Page 118 of War Hour

I regret it a second later.

Severin uses his grip on me to pull me close to his face. In his other hand is my dagger. He angles the blade under my chin, glowering down at me.

I could block the blade with my shield, but I pause, waiting for him to speak. I am not his enemy.

“Are you fighting for your court... or against it?” He snarls in my face.

I level a glance at the two dead men at our feet.

“Do you really need to ask?”

His grip tightens on me in warning, squeezing bruises into my flesh. I don’t let the pain show on my face.

“Against Drytas.”

Black eyes pierce into me, daring me to lie.

“And the rest of your court?” Severin asks.

“The Untrialed are innocent...” I start and Severin narrows his eyes. “If I cannot talk them down, I will not let them hurt other innocents.”

Severin examines me for a moment before shoving me away from him. He holds out my dagger for me to take before leaning down and removing his sword from the fallen guard’s body.

“You’re not going to use your Truthsayer power to make sure I’m not lying?”

He flinches, sending me a scathing look before eyeing the length of the hall. “I must find Lord Gennady. If the attackers have made it this far into the castle, then I question his safety.”

The words blurt from my mouth. “I’ll come with you.”

He starts to argue, but I cut him off. “I may need work on my offensive abilities, but you can’t deny the usefulness of my shield.”

Severin glares, before setting off at a brisk pace. “Stay quiet and stay behind me. And do not fall behind.”

Shoutingsounds ahead as Severin leads our search deep into the heart of the castle. Despite his confidence that the Court of Truth Trial is where Lord Gennady will be, Severin’s face pales with every step, as terrified of what we’ll find as much as what we won’t.

His voice trembles when he explains how a small squad of Valor’s guards, along with dozens of Untrialed, had been hidden within the fortress when they had arrived from the capital. That it wasn’t until after Severin, Evander and Lord Gennady separated that the attack had started within.

Each thought that crosses through my mind ties to Evander. Where he could be, and if he’s found his father. If he’s safe, or bleeding out slowly out of my reach.

My every heartbeat thuds the syllables of his name, calling for him when my lips cannot.

The closer we get to the action unfolding ahead, the easier it is to identify the shouting voice—Belthan.

Drawing our weapons, Severin holds a finger to his lips as he creeps toward the end of the hall. Leaning in, I whisper the new information. “I know him. It’s Lord Drytas’s Head of the Guard. He can teleport.”

Severin nods tightly before moving around the corner. Following behind, I prepare to throw up a shield at the first sign of danger.

Standing outside of the entrance to the Trial hall, Belthan grips the front of Lord Gennady’s shirt, leaning the older man over the edge of a balcony.

Despite how close he is to death—how close he is to finding out exactly how high up the balcony sits over the courtyard below, Lord Gennady wears not even a wrinkle of worry. When Belthan yells in his face, Lord Gennady speaks softly, his tone comforting.

“I can promise you. Valor is under no threat from my court or any other.”

With Belthan’s back to us, Severin edges toward the balcony, sword in hand. I hold my breath, heart racing.

Lord Gennady turns his head, eyes landing on Severin before moving to me. A frown settles across his face, and he shakes his head minimally.

Severin doesn’t obey the silent order, moving closer, but Lord Gennady throws away any advantage of surprise we might have had.

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