Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 205637 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 823(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
FIFTY
Finley
Govam stood with his hand on the back of the door and his head bowed. I couldn’t tell if he was listening or willing himself courage. Finally he turned to Nyfain, paused, and inched closer to my huddle with Nyfain. His knife hand was near me, the weapon held low. It was an easy position to uppercut into my middle.
Nyfain saw it, and in a flash he reached across and grabbed Govam’s wrist.
Govam didn’t flinch. He inclined his head, like that was fine, and continued moving a bit closer to us until he was pressed against Nyfain’s arm, his face close to the space between ours.
“This is one of two precarious rooms,” he whispered, so softly I had to strain to hear. “This is a guard breakroom. They stop in after a shift to grab some snacks and a drink, maybe a change of clothes, and go on their way. Someone might be around the corner at any time, ready to come through. We’ll need to clear it as quickly and quietly as possible. We must kill anyone we see and throw them in here, out of the way. If we can make it through without being detected, we’ll have some time to continue through the castle. If someone is allowed to sound the alarm, though, we’re fucked.”
“How big is the room?” Nyfain asked.
“Not very. We have room for a few people, no more. When the demons are cleared, we’ll have to hurry through.”
Nyfain jerked his head at the door. Clearly he just wanted to get on with it. Very confident, my mate.
Govam nodded and backed up slowly, making no sudden movements. Nyfain let him go, and he returned to the door. Nyfain held up his finger, though, and then took the lead. He turned to me, gave me a long look, and then leaned against the wall by the door. Caution came through the bond.
He’s trusting you to be careful, my dragon thought, as though I didn’t understand my mate’s silent cues, but also letting you know he needs you because you’re good in a tight spot.
I didn’t bother commenting. Adrenaline coursed through me. This was it. This was one of what was sure to be many points where everything could go horribly wrong.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Vemar with his eyebrows up. He was asking if he should go with us.
The wolves edged forward as well, and I could just make out Hadriel in their ranks. Leala, who’d insisted on coming, stood to the side with her whip coiled in her hand.
Nyfain waited a moment as I nodded to Vemar and then Tamara before shaking my head at the rest. It sounded like there wouldn’t be enough room for any more people.
My stomach somersaulting, I pushed up close to Nyfain, sword clutched tightly in my hand. I felt the power thrumming through us, the anticipation. My breath came a little faster, matching my pounding heart.
A wave of urgency rolled through the bond and then Nyfain ripped the door open and surged into the moderately lit room beyond. I was after him in a flash, going left as he went right. A guard was headed for the door, his back to me. I grabbed him around the face with one hand and stuck my sword into his kidney with the other. I wrenched his head one way and stuck him again until he died.
I should’ve brought my dagger. It was easier for slitting throats.
I ripped him away, spun, and stabbed a surprised guard in the corner through the sternum. A quick step, and my hand was covering his cry as I stabbed him again and then let him slump to the ground. Tamara stuck another guard, and Vemar grabbed the downed bodies and threw them like sacks of flour. They sailed through the open door and landed with a thud in the dim interior of the room we’d just left. Nyfain grabbed a guard coming into the space, making quick work of him.
“Hurry, hurry,” Govam said, glancing at the spilled blood but not stopping to do anything about it. He got around me and was about to lead us out when a foot scraped against stone. We all froze. A guard stood halfway through the door, staring with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Before Nyfain could move, the guard turned to sprint out of there, but a long brown cord flew forward and wrapped around his neck. It pulled taut, yanking the guard back into the room.
No, not a cord. A leather whip.
Leala stepped into the doorway and yanked, forcing the choking guard to take another step, delivering him directly into Nyfain’s hands. Nyfain wrapped his hands around the guard’s head and jerked. The loud crack announced the guard’s snapping neck. He picked the guard up and tossed him through the doorway; our people in the other room hurried to get out of the way.