The Devil’s Wrath
Book 3 of the Faders Trilogy
Copyright 2015 by C.M. Owens

Edited By Tonya Houle

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The story in this book is the property of the author, in all media both physical and digital. No one, except the owner of this property, may reproduce, copy or publish in any medium any individual story or part of this novel without the expressed permission of the author of this work.

Chapter 1

ARENA

“Run!” Kace yells as I duck and dive under the collapsed tree. After I roll free, I right myself and start pounding my feet into the ground, desperately trying to run as fast as I can.

“Arena! Run faster!” he prompts from somewhere far behind me, and I scowl even though he can’t see my face.

I hear the approaching patter of a wicked pace behind me as my chaser gains ground. Through the woods and up the hill—it was supposed to be that simple. Only, the woods have dropped too many trees lately, creating more of an obstacle course and slowing me the hell down.

“Dammit, Arena! He’s gaining on you! Run faster.”

Kace yelling every two seconds is not helping me run faster. At all. But I dig deep and surge forth, feeling the burn travel up and down my veins, my thighs igniting with a feverish pain. It’s no use. My steam starts to fizzle, and my legs succumb to the aching burn, forcing me to slow down just as Johnny whizzes by me, never letting up even a little bit.

He laughs his ass off while winking at me. Winking at me! Cocky jerk.

“Damn you, Johnny!” I growl when I finally cross the finish line and drop to the ground to heave for air.

“What’s that, Arena?” he asks mockingly, cupping his ear for a visual effect. He doesn’t even sound winded. How is that possible? “I can’t hear you over all the loud cheers that are roaring for me.”

There really is a lot of cheering, but it’s drowned out by my thunderous heartbeat that seems to be drumming against my ears. Johnny has always been fast, but not that damn fast. Or maybe my lazy body is just really slow now.

“I… demand… a rematch,” I say through harsh, labored breaths that only fuel his laughter.

He drops to the ground beside me, lying down and staring up at the sky while ignoring everyone who is yelling his name. He just beat the great Arena Clash—that’s starting to get old.

“It’s been forever since we raced,” he says, grinning. “Feels like we’re kids again.”

That has me smiling, and I sigh contently while staring up at the clouds. A sky without a viewer is still my favorite sight. Well, that’s a lie. Kace is my favorite sight.

Speaking of Kace…

“Nice try, babe,” my perfect fiancé says while dropping to lie down on the other side of me.

For one whole month, I’ve been forced to lie around and heal. I’ve endured the torturous exhibitions of Kace shirtless and working out. Of Kace shirtless and training. Of Kace shirtless and cleaning a kill from a hunt… I’ve decided to ask Abigail to make him a bunch of shirts as a wedding gift.

Finally, my breaths start coming in easier, and I say, “Next time.”

Johnny laughs, and I feel his smile. “Next time I’ll whoop your ass just as efficiently.”

“I’ve been on bed-rest for a month. I’m just a little out of shape is all,” I mumble, cursing at the fact I still sound breathy.

On that note, Kace leans over me and tugs my shirt up enough to inspect my barely-visible wound. He’s been handling me with kid gloves for much longer than necessary. My healing process has been astounding, which has baffled most everyone. Even though they’re seeking answers as to why I’m still breathing and recovering so fast, I’m just enjoying catching a break for once without over analyzing it.

“Racing your first day after being cleared by the doc probably wasn’t the best idea,” Kace says absently, strumming the line of the pink mark that is nothing more than a scar.

I turn an are-you-kidding-me stare on him. “You’re the one who was urging me to run faster.”

He smirks before shrugging, his eyes still on my side and avoiding the glare he knows he’s getting. “I got caught up in the moment.”

Rolling my eyes, I return my attention back to the sky, but suddenly I’m squealing when it’s not the clouds I see. Julius’s face is just a foot in front of mine, and his grin widens.

“I know damn well I look better than that,” he jokes, winking at me as he leans back up. “Malfus called a meeting. All warriors are to report immediately, except Arena and the other girls.”

I open my mouth to bark a nasty retort, but Kace covers my lips with his hand, smothering the sounds as he looks at his friend and asks, “Why not the girls?”

Julius grins. “Because it’s about our physicals. It’s that time again. You know… where they coach us on safe sex, hygiene, and all that shit. Not to mention we have to drop trousers and get our junk inspected. The doc is waiting.”

That has my cheeks heating and my objection dying in my throat. I so don’t want to be a part of that.

“Suddenly, I appreciate being a girl so much more,” I say the second Kace withdraws his hand from my mouth.

He grins down at me before pressing a soft kiss to my lips. We’ve kept every kiss chaste for way too long, because he’s been treating me like glass. I can’t wait to prove that I won’t break when handled roughly. Very roughly. Very, very roughly.

“Are you blushing?” Johnny asks me with an arched brow.

I clear my throat and wipe my smile away while shaking my head. “Just flushed from the run.”

“After this, we can do some arrow catching,” Julius says to Kace, and my eyes widen.

“What’s that?” I ask, scurrying up to my feet to follow behind them.

Kace groans before turning a glare on Julius who raises his hands innocently. “Sorry.”

My hands go to my hips to complete the I’m-not-going-anywhere-until-you-explain look, but it loses its effect since I’m having to do it while taking quick strides.

“It’s a new event,” Kace finally answers, not looking at me. “They added a few new events to the competition this year. We’re adding them to our normal training regimen. It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?” I growl. “That means I’m even further behind than I originally thought. That’s a really big deal. I’ll come train this afternoon.”

Julius yelps after a loud slap sounds off in the air, and I tilt my head as Kace lowers his hand from the back of Julius’s head. “Jerk,” Julius mumbles, rubbing the affected portion of his hard head.

“I told you not to tell her.”

“I should be the one slapping you,” I hiss, still glaring at Kace’s back since he refuses to make eye contact with me.

“I’m not ready to see an arrow flying at you,” he says by way of explanation.

That makes me understand a little better. I’m not crazy about seeing an arrow fly at me either, but I refuse to be fear’s bitch.

“We’ll be back,” Julius chirps, stepping into the banquet hall, and all I catch is a glimpse of twenty-some men in their underwear before I turn away abruptly.

Kace snickers, and I shake my head. I’ll argue with him later.

***

ARENA

All the apples are split or speared as they fall off their swinging perches, and I smirk while lowering my bow.

“At least your aim hasn’t suffered,” Helena says dryly.

Kace and the others have been getting their physicals done for a while. How long does it take?

Kendall smiles while leaning back in the grass, and Keira walks up with her own bow. Helena grins over at her as she takes aim at the second swinging set of apples on the far right, and sure enough, all the apples fall from their swinging perches after she spears right through them with one arrow.

“You’re really stealing my thunder, Keira,” I tell her while laughing.

She smiles at me while shrugging.

“I don’t want in the competition,” she tells me. “I just like staying sharp. I used to have to shoot to survive, and now I shoot for fun.”

“Try knives,” Raven says, tossing her one.

Keira catches it midair and tosses it immediately, slapping the stump in center of the painted target. Raven whistles through her teeth, clearly impressed.

“You sure you don’t want to compete?” she asks Keira. “It’d be pretty badass to see you obliterate everyone.”

Keira just laughs while shaking her head. Kendall smiles widely over her shoulder and hops to her feet, and I turn around just as Julius nears, his face void of any expression. Kendall’s smile falls just as my heart sinks. Something’s wrong.

“What?” I prompt, running toward him.

He takes a deep breath, and he shakes his head as his horror-stricken eyes find mine. “The Inbreeders attacked the nomad market that was on its way here—just a few miles north. They… nothing is left. No… survivors,” he says on a shaky breath, and then he clears his throat. “And they left a message for us.”

My hands tremble, and I wring them nervously while Julius takes his time gathering his breath.

“What?” I ask him, prompting him to hurry.

Raven walks up beside me, her body shaking and her skin pale, as she waits as impatiently as me.

“They left a bloody note that demanded we give them one dozen of our best women—including you. All of you. They know your names. How the fuck is that possible?”

I ignore his question. “Or what?”

“They have your damn names,” he says to himself, shaking his head as though he’s in disbelief.

“Or what, Julius?” I yell.

He looks up again, and his lips thin. “Or they’ll attack more people—anyone that travels these paths and trails to seek shelter here. They’re going to stalk our every move until we give them what they want.”

I swallow hard, struggling to understand what all he just said. “What are we going to do?” I ask in a rasp whisper.

His eyes meet mine, and the fear sheds from his gaze as anger takes over. “First we’re going to locate their camp,” he says with a menacing edge that gives me chills.

“And then?” Kendall asks.

His eyes shift to meet hers, and determination pools in their depths.

“We’re going to kill all of them before they can kill anyone else.”

Chapter 2

ARENA

I push open the cabin door to find Kace putting together a bag full of weapons.

“Julius just told me what happened,” I say while moving to grab my own bag.

Kace tenses for a fleeting moment, but then resumes packing, putting his newest set of knives in the bag. “Of course he did,” he mutters under his breath, not looking up to see me.

His silence warns me of what’s to come, but I start packing anyway. He’s not going to make me—

“You’re not going, Arena,” he says softly, still packing.

He’s wearing his brown leather warrior pants and his leather weapons’ holster. Knives litter the designated slits of his harness-like, crisscrossed straps, and his quiver full of arrows rests by the door alongside his bow.

I only offer him a glance before resuming my packing. He knows better than to think he can make me stay.

“I said you’re not going,” he repeats, his voice still light, as though using a gentle tone will make it less of a command.

Still not arguing, I continue packing, putting my back to him as I toss in a few days’ worth of clothes, a canteen I’ll need to fill, and of course several weapons.

A strong hand at my elbow lets me know Kace has moved in behind me, and I suck in a sharp breath. We’ve barely touched for a month, so every little barely-there graze of skin seems to send my body into overdrive.

