplessness of who I used to be all fuel a singular desire for blood.
I stalk forward into the fray, cutting down every raider within reach. Staefan is off to my right, dispatching the enemy just as quickly. We meet up in the middle, back-to-back, whittling the pack of raiders down to only a few.
The ground shakes as a group of riders round the city wall, flanking our caravan from the side. We barely have time to regroup, let alone intercept the wave. They crash into the thin line of soldiers who stayed back to protect the carriages.
Mina and her ladies aren’t far from the attack point. They won’t be safe in their carriages for long. My ears start to ring, drowning out a symphony of metal colliding.
Staefan grabs my shoulder, his grip painful enough to pull my focus back. He jerks his chin toward the caravan in silent command. Go get her. I squeeze his hand in thanks, yelling for all but Staefan’s unit to fall back to the others. His men can handle the remaining frontal assault.
Other horses have spooked, but not my Yevette. She bucks wildly, striking a nearby raider with a bone-crunching thud. I grab her reins, pulling her in the direction we need to go before hopping up.
Rage and panic fight for dominance as we cut a path to Mina’s carriage. The raiders haven’t reached it yet by some miracle. I dismount without slowing down, skidding to a stop in front of Mina’s door as Yevette continues into the fray.
I tear it open, and my heart sinks to the rough ground. Empty.
“Mina!”
Where is she? I stalk toward the battle behind me, slicing my way through the crowd until blood soaks my jacket entirely.
“Mina!”
Clashing bodies form a wall in every direction. I can barely see past the next few targets, let alone get a full swing in. I pull my dagger free and thrust it through the man in front of me, using the opening to try to move up.
A flash of vermilion peeks through the fray. I nearly take a blade to the side for another glimpse. I disarm the man, slitting his throat with his own sword.
I push forward until I see Mina with a sword in each hand. Lady Natalie lies on the ground behind her, sobbing as she clutches a body close to her chest, the arrow still at an odd angle in his skull.
Every time a raider grows close to either of them, Mina steps up to cut them down with the grace of a dancer. Her moves are precise, deadly. When the next body falls before her, our eyes meet.
Blood drips down the side of her head and arm.
My heart lodges in my throat at the sight.
Time moves glacially as I cut my way to her. A desperation I haven’t felt since I was a child adds weight to every swing. It’s as if my sword has a singular purpose to carve a path to Mina. To get to her and ensure her safety.
A deep chorus of shouts from the front line signals our victory. The nearby raiders scramble to any horse they can find. They scream for a retreat, fleeing toward the city.
I signal the nearest commander to give chase. I won’t need to give further orders. The penalty for their treason is death, and each raider will be hunted down.
A hand grabs my shoulder. I spin, ready to strike, but a pair of sharp jade eyes stay my blade before it claims any flesh.
Mina sticks her sword in the ground. She’s breathing heavily, her left side completely soaked in blood.
She’s hurt.
Sheathing my sword, I pull her into my arms and away from the bodies. She fights against my embrace, but I hold tight until I find the nearest empty carriage and close the door behind us.
Away from prying eyes, she slams her hands against my chest.
“What are you doing?” she demands.
I search her body on autopilot, checking for wounds. “Where are you injured?”
She struggles against my touch in the tight space. The carriage is much smaller than ours, and I take up nearly the whole bench.
“I’m fine,” she says.
I run my hands down her hips and legs, unable to find the source of her bleeding.
“Darius.”
“Darius.” Her tone cuts through the haze of my panic. She grabs my chin and yanks it up until our eyes meet. “I am unharmed. The blood is not mine.”
Relief slams into me. I drop my forehead to her shoulder and suck in a deep breath.
I didn’t fail this time. She’s safe.
Her soft fingers weave through my hair as I pull her onto my lap. I take another deep breath, the tang of blood mixing with her natural sweet scent. I hate it.
“I am fine,” she says again, relaxing into my chest. “Are you hurt?”
My clothes are caked with blood far worse than hers. I shake my head, composing myself enough to look at her again. Mina studies me with guarded concern.
“Why didn’t you follow orders?”
“I did. You never told me I had to stay in the carriage.” Her smile is sad as she places a finger to my lips, silencing my retort. “When I got to the carriage, I saw Natalie was on the ground. I had to check on her. The mayor was her father.”
Veleskov’s horse carried him all the way to his daughter. He tried to warn us far too late.
“The raiders flanked us when I was trying to get her into the carriage. Would you rather I let them get cut down while I hide?”
I study the warrior in front of me. Her fierce gaze contrasts with the slight tremble in her hand. Unshed tears cling to her dark lashes, but she looks anything but weak. I fight the urge to pull her tighter against me.
“No. I understand your desire to protect the ones you care about. I don’t have to like it, but I can accept it.”
I’m the same. My body won’t allow me to stand by while others put their lives on the line. I’m physically incapable of doing so, and I’ve joined the front lines of nearly every battle.
I can’t expect Mina to do any different. As much as I want to lock her in here until every raider dies, we both have a job to do.
A quiet understanding settles between us. She allows me to hold her for a few moments more until our breaths even out and my nerves steady.
Composing ourselves, we step out of the carriage. Mina breaks away to check on the others while I instruct the remaining guards to set up a new formation. I doubt the raiders will come back, but I’m not about to leave the others unprotected.
Staefan trots up, my horse in tow. He finds Mina in the crowd, head snapping toward me in concern. “She’s fine.”
He puffs out a relieved breath. “Several escaped and are hiding in the city.”
“Not for long.” I’ll cut down a raider for every fucking speck of blood on Mina. The ones I let live to question will wish for death’s sweet mercy. “Check the other gates and hunt down anyone who made it through.”
I mount Yevette, patting her black mane. Staefan’s fist connects with the side of my leg, a quick tap of good luck that I return before we set off in opposite directions. I glance back at Mina, needing to confirm she’s safe one last time.
She’s crouched next to Lady Natalie, whispering in her ear. Lady Natalie nods and collapses to the ground with a broken wail. Mina pulls the arrow from Mayor Veleskov’s head without flinching and covers the carnage of his face with a small swath of fabric.
Mina stands, studying the arrow before her watery glare finds me in a silent call for vengeance. I nod, then turn to the city.
I’ll make each of them pay.