Page 132 of Blood So Brutal

He nodded.

Someone cried in the back. More footsteps. More shaking. More violence. It was only a matter of time now.

“This is your kingdom!” I yelled to the group of terrified faces. “They cannot take what is ours!”

Voiler’s hands were already on that door. She didn’t need to speak. We all thought the same thing.

We were waiting to be slaughtered if we stayed here. Our only option was to fight.

“Close this door the second we’re out!” I yelled to the boy.

Voiler turned to the group of us in front—the group of us who had sworn to protect these innocents—and said, “Let’s make those bastards pay.”

Then she opened the door.

We rushed out as quickly as possible, eyes adjusting as we spotted the enemies surrounding us. They could not have what was ours. They could not slaughter these people, not again.

Never again.

I channeled my rage into my weapon, running and slicing and killing. I did not hesitate. Any enemy who charged us, who stood against us with harm in their eyes, would die.

Every last one of them.

Voiler and Rummy flanked me on either side. Rummy was a fast learner, slitting the throat of one fae before ducking under another, using her leverage from below to slice his gut.

She was a natural. A fighter. Just like the rest of us.

We pushed the enemies away from the door, away from our safe haven. They charged us from the forest and poured into the ruins of Scarlata in massive numbers.

But there was no fear in the air. Not from us, anyway. Only determination.

Only grit.

They could not have what was ours.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed. Ten minutes? An hour? My limbs did not grow weary. My blade did not falter. Enemy after enemy, we persevered. Fae fell at our feet. Angels were cleaved under our blades.

For a moment, I looked to the kingdom around us, violence everywhere.

Still, my heart swelled with a dangerous amount of hope. I should have known it was too good. I should have known it was too easy.

Because when I felt Wolf’s panic flood my bond with every ounce of his being, I stilled. That panic was a beacon, pulling me to him. I made sure Rummy and Voiler were both okay, both safe.

And I bolted as fast as possible toward the trees.

Chapter 51

Wolf

Ihad no words as I faced my father.

He was supposed to be fucking dead.We killed him. I watched that damn sword slice his body.

The violence continued to pour around me, but I saw onlyhim.

“Stop this madness!” I yelled at him. “This is not the way to get what you want!”

My father barked in laughter with his head tossed back and his mouth open. When his eyes fell back to me, they held no love of a father. No light. No joy. Something empty and evil lingered there.

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