He pushes all the way against me—his front to my back—and he leans down until his breath is fanning my cheek, heating me through my hair. “You’re not going. I want you as far away from those psychotic sons of bitches as possible.”

I close my eyes while soaking in the feel of his body so close to mine. A month has started feeling like an eternity.

“We both know I’m going,” I say on a sigh, opening my eyes back up. “So stop trying to pick an argument that you know you won’t win. It’s the same argument Kingston, Julius, Harrison, and Johnny are having right now.”

He groans as I turn to face him, and I wrap my hands around his neck, offering him my most determined, I’m-not-backing-down-so-drop-it look. Before he can say anything—because I know he’s going to argue despite my very clear point—I pull him down and press my lips to his. Hard.

His groan turns into a growl almost instantly. Thirty-four days… Yeah, I’ve really missed this.

“Damn,” he mumbles against my lips. “We really can’t do this right now.”

I smile while hopping up, wrapping my legs around his waist, kissing him even as I grin. “I doubt either of us will last long,” I murmur, barely pulling my lips back just far enough to speak. “We have time.”

He tugs my bottom lip between his teeth, tugging it and nipping hungrily before his tongue delves into my mouth. Oh my damn, he tastes so good. My hands go to his hair, but then we’re suddenly both cursing as someone knocks at the door.

“We should get a new cabin,” I grumble, admittedly a little breathless. “One far away from the rest of the tribe.”

Kace snickers softly before releasing me and going to the door, and I lean against the dresser. Okay, so maybe I’m leaning against the dresser and pouting. But come on. He was finally kissing me like I wasn’t going to break, and some jackass is here to bring us back to reality—our twisted, morbid, dangerous reality.

“Hey,” Kace says to whoever is standing outside as he props against the door.

“Julius told the girls,” Harrison says, sounding exasperated already. I guess that means Helena has pointed out that she wasn’t staying here either.

“Yeah,” Kace drawls. “I heard.”

Harrison releases a groan that echoes the one Kace is holding back.

“Malfus wants us to wait until tomorrow morning. We have an approximate location as to where they’ll be. If we leave now, we’ll be in the heart of the woods by nightfall, and he thinks that’s too risky. So I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”

The sun is already close to setting, so I completely agree that waiting is the best idea. We’ll want to attack during the night, but traveling at night makes it easier to be ambushed. And we all know how good at setting up ambushes the Inbreeding herders are.

I shudder thinking about how close so many of us came to being a part of their cattle.

“Sounds like a plan,” Kace mumbles.

Harrison’s footsteps creak over the porch as he calls out, “See you then, Arena.”

I smirk as Kace shakes his head and closes the door, but before he can attempt to resume the argument that I don’t intend to have, I go to him and essentially attack him, jerking him down and kissing him without mercy. The door shuts on its own as his hands quickly go to my body. One tangles in my hair while the other goes under my thigh, helping me crawl up him until my legs are firmly wrapped around his waist again.

“Fuck,” he murmurs against my lips. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”

That almost has me rolling my eyes, but I’m too busy praying nothing breaks this spell. “I’ve been up for this, but you’ve been overly cautious. I’m not glass, Kace. Stop treating me like I am.”

A feral growl escapes his lips, and before I know it, I’m on my back with him between my legs, smiling against his lips as he roughly starts tugging at my pants.

“I love you,” he says between breaths as we both frantically try to touch everything all at once.

“I love you,” I return quickly, wincing when he shifts wrong. “But you really need to lose the weapons harness. Your knife handle is jabbing into my side.”

His throaty laughter vibrates through me as he pulls back. Those blue eyes stare into mine as his dark hair falls over his brow.

“That’s not my knife handle,” he says with a wink, which prompts me to laugh as I look down. It really is his knife handle, but I like seeing playful Kace back for the first time in so long. It’s something that is totally worth losing the thick seduction in the air to bits of laughter.

He gets off me, standing up, and the harness that crisscrosses over his chest and abs drops to the floor with a heavy clank. A lopsided grin graces his lips when I become embarrassingly entranced, gawking at the naked skin of his upper half without any shame. Hell, I’m acting like it’s the first time I’ve ever seen him.

And I really, really, really want to explore every inch of him like it’s the first time.

Very slowly, he undoes the top button of his pants, and I bite my bottom lip in anticipation. The tease seems to love the fact that I’m basically drenched in need, and he draws it all out, until he finally finishes unbuttoning them all the way, and pushes his pants down.

“You want to keep looking, or are you ready for me to join you?” he asks with that damn cocky smirk of his.

When I scowl at him, he slowly moves his naked, mouthwatering, perfect… um… What was I saying?

My mind goes almost blank when he’s hovering over me, teasing me by just barely keeping his body off mine.

“When are we getting married?” he asks, leaning down just far enough to brush his lips against mine.

“As soon as possible. Abigail and Mom are working on it. They’ve been waiting on the doctor to clear me, and now he has. Maybe they’ll have the details ready for us when we get back from dealing with the herders.”

He wisely doesn’t try to talk me out of it again. Instead, he finally presses himself against me, and my breath catches in my throat.

“You have on too many clothes,” he says in a low, sexy tone, teasing my lips with his.

His hands move between us as he lifts up again, and I stare at his naked body as he undoes my pants, slowly peeling them down my legs. I barely register the fact my underwear is gone as well, because I’m a little too… distracted.

“Should we save this for our wedding night?” he asks, but he damn well better be joking.

“Hell no,” I say without hesitation, eliciting a low chuckle from him as he leans back over me and starts tugging my shirt over my head.

A loud noise bellows outside the door, and Kace stills over me. Again, I hear it, this time realizing it’s a horn playing a very familiar tone.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Kace growls, standing quickly and grabbing his pants.

No. No. No. No.

“Please don’t tell me that’s what I think it is.” I groan, still half naked and abandoned on the bed.

He thrusts his legs into his pants with jerky movements, cursing the whole time.

“I wish it wasn’t, but that’s the call for an advisory meeting. I have to go since I’m one of Malfus’s advisors. But I’ll be back, and we’ll finish this.”

Grumbling, I pull the sheet over my bare lower half. He tugs on his harness that is loaded down with weapons.

“Why do you need that?”

He brushes his hair away from his forehead before picking up his bag. “We were supposed to bring all of our stuff to the stables to be packed. I got… distracted.”

He smirks over at me before reaching across me and grabbing my abandoned bag. “I’ll take yours, too.”

Horses are way too dangerous. We won’t have stealth on our side if we use them. Before I can voice that, though, Kace leans down and captures my lips in a breath-stealing kiss, and my thoughts cease to exist.

“Five minutes?” I ask hopefully, the words muffled against the kiss.

He groans as though he’s torn about what to do, but he ultimately chooses the meeting when the obnoxious horn blows again.

“I love you,” he says softly, kissing me hard one last time. “We’ll finish as soon as I get back.”

He winks while taking our bags and heading out the door, and I drop my head back to the pillow. Yawning, I settle into the bed. I shouldn’t have tried to do so much when I’m so out of shape. Now I’m exhausted.

Maybe a small nap will help me get my strength back before Kace returns from the meeting. I’ll need all the energy I can find.

Chapter 3

KACE

“What the hell?” I ask Harrison while tossing Arena’s bag under the banquet hall porch.

“Sorry, but Malfus bumped up our fake meeting horn. Meredith kept asking a lot of questions, since she assumes the girls are going. He can’t seem to lie very easily when he’s on the spot, so he called this meeting before he spoiled the plan.”

Ah, hell.

“First Julius runs his mouth like a damn girl with a juicy secret, and then Malfus can’t fend Meredith off for four hours?” I ask incredulously.

A damn month I’ve waited for Arena to be fully released from her doctor. I was finally going to get to have her—even though I was completely planning to be gentle—and now this… an early fake meeting horn.

“You look pissed,” Johnny points out, meeting us covertly on the side of the banquet hall as we wait on the others.

“I can’t imagine why,” I grumble bitterly.

“There must not have been enough time for him to finally get his girl,” Kingston says with a smirk as he walks up, his bag on his back. Then he adds, “And she’s going to be too pissed to touch him when we get back.”

Rolling my eyes, I lean against the wall. He’s right about that. She’ll be scheming up ways to serve my balls on a plate or locating good spots to bury a body. Dead or alive, I’m never getting laid again. But keeping her safe outweighs the consequences of leaving her out of the loop.

I hope.

“Think any of us will end up single after this?” Johnny asks, looking the most worried out of all of us.

Swallowing hard, I shake my head. “Hope not.” I just hope we all make it home safe enough to worry about something like that.

“What’d you do with Arena’s bag?” Kingston asks, shifting uncomfortably.

“Under the porch,” I tell him absently, glancing around for the others we’ve secretly invited. Too many would arouse suspicion, and the girls would come running out. It would also be hard to maintain the element of surprise against the inbreeding herders if we carry around a large group.

“You already dump Raven’s stuff?” I ask idly.

Again, he shifts uncomfortably. “Not exactly. I’ll explain later, but I’m a little worried about that becoming single thing.”

I almost question him before my thoughts are interrupted.

“How’d you get out without making Keira suspicious?” Harrison asks Johnny.

“It wasn’t too hard. Her sister has a bad case of poison ivy rash, so she’s taking care of her. She came home with it shortly after Keira and I argued about her staying here. Then Harrison came around to put plan B into action, and she went back to seeing after Izzy.”

I always forget about Keira’s sister. She’s quiet and shy, and she intentionally flies under the radar. It’s as though she wants to be forgotten most of the time. Years of living in the shadows has taken its toll on both of them.

“Plan B wouldn’t have been implemented if Julius wasn’t a big mouth dumbass,” Harrison grumbles under his breath.

“That hurts.” Julius’s voice comes quietly from beside us, drawing our attention.

He really isn’t the least bit offended. That’s Julius.

While walking by him, I slap him on the back of the head. Hard.

“What the fuc—”

“Shh!” we all hiss in unison, interrupting the loud, rhetorical question Julius should know the answer to.

