Page 117 of Crown of Betrayal and Blood

The army consists of every instructor, fledgling, and soldier at Flighthaven…all of them corrupted.

If they catch us, we’re fucked.

Hells, let’s be real. We’re already fucked, because even the biggest optimist in all the lands would agree that there’s no way four of us can take on an army of corrupted and expect to survive.

I watch the unnerving scene before me in rapt horror, unable to rip my gaze away. Their movements are mechanical, their faces devoid of emotion like their minds and bodies aren’t their own.

My horror reaches a whole new level when I catch sight of sandy-blond hair.

Theo Everheart marches along with the rest of the corrupted, the twinkle in his once bright blue eyes gone. No easy grin reveals his dimples. My former friend is rigid. Emotionless. Nothing like the playful guy who swiped food from Olive’s tray when she wasn’t looking and winked at me as he gobbled it down.

Farther down the line, I spot another familiar face. Abel Rummon from my flight unit. A scruffy beard covers his normally smooth ebony jaw.

My heart clenches. I didn’t realize how much I missed them both until now, yet the sight of them, rather than instilling me with joy, causes a giant pit to open up in my gut.

A small, pessimistic part of me is thankful that Olive doesn’t have to suffer through this. That her death was quick and painless when the rogue dragon at the trial incinerated her in mere seconds.

Another part of me aches for my friends who are still alive. Who are being forced to do gods know what manner of horrible things that they’ll regret later. If they survive.

And where is Nick Pendrick, the other fledgling from my unit? Did he somehow escape and return home to his family? Or is he somewhere among the corrupted?

Or even worse…dead?

I swallow the lump in my throat. I want to go to them, to heal my friends—hells, even my enemies—from their corruption. But there are countless corrupted people out there, and only two of us. We’d never survive those odds.

I dig my nails into my palms, using the sting of pain to center myself. “This is…” No words can adequately describe this situation.

“Creepy as fuck?”

“Yeah. There are people I know out there. Friends. Members of my flight unit.”

“Want to know what else is creepy as fuck? Seeingyouagain. Alive.” Every muscle in my body tenses when I hear that deep, condescending voice. “Both of you turn around slowly with your hands in the air, or I’ll slit your godsdamned throats.”

Panic coils in my gut like a snake ready to strike as I comply and swivel toward my former nemesis, Elijah Durand.

We are officially screwed.

* * *

If I had to list the top ten people I hoped I’d never see again, Elijah Durand would be right up there toward the top.

And that’s who I come face-to-face with when Agnar and I turn around.

The guy is massive, with muscular arms, thick brown hair, and a disgusted scowl he seems to reserve just for me. He looks me up and down while gripping a sword with a wickedly curved blade.

I fight the urge to cringe under his scrutiny. Elijah may have been Flighthaven’s biggest asshole when I attended the academy, but I’ve faced more formidable enemies than him since then. And I refuse to cower.

My gaze shoots to his eyes, and shock zips through me.

They’re as cold as ever, but his irises are brown, not black. “You’re not…you’re not corrupted.”

“No shit. And you’re not supposed to be here.” As he scrutinizes Agnar, I can practically feel the soldier bristle beside me. “This another one of your Tirenese lovers?”

“I didn’t come here for my health, jackass.” I narrow my eyes at the fledgling who took hazing to a near deadly level. “He’s a friend.”

“A friend who’s going to give you to the count of three to get that blade out of our faces.” Agnar flashes him a cold smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “One. Two…”

Before he reaches three, roots burst from the ground between us and wind around Elijah’s body. From one breath to the next, he’s covered from boots to shoulders.

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