Chapter 65
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
PHOENIX
Where the fuck is Jax?
“Kill her!” one of the Caligos by the fire spits.
“You fuckhead, no!” Another one pushes him. “Boss said if we capture her, bring her in for questioning.”
“Ah, we kill her and tell him it was an accident. She fought back,” the first one says, pushing his comrade back. “She’s caused enough trouble as is!”
No fucking way they’re going anywhere with Vera.
I lift my bow and aim at the man holding her.
It’s a dangerous shot because he holds her against his chest.
I inhale.
Exhale.
Let go.
The arrow strikes right between his eyes. Vera blinks, startled by the proximity of the arrow to her head. His heavy body falls, dragging her with him.
I don’t waste time.
Quickly, I aim another arrow. And another. Only when the fourth body falls to the dirty floor do the other Caligos spring into action.
Enjoy your meal, I tell Lorca in my mind, even if I can’t feel their presence anymore.
“Get the whore!” one shouts.
“Find the archer!”
“Protect the goods!”
While they scramble to figure out what to do, I strike one more of theirs. I’m about to aim at the sixth, but a shadow jumps out of nowhere and punches the motherfucker.
Blood splays from his mouth.
It’s Jax.
I’m startled for a moment. He’s vicious the way he punches the guy in the gut, and then grabs his head between his hands and smacks it into his knee.
Even from where I kneel, I hear the Caligos’s skull crack.
I would never have thought he had it in him.
When another Caligos attacks Jax with a roar, I lift my bow to take the enemy out. But a blade glitters in Jax’s hand right before he ducks, twists, and buries the dagger into the side of the Caligos’s throat.
Blood spraying everywhere, the man falls.
“Unbelievable,” I mutter.
Two Caligos run into the iron cage, towards the kids. That snaps me out of my trance and I strike both of them between their eyes before they even reach the kids.
Swiftly, Jax handles the last Caligos. The silence that falls over the warehouse once the fight is over is jarring.
As if knowing exactly where to look, Jax finds me. Our eyes lock.
He smirks and winks.
I’m too stunned to react.
When he moves to help Vera up, I rise, too. It’s too far for me to jump from here, so I rush back to the ladder and slide down it in a heartbeat.
Once I push the door open to the main warehouse, the rest of the crew is already inside, heading for the kids.
“What the fuck was that?” I approach Vera and Jax.
His loose white shirt is soaked in blood. And so is his face.
He looks at me, all innocent. “What was what, darling? You must be more specific.”
“Where did you learn to fight like this? I didn’t even know you knew how to hold a damn blade,” I say.
He shrugs. “You don’t know many things about me. If you care to learn more you only need to say a word.”
I scoff.
I would never admit it to him, or anyone, out loud. But the way he handled those Caligos…well, it was extremely hot.
I’m so grateful nobody here can read my emotions or my thoughts.
“Come on,” Vera says, brushing the dust of her suit. “Let’s get the kids into carriages and get the fuck out of here.”
Quietly, all of us work to get the kids inside them. Ri’s girls take the full carriages and ride away, towards the safe house outside Jaakii. We load one more and send Ri off. Bart takes one, too. We leave one carriage for the rest of us to get back to Vera’s studio.
Once Bart’s carriage is out of sight, I can breathe easier. Vera talks about something with her girls in hushed tones, while Jax inspects his bloody rings, trying to polish the stones with a piece of his shirt that hasn’t been spoiled.
This man.
I sigh and shake my head. I don’t feel Lorca’s presence, but I still ask, Are you satisfied?
For a moment, nothing happens. Then the tattoo burns and claws gently caress my mind.
Very, Lorca purrs.
Well, at least someone is.
Suddenly, the skin on the back of my neck prickles.
Something is not right.
I whirl on my heel a moment too late.
An arrow whizzes through air and sinks right in the middle of my left thigh. I grunt through clenched teeth. Everyone’s attention snaps to me, then to the archer perched on one of the damn roofs.