“That’s for telling the girls,” I growl in a whisper, checking around the side of the banquet hall, waiting for my stepfather to do his part and cover us long enough to slip out undetected.

Then I see what’s holding him up, and I groan inwardly as I listen in on the loud, annoying mistake I once made.

“I just need to talk to him for a minute, and it’s rare that he’s not with her or training,” Ebony tells my stepfather.

Julius stifles a laugh when he hears her growing louder as well.

She tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder as she pins Joe with a determined glare. She’s on the top of my list of regrets. Especially right now, damn it.

“He’s in a meeting, Ebony. What do you want me to tell you? It’s a chief advisory meeting.”

She glances over at the massive banquet hall—not this particular section, thankfully—before redirecting her attention to Joe. Malfus really is in the banquet hall. The curtains are drawn, the candles are lit for the faux meeting, and there are men posing as us and casting shadows for the girls to see.

Yes. We’re that thorough. We have to be if we’re going to be able to stay with the most stubborn women ever born. I love Arena for her fight, but because I love her, I also refuse to fucking let her die just because she can’t walk away from a fight.

Joe misled everyone when he marked this section off-limits during the meeting to keep our secret a secret, and now he’s enforcing it against the determined blonde who doesn’t understand the word no.

“Will you at least let me know when the meeting is over? First, I mean. I just need to speak with Kace for a few minutes. I’m not sure how much longer Kingston is going to allow us to stay here, and I need to know if there’s a way I can…”

Her voice trails off as Joe leads her away, but he casts a glower over his shoulder, his eyes meeting mine as he curses me silently for the hell he’s enduring.

“She’s fucking with our schedule,” Kingston grumbles. “So damn glad you’re her obsession instead of me.”

As if I don’t hate myself enough right now.

“At least I didn’t almost marry her,” I remind him, turning back around as the gate creaks open just barely. It’s almost time.

“I should have thanked you for ruining that,” he tells me with a wicked grin that has me struggling not to laugh.

He once hated me for that, and now he hates her as much as I do. Both of us pity her and hate her in equal parts.

Several more men join us in our pathetic hiding spot before I can comment, and the bonfire is lit on the far side of the camp for the makeshift lie Joe is going to have to forge on his own. Not everyone can come because it’s just too damn risky.

Finally, the rest of our group joins us—thirty-seven men in all. Of them, a vaguely familiar face stands out. I only requested our strongest warriors, and Kingston only requested his. So why the hell is he here?

“Who invited you?” I ask the guy.

He meets my eyes without the reservation that most show me. I don’t usually try to intimidate anyone outside of competition, but it still tends to happen. But he doesn’t look the least bit rattled by my presence.

“I heard what you were doing and invited myself. I can fight. And I hate herders.”

I purse my lips, but it’d be stupid to leave him behind if he knows we’re sneaking out. He might tell someone. However, I really don’t like having someone I don’t know well enough to trust. Not on a mission this dangerous.

“Your name?”

He still holds my gaze without waver. “It’s Carter.”

“It’s too late to leave him behind now,” Kingston says low enough for only me to hear.

Shit. I really fucking hate surprises.

“It’s time,” I whisper as the flames rise higher and all eyes focus on Joe.

Everyone follows me as I lead us through the small space from the cracked-open gate. I nod toward George, the man who is on gate duty, and he nods back from his high perch before directing his attention toward the bonfire distraction.

As soon as we’re out of the gate, I hear a loud smack from behind me, and I turn around just as Julius curses and rubs the back of his head.

“What the hell?” he hisses, glaring at Kingston.

“That’s less than you deserve. You have no idea what I had to do in order to keep Raven here. What the hell were you thinking telling them about the herders?”

Julius scowls as we all head toward the trail. It’ll take us a few hours to reach the first spot where our scouts spotted their scouts. They’re smart enough not to camp too close. From there, Spider will have to help us track them.

“I wasn’t thinking. I was in shock, and I spared them the whole truth. Cut me some slack. I only assumed the girls would find out anyway. They’re better fighters than some of our men. Hell, Keira can kick anyone’s ass in the tribe.”

He’s right about that. For a tiny, fragile looking thing, Keira is lethal.

“They’ll kill men,” Carter—the uninvited tag-along—says. “But they’ll do far worse to women. I support the decision to leave them behind.”

Still don’t trust him. Just like I don’t trust anyone I don’t know.

Julius grimaces when Carter’s words sink in, and the dark-haired man slinks back into the pack, almost disappearing.

“What do we know about him?” I ask Kingston.

He glances over his shoulder before returning his attention straight ahead, keeping stride beside me as he continues our whispered conversation. “We picked him up on our way to your tribe. He was wounded, and we were empathetic, given our own circumstances. Other than that, not much. He tries to lie low, and he mostly seems like a loner.”

A loner doesn’t usually join in on a suicide mission.

That thought has me wincing. If I don’t come back, the last thing I will have ever done with my girl is lie to her. Fuck.

“Helena is going to kill me,” Harrison says suddenly, unaware of our conversation as he joins me at my other side.

“We’re all dead,” Kingston says, laughing bitterly. “Doesn’t matter how noble our intentions are, they’ll all be too pissed to care by the time we return.”

If we return.

Anything that was about to come out of my mouth dies in my throat when an off-key, annoying, ear-killing voice begins singing some song.

“We are never, ever, ever getting back tog—” Julius stops singing when we all turn to glare at him. “What?” he asks innocently. “Kendall found an old journal with sheet music and lyrics in one of our archives.”

Rolling my eyes, I turn back around, and Harrison continues speaking as though Julius hasn’t returned to his singing.

“I had to convince Helena we were taking horses even though she struggled to believe it. Damn girl is smart enough to know horses are too loud for a mission of stealth.”

I’m shocked Arena didn’t point that out, but then again, I did spend a lot of time distracting her. We were both worked up and not thinking clearly by the time I managed to duck out of the cabin. Stupid fucking horn. I could have still taken her if I had known how long it would have been before we actually left.

“Yeah, well, Raven didn’t believe it. She knew I was lying. I’m a terrible damn liar,” Kingston groans, cracking his neck to the side.

That rouses my curiosity. “Then how’d you manage to get out without her following you?” I ask him.

He sighs and shakes his head, looking truly worried about something.

“I panicked and did something really, really, really stupid.”

“What?” Harrison prompts, clearly as intrigued as I am.

Kingston scrubs his face with his hand before muttering, “It’s bad.”

Confused, I continue, “We all had to lie. How bad can it possibly be?”

“Kace!” a voice rings out, and I cringe before slowing down long enough to turn and see Ebony chasing behind us with a bag on her back and a bow, too. Son of a bitch.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I growl.

Julius groans when he spots her as well, and Spider jogs up beside me while Ebony struggles to catch up.

“I’ll run ahead and leave white stones to mark the trail. They’ll be easy to spot in the dark,” Spider tells me, eyeing Ebony once more. “I’ll meet up with you when I locate their camp. Two miles ahead is the silent zone, so get all the chitchat out before then.”

I nod, even though I’m distracted. Ebony finally catches up, and Kingston steps to the side so she can get entirely too close. I scowl over at him, but he just covers his smile with his hand.

Bastard.

“You might need my help. I’m a tracker,” she says breathlessly.

“We have Spider,” I grumble, looking up to see… How the hell did Spider already disappear from sight?

“I can still help. And if you send me back, I’ll go tell the others that you’re sneaking off to fight the herders without them.”

A few ooohs ring out when she starts fighting dirty.

“Fine. Join the back of the group,” I bite out through clenched teeth.

She doesn’t budge. “I think I’d rather stay at your side. I don’t know anyone else.”

Worst fucking trip ever.

Kingston takes Harrison’s spot on my other side, and he leans over to whisper, “I thought I was the one in the most trouble. Turns out, I won’t look so bad once Arena finds out about this.”

Chapter 4

ARENA

Water flowing backwards, blue fireflies, dead flowers, fish jumping onto land… Bright, blinding purple and blue lights explode, knocking me backwards as gravity works fervently against me, pushing me to the ground as the invisible weight settles on my chest. Breathe. I can’t breathe. I just keep falling… falling… stuck. I can’t breathe. I have to breathe.

“Wake up!” Helena’s voice breaks me out of my dream just as a harsh breath breaks into my lungs, strangling me with the sudden abundance of the oxygen I was deprived of only seconds ago.

Shaking and coughing, I realize Helena’s hands are on my shoulders, and I’m on the floor. What… the… hell?

“Sheesh, Arena. You scared the unholy hell out of me. What were you dreaming?”

Everything is such a blur right now. “I… I don’t know,” I tell her honestly, but my fingers tingle with the lingering effects of my very physically exerting dream.

She leans back as I sit up, and I clutch my head that is aching. I must have hit the ground hard. How did that not wake me up?

“The guys ditched us,” she says as she stands, dusting her pants off as she adjusts her weapons harness over her shirt.

Still dazed, it takes me a second to process that. When I finally do, I shake my head in protest. “No. They’re just in a meeting. It should be over with soon.”

She gives me a look that says I’m wrong, but I know I’m right.

“They’re not in the banquet hall, Arena. Keira did recon to find out what the plan was going to be, but it turns out that those jackasses set up a sham of an advisory meeting to play us. Grab your stuff. We need to get Kendall and Raven.”

Fury sweeps in, and my teeth grind. I’m so kicking his ass.

Scrambling up from the floor, I start tossing clothes around. That asshole also took my bag. What did he do with it? Obviously it isn’t strapped to any damn horses.

“Can we catch up?” I ask, shoving my legs into a pair of pants.

“If we run and take a few shortcuts, then we might. Keira says she can guide us through the woods. The guys would have taken the trails.”

After I finally get dressed and pack my backup bag—cursing the whole time, of course—and then my weapons. Oh no. I packed my weapons earlier.

“Damn. All my knives, hatchets, whips… everything but my bow and arrows was packed in my original bag that Kace took. Any idea what happened to it?”

