Chapter 36 #3
She sobbed into his chest as if the entire world was breaking, her knees dipping. He went to the ground with her, holding her to his chest and rocking, repeating over and over, “I got you.”
The love I experienced through our link, what he felt for her, almost dropped me. He didn’t just love her. Hanna was his soul. The person he would destroy the world for. And if anything happened to her . . .
“Kovacs.” Warwick’s voice twirled me to him, and I wrapped my arms around him, needing his comfort and warmth. He kissed my head before looking past me to the raging fire, his brows crinkling at the sight.
“Rosie?!” Killian roared, ripping me from Warwick’s embrace, finding the man, wounded and bleeding, limping after the already departed caravan. “Rosie!” His heart bled out on the gravel, his legs dipping to the ground in anguish as he stared off down the dark road.
Oh gods . . .
Rosie.
My head jerked around; I hoped she was still here somewhere, but I knew.
Istvan took her.
Hostage. Revenge. To hurt us because he didn’t get what he wanted.
I ran to Killian, crouching next to him.
“He took her,” he heaved out.
“I know.” I held his face, his wild eyes meeting mine.
“We have to go get her.”
“We are. We’ll get her back,” I agreed. I knew Istvan was heading straight for Budapest. This was supposed to be just a pit stop. Get the nectar and destroy Sonya and anyone else who stood in his way.
He may have not gotten the nectar, but he took something vital to us anyway.
Killian pulled the nectar from his pocket, shoving it at me. “You take it.”
I sucked in, feeling its power. The need to touch it, top off my own power, set my jaw.
“No,” I whispered. “I can’t.”
Killian’s violet eyes lifted to mine. “I am no longer worthy,” he snarled. “I gave it up without hesitation for her. And I will again. Even if I knew we’d all die anyway . . . I’d still do it.” He held it out. “Take it, Brexley. I am not strong enough. I would let this world burn for her.”
My hands shook as I claimed the prize, dread and tranquility filling me the moment I touched the wrapped object. It was both my savior and my doom.
Swallowing, I tucked the nectar in my pocket, locking my gaze on Killian.
“We will get her back.” I grabbed his arm, getting his full attention. “But I need Killian, the fae lord. Focused. Ruthless. Cutthroat. I will not lose you because you can’t get your head together. I need you all in. Do you understand?”
His eyes tracked mine, his chin lifting, his jaw locking. “Yes.”
“Good.” I stood up, pulling him with me. “Because we are going into battle. Not just for Rosie, but to save this country.”
“We don’t have the numbers,” Mykel said, walking up to us. “We have even less now . . . and we have people hurt. And no food or water.” He motioned back to the burning house, reduced to nothing but flames.
“Is everyone out?” Killian asked.
“Yes.” Mykel nodded, glancing back at where Rebeka and Kitty were caring for the children and elderly. I spotted Esmeralda and Olek bundled up with other patients and babies against a tree far from the fire, awake and surrounded by healers.
“I have extra food, water, and supplies in my bunker,” Killian told Mykel. “Along with more weapons.”
“We still don’t have the people we need to fight this war.”
Mykel was right; we didn’t have the numbers. Not even close. Between Sonya’s troops and Istvan’s, and now possibly Romania, it wasn’t even a contest. We were fucked.
We had no chance.
“Daughter.” A chill bit at the back of my head, darting my head to the seven figures hovering at the edge of the woods. So much had taken my focus from them, though I never forgot my mother had saved us from losing everything.
Eabha’s voice was still low, but it was clear, ringing in my mind. We still had that connection, it seemed—at least this close. But it wasn’t words she spoke to me. It was images.
“We can let them fight it out first.” Mykel ran his hand over his beard in frustration.
“I am not sitting back and leaving Rosie with him to wait it out.” Killian seethed, gesturing in the direction she was taken. “I will go my fucking self if I have to.”
“And get yourself killed too?” Mykel yelled back.
“I don’t care!” He got in Mykel’s face.
Mykel pushed him back. “Don’t be an idiot. Think!”
“Stop it! Both of you!” I stepped between them, my palms pushing them apart. “We are going to get her. We’re going to fight for our country.”
“How?” Mykel motioned around. “We can’t! We are not even a drop in the bucket compared to their troops.”
“What if I said we could have the numbers?”
“What?” Both Killian and Mykel stopped, peering at me with confusion.
My black eyes lifted, finding the ones across the yard almost identical to mine.
“You have enough weapons here for an army?” I kept my sight forward but spoke to Killian.
“Yes.” He nodded. “I have several underground bunkers here with weapons, motorbikes, and cars. Whatever you can think of. It was built to fight against an attack.”
“Good.” I didn’t waver from the intensity of my mother’s stare. Her clan stayed in close ranks beside her. “Because we will have the bodies to carry them.”