Chapter 23
Sassy Little Vixens
Cedar
My dagger slid easily into his throat, and I pulled it out just as quickly before spinning and hitting the next fucker in line to die by my hands under tonight’s moon.
I’d been at this for three long nights. Not stopping, not sleeping, eating, fucking, or anything else I could’ve been doing instead of this.
The overwhelming feeling that I’d been gone too long, possibly missed out on too much.
That I hadn’t saved enough lives. The anxiety of it all was wearing thin on me.
This was my purpose, the only thing that kept me going on the days I felt like I was nothing more than a monster.
So I was killing them—all of them.
I’d started back at The Arcane Theater. Before Raiden walked in and killed the owners of the place, it had been where The Eternal Outcasts held their meetings. Hopeful that old habits died hard, I’d almost been disappointed, but thankfully I was too damn determined to give up at first glance.
They’d been smarter now, not holding court out in the middle of the floor where anyone could listen.
No, now they met outside in the alleyway using code words within the shadows to their advantage.
After killing all thirteen of them, leaving only one of the speakers alive, I forced him to lead me to the next meeting, the next hide out, stowaway location, jail cell, all of it.
Where one led me, they died, only for another to take their place.
If the sun rose, they were pulled inside and tortured for more information until I grew bored.
The group I was in the process of slicing my way through was a solid fourteen members strong; the first few to bolt towards me had been easy, but the farther I’d make it in, the less stupid they were. The best fighters had waited at the back, wearing me down—but I still wasn’t worried about it.
At least, I wasn’t worried about it until her smell hit my nose. I knew before I saw them that they were here. Silvana was at my back in mere moments, taking down just as many as I had in seconds. The chaos in her blood no matter what title she held with her name.
The first night, I’d taken the time to wander the Court of Shadows—I’d be honest, there wasn’t much killing involved.
Raiden and Silvana had done a good job keeping them hidden and scared like the rodents they were.
I was also pretty sure that Keres had called some of them back to the Court of Wolves to play instead, deeming it less risky while he attempted to use me for information on Raiden, and had Oren locked up tight.
In my head, I’d imagined that the Court of Wolves would be harder to walk into. I’d thought that Keres would’ve locked down the borders and kept the seal on tight, but here I was—strolling down the dark streets, the towering trees overhead, killing anyone who came into contact with my blade.
If I were looking deeper into it, I’d say it felt like a trap, but I was past caring.
I did my best to ignore the other smell, knowing in my gut that I wouldn’t be able to. Why I even tried was beyond my comprehension, but when a spike of adrenaline came through the faint bond linked through blood, my eyes found her instantly.
On the ground, a male on top of her with a dagger closing in towards her chest—the rest of the scene dropped away. Everything moved in slow motion as I found myself there in the blink of an eye, my knife slipping easily through his throat, ripping his head clear from his body.
His decapitated carcass fell on top of her and she wasted little time pushing what was left of him, off and onto the wet cobblestone.
Her gaze glaring up at me as I stood above her, his head still clenched in my fist. Blood soaked into her top, her hair braided back and over her shoulder.
Even covered in blood, she was stunning.
Tearing my eyes from her, I glanced down at the male in my hand. Maybe this would work after all. Or maybe I was starting to think too much like Silvana, but I didn’t think that was a bad thing.
“Are you planning on keeping the head?” Silvana’s voice asked from behind me.
“Yes, Silv, I figured I’d take a page from your book when I walked into this next tavern and demanded answers. The last one hadn’t been all that helpful since he attempted to lead me into a trap, so I’m going in for the shock value now,” I said, holding up the severed head.
She strolled over, a delighted smile on her face as she helped Cora from the ground. “Will you toss it at them? You know they love that. Bonus points if they knew the asshole. Nothing like seeing a drinking partner's dead eyes peering up at you.”
I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face, the feeling of days long before all of this sinking into my head. “I’ll toss it just for you.”
My gaze slid to the female next to her, and there it stayed once again.
Now that she was up and the moonlight was shining over her, I noticed just how different she appeared tonight.