She shakes her head. “Harrison took mine as well. But fortunately I have a key to the weapons shed. We’ll restock there, and then we’ll help the boys kill the herders. Then we’ll kill the boys.”

Sounds like a plan to me. Especially that last part.

As I throw my bag over my shoulder, Helena picks hers up from my floor. Together, we walk out, and she says, “Raven is going to kill Kingston. We all wanted another shot at the herders after what they did to us, but they killed Raven’s family—her nomad family. She needed this. How could they just leave us behind?”

I love it when Helena gets pissed. It makes me feel justified for being pissed instead of leaving me feeling immature.

“They left us behind to keep us safe,” I grumble. “I’m sick of them thinking we need them to protect us from the big bad world.”

Before she can comment, Kendall comes running up, a litany of curses stringing from her lips. Good—Kendall’s pissed, too.

“He lied right to my face, and I didn’t even know it,” she growls, her arms waving dramatically through the air as though she’s using them to… hell, I don’t know, but it’s comical.

“What’s going on?” Mom’s voice has me spinning on my heel, and I swallow hard. Shit. Malfus and Mom will never let us out of here.

“We’re… looking for… Raven,” Helena says, making it sound like a terrible lie even though it’s not. She lies better than she tells the truth, apparently.

Keira walks up, looking between us and our very suspicious mother. “Raven’s not at the bonfire.”

Abigail calls for mom, thankfully, and even though Mom is still leery of our small congregation, she walks over to her, leaving us to our issue. I’m just glad she never asked why we’re wearing our weapons and bags. Then again, maybe she didn’t want to know.

“I can’t believe I fell for Johnny’s lie about needing to take the bags to pack down the horses,” Keira groans. “I know better, but I was distracted with Izzy. It wasn’t until later that I started questioning him and the weird hay-stack barrier Joe tried setting up around the banquet hall.”

“Harrison can’t lie. He’s horrible at it. How did I fall for his crap?” Helena adds.

Kendall, Helena, and Keira all turn to me and stare expectantly. Sighing hard, I hold my hands up by my sides. “I’ve been off my game for a month. And Kace is really good at… distracting me.”

They all roll their eyes, and we start walking toward Raven and Kingston’s cabin. If she’s not at the bonfire, then maybe she fell asleep, too.

I knock on the door, but no one answers.

“What was that?” Keira asks, but I don’t know what she’s talking about. All I can hear are the people talking animatedly around the bonfire that is just a few hundred feet away.

I knock again, and Keira presses her ear against the door. Confused, I tilt my head, but suddenly she moves back and kicks—yes, kicks—the door open. What the…

My eyes move to the bed that is off to the side of the one-room cabin, and they almost pop out of my damn head. On the bed, Raven is tied down and gagged, writhing restlessly as she squeals around the cloth tied in her mouth.

I’m torn between being horrified and amused. Her arms and legs are strung up by ropes, each tied to one of the four posts nearest to them. Thank God her clothes are still on.

Kendall looks torn between laughing and gasping as she starts untying Raven’s right leg, and Helena does laugh as she goes to untie the left. Keira and I take separate arms, and the second her limbs are freed, Raven jerks away from us and rips the gag out of her mouth.

“He’s so fucking dead,” she growls, leaping up from the bed and grabbing a bag from the floor—an already packed bag. Apparently Kingston didn’t bother stealing her stuff since he tied her up and gagged her.

Glad Kace just stole my bag.

“Why did he tie you up?” Kendall asks, unable to hide her mocking grin as Raven grabs a pair of boots and starts tugging them on with angry, jerky movements.

“Because I didn’t fall for his ludicrous lie. I mean seriously, who would?”

We all fidget uncomfortably, and Raven studies us for a moment before saying, “Really? You all fell for it? Unbelievable.”

After clearing my throat, I ask, “How did he manage to get you tied down? I know he’s strong, but surely you could have fended him off for long enough to… um… not end up like you were.”

Wow. The look she tosses at me could make an army shrivel in fear.

“That’s not… He… I… I didn’t realize that’s why he was tying me up.”

Her cheeks blush a very bright shade of red, and Kendall coughs on air when she tries to choke back a laugh. It takes me a second to catch up, but when I do, I’m forced to smother my own laugh with my hand.

“You probably shouldn’t be judging us for falling for the lie,” Keira says with a daring smirk. “You just allowed your boyfriend to tie you up so he could escape.”

She fidgets awkwardly while standing and tossing a few knives into her harness.

“Raven?” Keira prompts, trying desperately not to laugh.

“Fine!” she snaps. “We… do this sort of thing on… occasion. So I didn’t think it was odd when he wanted to before we left.” As we all bite back our laughter, her embarrassment turns to fury. “He tied me up, started to kiss me, and then… that damned horn blew, and he froze. I swear he turned pale, and he said, ‘I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me.’ Then he ran away. Literally ran. Bastard.”

I can’t hold back the burst of laughter, and the other girls break out in laughing hysterics as well. Raven scowls at all of us as she storms out with her bag and weapons strapped to her, leaving the remnants of her dignity behind. We follow her out, still snickering.

“Shut up,” she hisses behind her, only making our giggles more ridiculous.

“Still trying to wrap my head around you being tied up and enjoying it,” Keira says, snorting on her laughter this time.

You’d think this was a normal day and that we weren’t supposed to be silent as we attempt to sneak out.

“It’s not that weird,” Raven growls, her back turned to us, but I can see the blush creeping up her neck as her ponytail sways.

We stop snickering and whispering when we near the gate. With the bonfire going on, no one is paying much attention to us. I scowl at the fake meeting going on behind the curtains of the banquet hall. The silhouettes posing as our men don’t realize we know the truth.

It’s already dark. Trekking through the woods at night isn’t ideal, but it’s not as though we have a choice. And I’d follow Keira anywhere. She knows exactly how to stay alert and on the move. She can also navigate her way through the thick of any forestry—day or night.

To my surprise, the gate is already cracked open. “What’s going on?” I whisper to Keira. She only smiles as we sneak through the crack and away from the fortress we call home.

“George owes me a favor, so he’s giving us the same head-start that he gave the boys.”

“Do I want to know what favor?” Helena asks.

“Do you want the dirty details of his pre-courtship woodland romp he had with a girl whose father would chop him into a thousand pieces without batting an eye? Because I can give you the mental image that is now forever seared into my brain. Not good. Not good at all.”

Helena shakes her head quickly, and Keira laughs lightly while nodding. “Didn’t think so.”

We reach the edge of the woods on the far side of the enormous wall that surrounds the tribal grounds. Reality sinks in quickly, and seriousness drenches the air that held laughter only seconds ago.

“Alright,” Keira says as she steps into the even darker darkness, “everyone ready?”

We nod, our bodies still lit by the glow of the moon.

“I’ll tie a line to my back, and each person will hold onto it. Do not tie it to yourself, or we’ll all fall if one does. We’ll stay in a single-file line until we reach the trail. If anyone needs to slow down, please don’t yell. Just tug the string firmly, and I’ll know to slow my pace.”

Raven steps up just as Keira hands her a long piece of rope from her bag, and she helps Keira tie the rope to the back of her pants. I shrug on a jacket and tie it into place even though it’s warm. I’d rather not get shredded while running through the thick briar patches.

“Be prepared to shun them even when they beg for forgiveness,” Raven growls, shrugging on her own jacket.

We all layer up, pulling on our hoods, and then we wrap our faces with scarves until only our eyes are showing. It doesn’t take but a few minutes before each of us is holding the rope, and Keira asks, “Ready?”

She doesn’t waste time waiting for an answer before she starts sprinting, and we all rush to join in, clinging to the rope with large gaps between our bodies to prevent us from running over each other.

I hiss when a row of briars finds its way through the leather of my pants. Fortunately, the leather prevents them from doing enough damage to slow me down, and we continue on with our wicked pace that Keira has set.

The leaves barely rattle under our feet because they barely grace the ground before they move again. Damn she’s fast. If we manage to keep this pace, we’ll catch up with them within an hour. They only have a little over a two-hour jump on us.

Raven stumbles, but quickly regains her footing behind me, and I follow directly behind Keira as she ducks and dodges the branches in our way. Fortunately, the woods are mostly clear of the usual brush, due to heavy animal activity around here. Unfortunately, that could also mean we might run into some large predators.

Keira’s head is constantly moving from side to side, as though she’s scanning the area for such threats. I feel like I barely know her right now, because she’s not the shy, timid girl she normally appears to be. She’s a relentless force on a mission right now. And she remains that way for the solid hour of heart-racing running.

Hushed voices close by draw our attention, and Keira stops abruptly. I, however, don’t have brakes quite as good as hers, and I stumble, trip, and fall out of line, barely stopping in time to keep from tumbling down a massive drop that slants ever so slightly.

Before I can relax, there’s suddenly a body colliding with mine, and my breath leaves in a whoosh as I become entangled with Raven. We both become a mess of limbs and squeals as we flip and fall over the edge, and yells follow our drop from the ground and above us. Shit. Shit Shit.

***

KACE

“Dammit, Ebony, I’m marrying Arena. I’d already be married to her if she hadn’t been hurt. Get the hell over it!” I whisper/growl. When will the relentless girl get a fucking clue?

She frowns, but her determination doesn’t waver. “I don’t see what you see in her. She’s selfish, judgmental, arrogant, and—”

“Don’t, just don’t,” I snarl, scowling at her. “She’s not selfish. At all. She’d die today to save our tribe, which is why I worked so damn hard to leave her behind tonight. She’s not judgmental—well, not so much anymore. She’s evolving, and so am I. And we’re doing it together. She’s not arrogant; she’s confident. There’s a very distinct difference, and her confidence is one of the many things I love about her.”

Christ. Take a hint. Ebony’s insecure, desperate attempts to get me back, even though I want nothing to do with her, are driving me out of my motherfucking mind.