“Phoenix!” It’s Vera’s voice.
The archer raises his bow, readying to strike again.
“Get behind the carriage!” I scream.
Thankfully, everyone does. The pain in my thigh is bad, but bearable. I limp around the edge of the carriage while keeping an eye on the archer.
He fits the arrow in place and draws the string.
No fucking way am I dying tonight.
Not like this.
Jax swoops in at the last moment, grabbing me by the waist and pulling my weight onto him and off my injured leg so I can move faster.
We round the corner right as the arrow whizzes through the air. It lands next to our feet on the ground.
“Fuck,” I mutter. I look up at Jax. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it, darling.”
He lets go of me and I grab my own bow. Quickly, I glance at the archer through the corner. He’s up, running across the roof to get a better angle at us. From this far, I can’t see if he carries Caligos tattoos. But if I had to guess…
I aim and shoot him right as he’s midair, jumping between the two buildings.
“Take that, motherfucker,” I murmur as the lifeless body falls onto the hard stone pavement.
“What the fuck was that?” Jax asks.
I place my bow back in its place. “Caligos. Who else?”
Vera’s face is grim as she looks at me.
“I didn’t betray you!” The words rush out of me in a breath. “I swear! I spend all my time with you!”
“I know,” she says and looks at Jax.
“I didn’t betray you either! Vera, I promise on my life! Madame Mercy promised protection! She wouldn’t have betrayed us. Not to Caligos.”
Vera’s not entirely convinced, but she says, “Well, someone did. If I had to guess, there will be more Caligos coming here. And soon.”
“We need to get out of here,” Hojo cries, looking around.
Tanaka is mute, terrified. Hel looks less fearful, but still worried.
“Girls, get inside,” I order them.
They don’t have to be told twice.
“Let’s go,” I say to Vera.
Right as Vera gets inside the carriage, I hear them.
A lot of them.
Roaring, weapons clinging, a group of Caligos approach us on foot from a nearby street. A moment later, another group emerges from a street on the other side of us.
“We’re so fucked,” Jax says, looking between the two groups.
“Phoenix, you can’t fight them!” Vera shouts. “There are too many!”
She’s right. But we can’t just take off either. They’ll slay the horses, and the coachman. And then they’ll finish us off.
I look at Jax. “Are you willing to fight?”
I don’t expect him to, but Jax flashes me a half smile and shrugs. “Why not?”
The mobs are fast approaching.
“Phoenix, no!” Vera’s voice is more desperate now.
She reaches for my arm, intending to pull me inside the carriage with her. I slam the carriage door right before her face. Tapping the side of it, I shout at the coachman, “Go! NOW!”
The coachman obeys and they ride off, into one of the narrow streets, right before the two mobs enter our street, caging us in.
With the Caligos focused on me and Jax, Vera may as well make it out alive.
It’s me and Jax now. He’s skilled, and I’m an Ezkai. But I’m wounded, and it’s only two of us against twenty or so Caligos.
Jax looks at me. “I really wish we had more time, darling. We would have made a stunning pair.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. I shake my head. “Let’s agree to disagree.”
With one wild smile, Jax attacks the first man. I draw my blades and charge at a heavily tattooed thug. Blinding pain sears through my thigh, into my hip. I grind my teeth and ignore it.
“Don’t kill her!” someone shouts.
“We have orders to not leave anyone alive,” another man shouts back. “Gut the bitch!”
It’s carnage.
I lose track of Jax quickly, surrounded by the enemy. With each step, my thigh hurts more and more, blood soaking through my leathers. I try hard not to move as much, keeping most of the weight on my good leg.
But these bastards are relentless.
And they keep coming, from all sides.
I duck and parry, swing my blades in all directions like a hurricane. Blood spills, and soon my face is sticky with it. I taste it on my lips.
Finally, I catch a glimpse of Jax. He’s drenched with blood from head to toes, two blades in his hands. I can’t tell if he’s wounded or if it’s the enemy blood. He sways a little on his feet.
