Page 73 of Ashes of Betrayal

Meanwhile, blood continued to slide down Lara’s throat, staining the neckline of her tunic.

Gavyn snarled curses at her, but she was beyond listening. Beyond caring. She’d just seen her mother slain and faced being carried away. He wouldn’t take her alive.

Cailean admired her spirit. But by the Warrior’s bloody blade, if Lara didn’t cease fighting, she’d shortly follow her mother to the Otherworld.

The elk stood behind them now, tossing its head and warning the Marav away with its antlers. However, Gavyn would never get Lara onto its back without making himself vulnerable.

And when he did, Bree would be on him.

Realizing that the game was up, Gavyn yanked his blade away from the princess’s throat. He used Lara as a shield then, thrusting her at Bree while he leaped nimbly onto his elk’s back. “Ravens, fall back!” he bellowed.

Bree pushed Lara behind her and leaped forward, her blade slashing.

Gavyn and his mount were too quick. They bounded away through the smoke, followed by a wave of screeching powries. Some of the Ravens also followed, although the stragglers were forced to turn and fight.

The princess was in the middle of it all, undefended.

Cailean cursed, pushing forward to put himself between her and danger.

Cringing as blades clashed around her, Lara dropped to her knees, covering her head with her hands.

Meanwhile, Bree had joined the fight against the remaining Ravens, who now backed toward the perimeter. Freedom wasn’t far off—a gap between the wagons where the others had fled. The thunder of elk hooves departing on the road beyond shook the smoky air.

Bree fought on, her long steel blade flashing. Arrows flew now, for some of the Ravens had drawn longbows. But she held fast, heedless of the danger.

And as a Raven drew back an arrow, aimed directly at Bree’s chest, dread washed over Cailean. She hadn’t seen it, her attention riveted upon the warrior she was currently fighting.

He was at the princess’s side now, yet he had a choice. Lara or his wife. He couldn’t protect them both.

Cailean didn’t think. The decision was instinctual.

His tattoos flared white-hot as he leaped forward, closing the gap with unnatural speed, and flung himself between the archer and Bree.

Thud.

The loosed arrow hit his flank. The force of the impact knocked him sideways, straight into Bree, and the pair of them tumbled to the ground.

The roar of angry shouts assaulted his ears then, just as searing pain bloomed down his left flank. Grunting a curse, he pushed himself off Bree to see a flood of Marav warriors rush past them, descending upon the Ravens.

“Cailean!” His wife was staring at where the yew arrow, fletched in raven feathers, protruded from his side. Bree’s eyes were wide, alarmed, and following her gaze, he saw why.

He gritted his teeth as the burn in his side grew hotter.Shit. It had gone deep.

Heat swept over him then, and a strange tingling began in his limbs.

“I’m fine,” he muttered, even as his speech slurred. His mouth felt as if it were stuffed with wool. Suddenly, he couldn’t speak at all, couldn’t think.

Fuck. The arrow must have been poisoned.

His mouth worked as he tried to tell Bree. However, she was nothing but a blur, and the words she gasped made no sense at all.

Agony punched into him then, and darkness dropped like a veil.

“Is he alive?”

Breathing hard, Bree looked up to find Lara standing over her and Cailean.

Blood still trickled down the princess’s throat, although she paid it no mind.

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