I realize it’s my own fault for ever doing anything with her at all, but damn. She needs to let the past die already. Arena is going to snap when she learns Ebony tagged along after I left her behind. Maybe we can drop her in a market somewhere and ditch her. That will win back my girl’s favor, and she might forgive me for ditching her if I rid us of the blonde nightmare.

As my mind plots, Ebony reaches over and loops her arm through mine. Quickly, I shrug her off me, and Julius coughs back a laugh before averting his eyes from mine. No one bothers to help with the clingy nuisance.

Ebony starts to speak, but I shush her as leaves crunching lightly above us draws my attention.

“Hear that?” I whisper to Julius, moving away from Ebony who wisely doesn’t try to follow.

My eyes drift up the long hillside on our left, following it up to the woods. The trail we’re on cuts right between the woods, leaving a path for carriages and horses. But we’re surrounded by forestry, and that’s the high ground. I really fucking hope we haven’t just walked into an ambush.

Everyone draws their weapons, and I take aim just as the crunching above grows scattered and louder, as though someone is falling or fighting, and then I hear a shrill squeal before two dark silhouettes start tumbling down, tangled up in each other as they fall head over feet.

Several more girly squeals erupt just as I hear girls from above yelling—familiar girls.

Julius sprints to the hillside, sword drawn, but he immediately drops it when he hears the same voices I do, and he attempts to catch the spiraling, flopping duo that crash into him before I can even move to help.

He falls backwards—very hard—and lands in a heap with both girls on him, three bodies entangled in the night, and Julius groans hoarsely.

“My fucking balls,” he says through heavy, pained strain, and I’m fairly sure every man shifts in pain with him. Damn.

“Julius?” a very, very familiar voice says, and my eyes narrow on the dark figure I’m going to strangle. Then kiss. Then strangle again.

“Arena?” he asks in a rasp, still pained grunt.

“Sorry,” she says through a laugh—a fucking laugh—while standing up. Does she not realize this is not a time for laughter?

The other body moves as well, and she walks close enough for me to see her under the moonlight. Raven.

“Oh shit,” Kingston says in a breath, moving behind me like he’s trying to hide.

“Oh hell no,” Raven growls, practically running toward us, and I move out of the way as I stalk toward my girl—my stubborn, unrelenting, fearless fiancée who I should have probably tied to a tree to keep her at home.

Kingston escapes Raven’s wrath by running toward the hillside where the other girls are slowly climbing down. This is going to get ugly. This is supposed to be a silent zone. We don’t know how close we’re getting.

“I really am sorry,” Arena tells Julius, still laughing as though this shit is funny.

“It’s fine,” he lies, coughing to keep from crying most likely. “You mostly just destroyed the left nut. Never been as attached to it as I am the right one.”

Now that’s a little funny, but I refuse to laugh. I’m too busy glaring into the darkness at the girl who is determined to give me an ulcer.

Arena looks up just as I near, and I ready myself for the fight of the century. I’ve already been working out a perfect argument. It might take some serious effort, but—

My thought process is interrupted when Arena reaches me and jumps up to wrap her arms around my neck. Her lips slam against mine, and considering I’ve wanted to touch her for so damn long, I don’t hesitate to drop my sword and roughly hold her tighter, kissing her back like a man full of passion rather than angry fear. Christ, I love the hell out of her, and she uses it against me to drive me out of my damn mind.

Her tongue sweeps in, leaving no time for breaths or questions, and I kiss her harder as Julius yelps in pain for some reason.

“Damn, woman! I did it to protect you,” I hear him argue.

“I don’t need protection, you asshole. I need revenge, and I want to be with you. You might need my protection,” Kendall barks.

Too loud. They’re being too loud.

Reluctantly—very, very reluctantly—I break off the kiss with Arena to whisper, “Voices down. Silent zone.”

Kendall’s scowl can be seen under the moonlight, but Arena pulls my face back to her to kiss me again. She tastes too good for me to fight her.

When her legs wrap around my waist and her hot center presses against me, I groan. I’d rather be buried deep inside her instead of on display in front of all our men. And I’m still waiting on the berating she’s sure to deliver. No way is this kiss anything but a quick, misleading prelude to the ungodly hell she’s preparing to unleash on me.

“I love you,” she mumbles against my lips, just as Johnny grunts and falls to the ground beside us, his body hitting my leg and forcing me to stagger.

“Remember the fact that I was trained like a mercenary the next time you want to run off and attempt to get yourself killed,” Keira hisses, keeping her voice soft but her words threatening.

I actually hear Johnny swallow hard, and I peel my lips away from Arena’s again. I’d rather go ahead and just get the fight over with.

“They’re camped out twelve miles down this path.” Spider’s voice has me snapping my head up and dropping Arena to the ground. She turns to face him just as he walks in from the shadows.

Damn. He’s already gone twelve miles both ways? I really underestimate him.

“Any scouts?” I ask him, tugging Arena’s back to my front in case she tries to kick me, slap me, possibly turn around and knee me in the crotch when her senses return.

“They had three, but I took care of them. All three confirmed that they had to check in by midday tomorrow before anyone noticed them missing. I assume we’ll attack before then?”

His eyes flick around at the group that has grown since he was last with us. Now I don’t have any choice but to bring Arena and try to figure out a way to keep her far, far away from the herders.

“So that means we aren’t in a silent zone?” Raven asks.

Spider answers with a shrug. “No. Not real—”

“You asshole!” Raven yells, interrupting Spider the second she hears no. Then she lunges at Kingston who doesn’t manage to dodge her knee to his stomach.

Air hisses through his teeth as he drops to the ground, and he groans as he tries to catch his breath.

“Glad I’m not the only one getting hit,” Julius quips, though he still sounds as though he’s in pain.

“You tied me to the bed and just left me like that?! It took two hours for me to be found!” Raven yells, not holding back now that she knows we’re twelve miles out.

My jaw drops, and Arena actually snickers. How did he get her tied up?

“It’s always the ones you least suspect,” Julius says with a devilish grin, but his grin disappears when Kendall slaps him across the chest, reminding him that she’s still furious with him.

Harrison is arguing with Helena, both of them heatedly telling the other why they’re right. Keira is pointing out how much better with every weapon she is than Johnny. Which is true. But Johnny isn’t at risk to suffering a much worse fate than death. Of all the women here, Keira is the most aware of the stakes involved.

“Keira,” I start, but she quickly stares me down. I’m probably the only guy out here whose ass she couldn’t kick, but she’s never seen me fight any other way but the warrior way, so she feels she has the upper hand. “You know what they’ll do if they catch you. Men risk death. Women risk worse.”

Her shoulders drop, and she takes a step back as though she’s finally digesting the full amount of the grim details this mission entails. But it’s not enough to make her admit they shouldn’t be here.

“For too long I’ve heard of women suffering at the hands of men like this. You saved me from that life. I want to save others. It’s my duty. As much as I hate killing and fighting, I hate men like this even more. I’m going, Kace. End of discussion. Try to stop me, and I’ll remind you why I’m such a strong ally.”

That has me biting back a grin, because every guy standing close takes about five steps back, as though they’re making sure she doesn’t demonstrate on them.

“I think it’s pointless to argue about this now. We need to be moving,” I say on a sigh, then my eyes move down to Arena. “Speaking of arguing... Go ahead and get it out of your system.”

She looks up at me, and my breath catches. The scarf around her neck dangles loosely, leaving her skin exposed, and I contemplate taking her away from everyone and making her scream. Shit. I can’t ever think straight around her.

“I actually had a big speech planned,” she says, letting go of a harsh breath. “I’m not thrilled that I was left behind, but I understand why you did it. If I didn’t know how much better we are together than apart, then I would have stayed behind just to put your mind at ease. But we are better together, much, much better.”

What? Who the hell is this girl?

While I stumble for words, she continues, “I almost died, Kace. An inch to the right, left, higher, lower… It was almost all ripped away from us. I don’t blame you for wanting to keep me safe. But I can’t hide behind the walls just because of the ifs out there. And I refuse to waste time being angry over petty things.”

Damn. I was completely and totally prepared for an argument. I almost wish she would fight with me so I can use the masterful speech I had lined up.

I start to kiss her, when suddenly her eyes widen, and she looks around me, seeing something that has steam figuratively rolling out of her ears. Oh shit. How could I have forgotten about Ebony?

“Okay,” Arena says slowly, her eyes narrowing on the blonde before her scowl returns to me. “Now I’m pissed.”

I take it back; I don’t want to fight with her. At all. Especially not about this.

“I can explain,” I grumble, moving her away from the group and off to the side while she crosses her arms over her chest.

“I can’t wait to hear this explanation of yours.”

Damn. This is not going to be pretty.

“She followed us. I don’t know how she figured it out, but she did, and she followed us out. Then she threatened to tell everyone we had left if we didn’t take her with us. I didn’t have a choice.”

Arena relaxes ever so slightly, but then she turns toward Ebony, who of course is watching us.

“She’s a stalker bitch,” Arena says through a snarl.

I choke back my laughter while nodding. “I won’t disagree with you.”

She starts to move, but I grab her by the waist and pull her to me. Ebony will end up a bloody mess if Arena gets ahold of her.

“Why are you holding me back?” Arena growls, struggling against me, but I’ve learned how to restrain her without ending up a victim.

“Because I love you and don’t want you to accidentally kill someone,” I drawl, smiling when she stops fighting me.

She works really hard not to smile, but it’s impossible.

Turning in my arms, she pulls me down, and I don’t hesitate to lean in and kiss her. Hard. I kiss her as though no one else is around, and if they weren’t around, we’d be doing a hell of a lot more than kissing right now.

“We should probably start moving out,” Julius says, laughing then groaning when he most likely feels the pain still resonating in his groin.

I pity him.

As much as I don’t want to stop kissing my girl, I know he’s right about needing to be moving. If Arena has to be here, at least she’s not pissed at me.

***

ARENA

How can I hate one person as much as I hate Ebony?