Fuck.
Burying a dagger in a stomach of a slim Caligos girl, I push her to the side and charge for Jax.
“Jax!” I call.
He’s locked in a fight with a weaponless Caligos. He looks at me, and that’s a mistake. The big man punches him right in the face and his head almost flies off his neck.
Thankfully, I make it there in time to catch him and help him remain on his feet.
“We need to run,” I tell him.
He spits blood on the stone pavement. “I didn’t think you were a coward. I thought it was my role to play.”
I scoff. How can he have time for sarcasm and humor in the middle of this? When we’re about to die?
I finish off the man who punched him before he can do any more damage. But it’s not enough.
We’re cornered against the wall of a building.
Fatigue settles over me. It must be all the blood I’ve lost.
I don’t see how we can make it out of here alive. I’m so fucking reckless.
Horses whine in the distance. My heart drops. Oh no. More?
Heavy hooves pounding on the stone pavement echo. And then a group of riders dressed all in black, dark capes covering their faces, emerges.
Not Caligos. Not Ezkai.
Who the fuck are these people?
Deadly. That’s what they are.
Sitting high atop muscular black mares, they slay the Caligos with ease. By the time they finish, the street is lined with corpses.
“Oh, I knew she didn’t betray us!” Jax says, cheerily.
I frown at him. “Who?”
Jax smiles and shakes his head. One of the riders slides off their horse and approaches us. The hood falls to reveal a beautiful face with striking dark eyes and heart-shaped cherry-colored lips.
This fae looks me up and down. Then she looks at Jax. “Is this the champion you spoke of? One who can stand against the Talbot heir?”
Jax dips his chin. “Yes, my lady.”
Oh. She must be the infamous Madame Mercy.
Her sly gaze snaps to me again. “I hope you’re worth it. I lost three men tonight, to aid you.”
I hesitate for a moment. “Thank you, I guess. And my condolences. We were betrayed.”
She scrunches her nose in disgust. “Caligos is a disease with deep roots. Very few can be trusted.”
Ain’t that the truth. I keep learning it the painful way.
“I was surprised to find out you were aiding Savage King,” Madame Mercy tells Jax. “You never struck me as a noble heart.”
“That’s because I’m not,” Jax says with a lopsided smile.
“So, you’re the thorn in Caligos’s side, the infamous Savage King?”
Now, she’s looking at me. I’m not sure what to say.
“Not really,” I mutter.
I hear more sounds of hooves pounding on the pavement, and a moment later a carriage emerges. One holding Vera. The moment it comes to a halt, the door swings open and Vera jumps out, her eyes wild.
“You had no right!” She raises her voice at me. “You’re my champion! You had no right to force me to leave you behind!”
When she sees the corpses, and the mysterious riders, she collects herself.
“Vera D’Argent.” Madame Mercy turns to face Vera. “Your reputation precedes you.”
“Same can be said about you,” Vera says pleasantly. “It’s about time our paths crossed. We appreciate your aid tonight. And for keeping my champion alive. You have my personal gratitude.”
A beat of silence passes. Then Madame Mercy barks a laugh.
“Of course it’s you,” she says, watching Vera with a smile. “Only the most famous Caetra in history, only one sharing the General’s bed, would be bold enough to attempt something like that.”
Vera’s voice is even when she says, “I’m sure you can appreciate the audacity. I can only hope you’ll keep this a secret. I’m told we have a common enemy. If the word gets out, Caligos wins.”
Madame Mercy heads for her horse. Once she’s saddled, she says, “Of course, Vera D’Argent. You know how the saying goes. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
And with that, she and her crew ride off.
Jax, Vera, and I exchange a glance. All three of us look like we barely survived a desert storm.
“I so need a fucking drink after this,” I say with a sigh.
“More like three drinks,” Jax says.
“Jax is right. One drink is definitely not enough,” Vera agrees.