As if she’d torn down a wall and rebuilt it stronger and more fortified.
Her hair was braided back into two tight plaits along her head and down over her shoulders.
Black tights, boots, and a long-sleeved white top—now with a smattering of blood—a corset around her chest and billowing sleeves down to her wrists decorated her small frame.
Silvana cleared her throat. “So, are we going in?”
“Does Raiden know you’re here?” I asked, my eyes not leaving the princess in front of me.
She laughed. “Of course not. He’d never approve of me fighting in another’s territory, especially when we know that territory is currently being held by our enemy. I told him we were going for a walk. Sisterly bonding time.”
“Mmm, I’ll assume that’s why he sent Bastian along after you.”
“He what?” I finally broke eye contact with her to look back over Silvana’s shoulder as I tilted my chin towards the male behind her. She spun around and cursed beneath her breath. “How long have you been there and why couldn’t I sense you?” she growled.
Silvana hated many things, and being taken off guard was high on the list. “I’ve been working on using my shadows to shield my scent. I’m getting better at it, but Cora noticed me a few miles in.”
Silvana turned to glare at her sister. “You didn’t say anything?”
Cora shrugged. “I assumed you having a guard while leaving the manor grounds was a normal occurrence.”
I chuckled and Silvana’s mouth dropped open dramatically. “Why would that be the case? I can take care of myself better than either of these two. He didn’t even jump in to help with those fuckers,” she replied, her hand waving over the dead males surrounding us.
Bastian joined the group and threw his arm over Silvana’s shoulders.
“You sure can, Ice Sickle, but you’re now a ruling member of one of the four courts who is currently killing people in another’s court.
Also, the soul bonded to one of the most powerful in all of Kostbare.
Getting you in hand would be quite the power play.
” He smirked. “I’d love to see them try to take you alive, but still.
Raiden felt safer knowing I was watching your back.
Yell at him later, right now we’re here to help the suicidal one.
And actually, I killed three of them from the shadows, thank you very much.
They tried to bolt once you and Cora showed up to help. ”
He pointed to one towards the alley and two more that neither Silvana nor I had executed. But then everyone’s eyes turned to me and I arched a brow. “Wait, suicidal? No. I’m just determined to make up for the lost time I spent wasting away in a cell being of no help.”
I turned and started walking back down the dark street.
The sun would be rising before I knew it and I had no desire to be stuck in this town, much less with everyone now accompanying me.
I wanted to ask why she was here, but I bit back the question.
It was clear enough that she and Silvana had talked, and that was good.
I was happy for them both, but it didn’t change things for me.
If anything, it meant I needed to stay farther away.
Part of the big happy family wasn’t what I had in mind for my life right now and after I ensured that I did what I could against these fuckers, I’d be back to my original mission. Or at least figuring out if the words Keres had muttered were real or false.
Hurried footsteps had Silvana walking next to me. “So, boss, what’s on the agenda for this fine evening in the Court of Wolves?”
I rolled my eyes. “I want to find out what the fuck is going on here with Oren being held captive. I have a good idea who’s running things, but I want it confirmed before I get rid of them all for Oren to come home and step back into his rightful seat after we spring him from Keres’s dungeon.”
“Voss is in charge,” a soft voice came from behind me, halting me in my tracks.
“How would you know that?” I turned to stare down at her, anger rolling off me in waves. Silvana’s hand came to sit on my arm, but I shook her off. “How, Cora?” I growled.
“He’d… invite me to sit in on some meetings when he wanted to put on a show of sorts.
” Her gaze never faltered from mine, she didn’t shrink away or flinch—but she also didn’t sound any more sturdy in her tone.
I’d break her of this docile shit if it was the last thing I did, only because I knew a wicked little minx was under that thick princess exterior she wore so well.
I’d seen her for myself, small fractions of the true Cora slipping through when she thought no one was paying attention.
I took a step forward, putting us mere inches apart. “What type of show?”
“Is that really important, Cedar? For fuck’s sake,” Silvana mumbled from behind me, but my gaze didn’t leave the deep blue eyes in front of me.