My eyes move over my shoulder, and I catch a glimpse of her blonde hair in the night. She’s done well to avoid me since we joined the group over two hours ago. Our jogging pace has turned into more of a run. Kace wants to attack before daybreak, and I’m so out of shape that I’m actually working really, really hard not to double over and heave for air. But I refuse to give Ebony the thrill of seeing me in pain.

“We’ll rest for twenty and pick the pace back up after we’ve hydrated,” Kace announces, and I almost scowl at him. He doesn’t sound winded at all. Despite my best efforts, I sound like dying cat who is gasping for air when I go to collapse to the ground.

“You okay?” he asks, concern etched in his voice as he drops to the ground beside me and pushes my hair away from my face.

Great. I’m sweating like crazy, too.

“I’m frigging perfect,” I groan, letting my head hit the lush grass that is covering the ground on the side of the trail. The forest has forced the path to turn narrow, so the grassy area is thin. The rest is a beaten path carved out over centuries of people traveling this trail.

He chuckles lightly while handing me the canteen from my discarded bag. But quickly his laughter fades, and I feel his serious face without seeing it.

“I want you with the archery line instead of with the foot soldiers. There will be ten of you. All of the women will be on the archery line. And before you argue, your aim is impeccable. You’d serve a greater purpose there than anywhere else.”

My mind goes to a really dark place. Ebony might somehow get in my way, and my arrow could always go off course and take her out once and for all.

I can blame it on the wind.

No. No. No. Damn it. I can’t.

“Sure,” I say, knowing damn well that’s the only way around an argument. I’ll do his archery line unless he needs me in the fight. Then I’ll be at his side.

“Sure? Why do I feel this is all too easy?”

My eyebrows cock up, and I angle my head so I can see him better. “Would you prefer me to go back to being less agreeable?”

He snorts derisively while shaking his head, and then he bends lower until he has his body angled and hovering over mine.

“No. I just feel like I’m getting played.”

Because you are. I’ve learned that it’s much easier to ask for forgiveness as opposed to permission. Besides, I’ve never been too keen on asking for permission anyway.

“How much longer do we have before the rest is over?” I ask in deflection, and his eyes narrow even more.

“A few minutes. Arena, tell me you’ll stay with the archers.”

“I’ll stay with the archers,” I comply. Well, verbally I’m compliant. I have no intentions of being so agreeable when the fight comes.

Unfortunately, Kace is all too aware of how my mind works, and I think he’s possibly plotting a way to keep me back with the archers. As usual, we’re both stubborn enough to try and outwit the other just to get our way. He thinks he’s right, but I know I’m right.

“Ready?” Spider asks, interrupting the scrutinizing glare Kace is giving me.

“Yeah,” Kace says absently, his eyes still trained on me, and I know for a fact he doesn’t believe a word I’m saying.

He stands first, and then he pulls me to my feet. I feel even more tired now than before we rested.

That’s when we hear the stir in the woods, and Kace whirls around with his sword in hand. I pull my bow up, already loading an arrow, when we hear the first howl into the night. My blood stills in my veins. Shit.

“That’s not good,” Spider says under his breath, spinning daggers in his hands that I never saw him unsheathe.

Several more bone-chilling howls erupt into the night, and Kace curses.

“If we kill them, they’ll stop howling, and it’s possible their howls are reaching the damn herders. They’ll know someone is close,” he growls.

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll pass us without notice,” Julius whispers hopefully.

The rustling in the woods gets louder, the howls get closer, and thirty-plus people going unnoticed by a pack wolves becomes more and more unlikely with each ticking second.

A shadow catches my eye, and I turn to face it, just as numerous other shadows dart around us.

“Fuck!” Kace spews before I hear the thud, and something wet sprays against my face.

The smell is enough to tell me I’m wearing blood, and another thud follows as a figure drops to the ground.

A damn wolf. One that crept in with stealth, and I never even saw it close enough to strike.

The shadows growl from a distance, but none are attacking.

“Form a circle. Eyes on the woods,” Kace says in a loud, commanding voice.

“That one was a fluke,” Spider says from somewhere close by. “They’ll see their outnumbered. They’ll wait for easy prey. Wolves are smart.”

“I’d rather be cautious,” Kace whispers.

He grabs my waist, pulling me to him as he backs us up with the rest of the group. Our circle is too big—too many people to squeeze in without getting too close to the trees. But the shadows attack before we can regroup, and my held arrow flies through the air.

A yelp resonates from in front of me as the wolf crashes to the ground, the moonlight shining down on his light gray fur that is now stained with blood.

“They shouldn’t be doing this,” Spider says through strain as he launches a large dagger. It slices through the air until I hear another yelp.

I pull another arrow back, keeping my eyes ahead and trusting the ones beside me to handle anything coming in from the other sides. People filter into the center to allow the ones of us on the outside to move closer, getting away from the dangerous edge of the woods.

Harrison is on my left, his bow drawn. I really hope his aim has improved. Helena is beside him, and I can hear her crossbow arrows whizzing through the air. Yelps continue to ring out as others take out the wolves, but one garbled cry of human pain forces me to cringe.

“Push him to the middle,” Julius says from somewhere close.

It’s so damn dark, and the wolves are nothing but dark silhouettes attacking us for no reason. Spider is right; this is messed up. They shouldn’t be attacking.

Another yelp sounds out from close to my side, and I hear Harrison’s harsh exhale being shakily released.

“Too close,” Helena says.

Shit.

“Arena!” Kace yells, prompting my eyes to move straight ahead again, and barely in time to release my arrow into the chest of a wolf.

Air hisses through Kace’s teeth, and tears sting my eyes from a sharp, searing sensation on my arm. A warm stream trickles down my forearm, tickling and burning at the same time.

Arrows continue buzzing through the air, just as swords and daggers continue to slice. I don’t lose focus again, because I’m still paying for the stupid slip up. My arm feels like it’s on fire as I continue to pull arrows from my quiver, shooting in rapid succession at any twitch in the night, leaving nothing to chance.

Finally, the final few shadows yelp and scatter, scrambling back into the woods as everyone shudders. That was crazy.

“How bad is it?” Kace asks, turning toward me and tilting my head back.

“I’m fine,” I lie. He’ll send me back. Hell, he’ll probably have someone carry me back—bound and gagged better than I found Raven earlier.

He blows out a breath while taking my arm, and I wince before I can stop myself. “You’re a terrible liar,” he mutters under his breath.

I’m better at lying when I’m not in pain.

“Kace, it’ll be fine. It’s just a flesh wound.” A deep, painfully agonizing, hot-needles-shooting-up-my-arm flesh wound. But he sure as hell doesn’t need to know that.

“Damn it, Arena. I can’t see it without light, and we can’t risk lighting anything.”

“Don’t worry,” I say while holding back a whimper. “I’ll medicate it and wrap it up.”

“We have one we need to get back to the Shaylan,” Julius says, drawing Kace’s attention.

“I’ll tend to him,” Kingston says to Kace, and I glare at him through the darkness—although he’s nothing more than another silhouette. It’s as though the moon has decided to hide behind the clouds now, making it all the darker out here. You can only see something when it’s almost right in front of you.

“Arena, I want you to—”

“Don’t,” I groan. “Don’t try sending me back because I barely got struck by the claws,” I say, downplaying the damage I feel but can’t fully see.

“I feel the blood running down your arm,” he growls.

“I feel fine. I just need my medicine and a clean wrap. I have both in my bag.”

Before he can argue, I shoulder past him, grimacing when the impact forces me to tense, and that action makes my skin tighten around the already painful wound. I really hope I don’t need stitches. At some point, I need to learn to sew so that I can stitch myself up.

“Why would they attack?” Spider asks, distracting Kace, but only for a second.

He kneels beside me after I pull out my medicine, and he rips my jacket sleeve up my arm, making room for treatment. Then he starts unwinding some of the sterile bandaging I’ve brought. I’m always prepared for injuries these days. And I’m getting sick of it paying off.

I start smearing the medicine over my arm, but the cuts are apparently deep, and the pain is fucking terrible. So terrible. It feels like I’m rubbing gravel over a fresh wound instead of a soft ointment. The heat from my fingers feels like fire instead of a human touch.

“I don’t know,” Kace says absently, cursing when a whimper finally escapes me.

“Maybe this is their territory. They could have pups nearby,” Harrison offers insightfully.

“They wouldn’t have charged this many people. Not even for that,” Spider says, more to himself than us.

Kace starts wrapping my arm, and another pathetic sound of pain escapes me when he brushes a very sensitive piece of flesh. I can feel him shaking with silent anger.

He really is going to tie me up and send me home.

Helena comes to help me, keeping her lips sealed and not bothering to ask me if I’m alright. She knows I’ll just lie. She would, too. I never knew she was so much like me all these years. Then again, fighting together makes someone learn more about people than you ever thought you could know.

“Two men have volunteered to carry back Darvin. He’s one of mine,” Kingston says while joining us. “The wolf took a chunk out of his thigh, but it seems it missed the artery. They’ve tied it off to slow the blood flow, and they’re applying some of Arena’s miracle cure now.”

That forces a small smile to my face, but not even my medicine can cure something as bad as that. I need stitches, too. I can feel it. But I’ll worry about it when we’re done dealing with the herders.

“Fine,” Kace mumbles, his eyes on me. “Any chance I can convince you to—”

“Go with them?” I finish for him. “Hell no.”

Helena finishes the wrapping job she took from Kace, and I gratefully accept the pressure that seems to be easing the pain ever so slightly, and the blood seems to be slowing. Kace speaks to Kingston about the men, and Helena bends to my ear to whisper.

“I’ll sew it up at daybreak.”

I just nod, not looking up to see if Kace heard. I barely heard her, so I assume he couldn’t have.

“Should we assume the wolves were rabid?” Julius asks, walking up to join us.

“No,” Kace says without hesitance. “They weren’t mad. They were calculated, but frenzied, possibly even panicked. They acted the way creatures do when they feel something big coming to threaten them. Animals often sense things we cannot.”

Julius looks around, his eyes falling on all the dead wolves still left behind. It really was a massive pack. In their right mind, they wouldn’t have attacked us, though.

“What could have stirred them into this?” Helena asks, apparently as confused and concerned as I am.

“Hell if I know,” Kace says, cupping my chin and tilting my head up so that my eyes meet his. Then he continues, this time pointing his words at me. “If you’re hurt, I’ll be distracted while fighting. Is that a risk you want to take?”

That’s a low blow and he knows it.

“I’ll stay with the archers,” I grumble, this time actually meaning it.

I can’t see his smile, but I can feel it.

“Let’s go,” he tells everyone, helping me up once again.

My arm burns like it’s on fire, but I work hard to mask the pain. Kace snakes his arm around my waist, pulling me close before dropping a kiss against the top of my head. It always feels better when he’s touching me, and the pain sinks to the back of my mind.

Raven walks up beside me, her eyes trained on the path ahead. “I won’t be with the archers.”

Kace’s body tenses, and I hear Kingston mutter curses from somewhere behind. “Christ,” Kace groans. “It’s as though I’m talking to air lately. You shouldn’t even be here. None of you should be. Raven, no. You have to be with the archers, or so help me, I’ll have you restrained and carried back.”

Raven’s head whips back toward him, and her anger becomes almost tangible. “I’m not Shaylan, Kace. They might have to follow your orders, but I—”

“Don’t, Raven,” he growls, cutting her off and sounding uncharacteristically dominant and… well… pissed. “I’m perfectly aware of that fact. A fact that should have you back with the tribe instead of out here where you refuse to take command. But if you want to be a part of this, then you will follow orders.”

Even I shudder at how harsh his words spill from his lips. Raven silently slinks behind us, chastened and most likely fuming. I tilt my head, studying his profile in the darkness, wondering who has taken over his body.

“Kace, I know you’re stressed, but the way you just spoke to her—”

“Spider!” he snaps, interrupting me as though my words are as unimportant as Raven’s. Hell no. I won’t be—

“Yeah,” Spider says, stepping up and disturbing my inner rant that was about to become an external berating against my fiancé.

“Take the lead. We’ll catch up.”

Spider nods, and Kace pulls me aside. Everyone starts passing us by, but Kingston and the others begin joining us in our seclusion. Soon, Johnny, Keira, Raven, Kendall, Julius, Helena, and Harrison join us as well.

“The meeting we hoped to avoid?” Harrison asks as when we’re essentially all alone.

“Yeah,” Kace grumbles.

Raven refuses to look at him, not that I blame her. She stands with her arms crossed over her chest, and her eyes moving anywhere else.

“There’re a few details Julius left out when he blabbered about the nomad market massacre,” Kace says in an exasperated, troubled breath.

He starts rubbing the back of his neck, and my stomach tightens with dread. That’s a sign he’s nervous or uncomfortable.

“What details?” Helena asks.

Julius scrubs his face before turning and walking away, distancing himself as though he can’t be a part of this conversation. In fact, none of the guys look overly enthused about this.

“The herders didn’t slaughter everyone,” Kace says, albeit reluctantly.

No one speaks, but Raven lifts her head before he continues. “They left two alive. They left them holding their wounds so that their internals didn’t spill out of their stomachs.”

Bile rises to my throat at the horrifying image that invades my mind.

Raven sucks in a sharp breath, but Helena gags. Then Kace continues, “They were alive enough to deliver the acts of the men who attacked. They didn’t just come through and start killing. They captured most of the men, then they tied them up.”

“Why?” Raven asks, stepping closer. “Why tie them up before killing them?”

Kingston pulls her back to his front, acting as though he’s bracing her or possibly just in need of touching her. Kace does the same thing almost in the same moment, pulling me as close as possible. That’s when I realize that I’ve been mistaking fear for anger. He’s not mad—he’s terrified.

“Because they wanted them to watch,” Kace finally says. “They forced themselves on the women in front of the men. Restrained and helpless, all the men could do was watch while the women cried their names, begging them for help.”

My stomach roils, and my knees weaken as a sickening sensation strikes through me.

“Then,” Kace adds, his breath still reluctant, “they restrained the women who begged for their husbands’ mercy. No mercy was granted. They slowly tortured and killed the men in front of the women. They left two barely alive to tell the tale. They want us to simply hand over our women, and they thought news of this barbarity would cause an uproar within our walls. They believed the majority would turn on us and force our hand to meet their demands for fear of what would happen to all of our women if the few were not sacrificed.”

I lean back, angling my head so that I can see Kace better, and I move my hand up behind me, cupping his cheek.

“The men were only tortured for an hour,” Kingston says, acting as though that means they were spared. “The women suffered their debasement for over two hours. Then their feet were bound, they were tied to horses, and they were dragged away. Most of them probably died. The ones who didn’t most likely are praying for death.”

I swallow hard, not moving my eyes away from Kace as his jaw ticks. I knew the herders were vicious, but this…

“That’s why you chose to leave in secrecy—in case word spread. You were afraid people might rally and insist on compliance with their demands?” My voice breaks several times, rattled by emotion.

“No,” Kace says on a breath. “We left in secrecy because we knew every man in there would demand to fight the herders. It would have left the tribe unprotected if all had come, and Malfus had me hand-select a group to fight against them instead. He stayed back to deal with the consequences.”

Raven sighs as though she finally understands, and she turns in Kingston’s arms, pulling him down until their foreheads touch. Kace tugs me away from everyone, careful not to touch my wrapped arm. Hell, I’ve almost forgotten about it, considering the new, much grimmer information.

“Promise you’ll stay with the archers,” he says again, but this time his voice almost breaks. I almost regret coming, because now I realize why he’s been so stressed out and worried.

“I promise.”

The words are spoken truthfully this time, and he tugs my hair to pull my head back before his lips come crashing down on mine in appreciation, or possibly relief. I’ll get him killed if I’m fighting beside him, because he wouldn’t take his eyes off me for fear of what might happen. I see that now.

“We need to try to catch up,” Kingston says while joining us.

Raven pulls at my elbow on my uninjured arm, drawing my attention as Kingston and Kace start talking strategy. Julius joins them just as Harrison does, while Helena, Keira, Johnny, and Kendall come closer to Raven and me.

“I’ll stay with the archers, but only to keep Kingston from getting himself killed,” Raven tells me.

I nod knowingly. Johnny branches off to join the guys after giving Keira a soft kiss, and she stares after him.

“Unfortunately, I’ll also be with the archers,” Keira says on a sigh. “As much as I would rather be in the thick of the fight, Johnny will be a lookout to watch for anyone coming in from other angles that might ambush our guys. There’s no way he can do his job properly if he’s more focused on where I am as opposed to the perimeter he’s been assigned.”

Kace turns his head toward me, as though he wants me closer, despite the fact the guys need to speak to him. I feel the same way.

My eyes drop to the ground as I roll over all the what ifs in my head. Everything about this trip now seems a hundred times more dangerous, and I almost feel nauseated at the thought of what will happen if anything goes wrong.

As if he can read my thoughts, Kace is suddenly in front of me, and I bump into him. He lifts me up until my legs are strapped around his waist, and he nuzzles my cheek with his face.

“I’d walk through hell before I let them touch you, Arena. You wouldn’t be here right now if I worried they could get to you from the archery line we plan to set up.”

He pulls back enough to brush his lips against mine, and a heavy sigh rattles my chest as he carries me down the trail blindly. One of my hands tangles in his hair, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss, and Kace becomes a hungry animal. The sensual kiss turns carnal, and we start acting like two starving creatures of the night.

“You two know we’re going to have to start running to catch up, don’t you?” Julius quips, sounding far too amused when only moments ago he had to step away from reality.

Kace groans while pulling away from the kiss, still carrying me without seeing the trail, and he presses his forehead against mine.

“When this is over, we’ll need to take any refugees we rescue to the market. I want you and I to stay there for a few days,” he murmurs before pressing a kiss to my head.

“A few days away sounds nice,” I say with a smile.

“Awesome. Road trip,” Julius chirps from ahead, causing us both to groan this time.

It’s better to make plans for the future than to assume defeat. That was always a lesson my father taught well. He’d speak of what we would do with competition winnings before we even made it to the arena. Kace speaking of the future instills hope. Hope can be the deciding factor in any fight. He always believed that a man or woman without hope was already dead no matter how long their heart held a beat.

Reluctantly, Kace lowers me to the ground, brushing his knuckles against my cheek once more before saying, “I love you.”

Chapter 5

KACE

“Dawn approaches in less than an hour,” Spider whispers as we kneel on the hillside, staying hidden within the forest.

The rest of the group is already preparing for our attack. The embers of the herders’ fires still smolder, and the ones awake circle the tents set up in a meadow for their temporary home. What has my stomach churning are the sobs I can hear from up here.

Wooden cages litter the campsite these monsters have. Inside the bars are women who are holding their knees to their chests, their bodies bloodied and their clothing tattered. Horses are tied to posts—horses we’ll take to carry out the wounded when this is over.

I glance over at the two men who are lying beside us, their throats slit efficiently as their eyes stare vacantly into the sky. Sights such as this would haunt some men, but Spider and I have both witnessed far worse in our lifetime.

“You’re sure there aren’t any more lookouts?” I ask him.

“Those were the only two posted away from the camp. I did a thorough sweep. They can’t afford to have too many men stray from the pack. It would leave them vulnerable. But they won’t be expecting us. They are far too confident in the fact they strike fear and panic as opposed to anger. Their hubris will be our biggest advantage.”

I really hope he’s right.

We stand from our spots and silently make our way toward the rest of the group. Archers have already started lining up on either side. Kingston is on the opposite side with Raven and the rest of the east archers. He’ll lead the attack from that side.

Harrison is on the north, versing the archers and preparing his small group to attack. We’ll wait on the first flock of arrows to descend, pray they don’t hit the innocent women in the cages, and then attack. There’s no other solution.

Arena is listening to the whispered instructions Julius is giving when I walk up, and her eyes go to mine. It might be too dark to see her green irises, but it’s not too dark to see the concern she holds. Her heart beats with the same protective instinct mine does, and there’s no doubt she’d die to save me.

But that won’t happen. No more holding back. There are things I’ve learned in my years, and how to be a ruthless killer is one of them. I’ll never hold back again, not after having to watch that arrow drive through her. Not after almost losing her.

Ebony starts toward me, but I completely ignore her and shake away the touch she puts on my arm as I move to my girl. Arena’s gaze holds mine, her chin tilting up more and more the closer I get so she can see me. Then I roughly tug her against me and press my lips against hers, kissing her as though I need her to breathe.

I do need her to breathe, just as I know she needs me.

Her tongue slips into my mouth, owning me with a familiarity no one else ever has. I kiss her with everything I have, telling her things without words. Saying goodbye while promising to return. Giving her hope while accepting the worst… All with this one kiss.

It almost physically hurts to withdraw, but I do so reluctantly, listening to her rasp breaths as she struggles to find her balance. I love knowing I still do that to her. I plan to do it for the rest of our lives, so this has to all go according to plan so that can happen.

“Keep your head clear,” I tell her softly, keeping my voice low enough to escape the ears of the herders. “Don’t get distracted with me.”

Her soft touch doesn’t match the tough girl I’m crazy about, but I could never get enough of that touch.

“Same to you,” she whispers back. “Don’t make me come save you.”

She grins at me, and I can’t help but smile back. “I’ll be fine, babe. I love you.”

“I love you.”

Three words have never held more power than those. I would live and die under their meaning.

***

ARENA

Kace presses one last chaste kiss to my lips, and then he walks to the edge of the woods, leaving me behind. The knots in my stomach feel real. The suspense in the air is tangible right now, and it’s suffocating me.

I’ve never had such a bad feeling about anything before.

They begin their slow, stealthy crawl, staying hidden by the tall grass of the meadow. The wind is blowing hard enough to keep suspicion away from the stirring grass. The herders are more focused on taunting the women in the cages, poking at them and making them run from side to side. The ones not being tormented are curled into balls, terrified of the men, fate, and bars that surround them.

Kace and the others reach the edge of the camp, lying still as they await our first launch, and I take a steadying breath while readying the first of my arrows. I hate the fact that my hands are shaking, but I can’t seem to shake the feeling of dread that something is about to go wrong.

Using the bird’s call, the signal is cooed, and my breaths echo in my ears as time seems to slow. My arrow releases through the air, joining the others already in flight, and I load the next as they crash down on the camp almost simultaneously.

Blood splatters against the tents, catching sleeping beasts, who call themselves men, unawares. Men fall out of the tents with arrows lodged deep within their skin, and we fire our second attack, dropping arrows into the camp once again, praying for more hits than misses.

Dawn breaks early, shedding light before it’s supposed to, and my heart thuds heavily in my chest as it lights up everything around us. It’s too late to stop now, though.

Roars of pain ring out just as screams erupt like sirens of warning. Blood sprays as the arrows continue to slice through flesh, catching the disfigured herders by surprise. Some arrows kill, some miss, some merely maim.

A powerful roar of battle is yelled, and Kace and the others charge from their hiding spots, rushing into the camp. The sound of swords clink and clank, but I’m focused on reloading my next arrow.

My hands tremble harder, nausea sweeps over me, and I’m almost forced to my knees as a heavy weight settles all over me. Arrows continue sailing, picking up the men near the edges that aren’t near our own men, but I barely notice. Everything fades into a blur almost, and the picture in front of me scrambles as the echoes of voices become spoken as though I’m in a dream.

My balance returns almost as soon as the muffled sounds turn clear, and I climb back up to my feet to shoot another arrow just as a hand wraps around me from behind, grabbing my throat and then a knife jabs deep into my side. I never even saw anyone coming, nor heard them.

I cry out as the pain shoots through me, paralyzing me and holding me in place. Tears fall without permission. Through my peripheral, I see bodies tumbling down the hill, and I cry harder when I see Kendall’s body among them, bloodied and rolling.

“No!” Kace yells as I’m forced forward by my unseen captor.

His body is stained with blood that isn’t his own, and he slices his way through the flock, trying to get out of the mass of men we weren’t prepared for.

Helena’s cries reach me, and I look over to see her held like me, absent the knife. Instead, a blade is held to her throat by a man with only one eye, and he forces her down the hill. Harrison runs toward her, but blood sprays from his side as an arrow flies through his body.

More of my tears fall as I watch him drop to his knees, and I choke on my own blood when I try to speak. The knife digs deeper into my side, forcing me to cry out and spill blood through my lips.

Keira’s eyes find mine from across the way, and I watch helplessly as her throat is slit. Bile rises to my throat, and I gag as the horrid sight burns my eyes.

Johnny runs in, sword drawn. Being a lookout is pointless if an ambush is already underway. They knew we were coming. They had to have known.

I cry out when arrows strike Johnny, hearing him cry for Keira as he crawls, leaving a bloody trail behind him.

“Arena!” Kace calls, still struggling to get to me, panic all over his face as he fights in a way I’ve never seen him fight before. He doesn’t look like a warrior fighting; he looks like a mercenary.

“Shame to waste such a pretty thing like you,” the vile monster behind me says against my ear, but my vision is dimming, and words are getting harder to understand as well. Death beseeches me, calling me to it, and it takes all of my fight to hold my eyes open.

Kingston falls to his death, a spear slicing through the flesh of his neck, and Julius is brought down right beside him. Kace doesn’t see anything but me. He doesn’t know they’re all dying.

Then my scream erupts in a bloodcurdling pitch when Kace is brought to an abrupt halt, a sword appearing through his chest. My sobs come harshly as his eyes fill with regret and pain, and I’m held still when I try to move.

“Watch his eyes, pretty thing. Watch them die.”

Blood trickles from his mouth in heavy spills, and he drops to his knees, revealing the coward behind him who stuck a sword through his back. Kace’s eyes never leave mine, and he fights to stand again. All I can do is scream as another sword is raised, primed and aimed toward his neck, moments away from beheading him. The sword belongs to a man I know this time… a man of the Kuslan tribe—Kingston’s tribe.

We’ve been betrayed.

That’s when the sword swings down, and I screw my eyes shut, unable to view his execution as I pray for my own death to hurry in so that I can be with him again.

“Arena!” Kace whisper-yells, and I start struggling with a renewed strength, fighting hard to get out of my captor’s arms, but my eyes open to meet Kace’s as he shakes me.

“What the hell?” he asks, standing in front of me, no blood on his body.

I scramble to look behind me, finding only curious eyes shrouded by the darkness. Then I quickly start scouring Kace’s body, feeling him and wondering if we’ve just landed in heaven, hell, or purgatory.

“Arena, what the hell is wrong?” he asks, concern clearly etched in his voice as my breaths grow more erratic.

I’m so confused—there’s nothing on him. Nothing at all. How did he get in front of me in the darkness when I saw him on his knees in the sunlight only seconds ago?

His body is perfectly unscathed. Either I’ve lost my mind, or we really are dead. Neither option seems good.

My breath leaves me in a rush as I collapse, worried about my sanity, but Kace catches me and scoops me up before I can hit the ground.

“Arena, for fuck’s sake, what’s wrong?” he asks, his voice still a whisper.

We’re in the woods, atop the hillside where we’re moments away from striking. It’s as though time has played out in my head already and rewound itself until now.

“Traitor,” I whisper hoarsely, still heaving for air. My head is killing me.

“What?” he asks, confused.

“Traitor,” I say again, my voice still shaky. “They know we’re coming. A man… from Kingston’s… tribe… He told them we’re coming,” I answer through harsh breaths, my head still spinning out of control.

Spider bends down, pushing his hand to my forehead, shifting the damp-with-sweat hair around my face with care.

“Christ, Kace. She’s burning up with fever.”

Kace’s hold on me gets tighter, as though dread is filling him to the core.

“The wolf scratched her.”

It’s not a fever that did that. It was… The hell if I know what it was, but it was too real to be my imagination.

Taking a deep breath, I steady myself and steel my voice.

“I swear there’s a traitor. They’re going to flank us from behind when we’re shooting the arrows. The ones down there are just pawns—men they don’t mind sacrificing. They know we’re coming, Kace. We have to regroup and attack differently.”

I cling to the straps of his harness straps, refusing to let go. Even in the darkness I can see him confused and torn about what to do.

“Kace, we have to start moving now,” Spider tells him in a whisper. “I can have someone carry her out. That wolf—”

“It’s not the wolf scratch,” I hiss. “I don’t know his name, but I’ve seen his face. He’s a traitor, and he’s with Kingston and Raven now, just biding time until he can betray us with the herders.”

“Arena,” Kace sighs, “why would any one of us help the herders? Kingston chose his men carefully. You’re burning up, and there’s no telling what’s going on.”

“Get her out of here,” Spider says, putting a hand on Kace’s shoulder. “We’ve got this.”

No. They’ll all get killed! Helena…

Nausea strikes again as the images I’ve already suffered through rattle around in my mind like memories instead of distant dreams. I turn away to retch, heaving forth the contents of my stomach, and Kace curses while pulling my hair away from my face.

“Is she okay?” a guy I vaguely remember asks, kneeling in front of us.

Kace looks up, nodding slightly. “I’ll take care of her.”

The guy frowns as I vomit again, the sight of blood spewing still plaguing my mind.

“I’ll help Spider,” he says, standing.

Kace just nods, calling him Carter as he thanks him. Then he returns his attention to me.

“I need to get you out of the way,” he says gently, but I fight him. In my weakened state, he carries me away without effort, and I feel the tears prick my eyes. Everyone will die if he doesn’t believe me.

Time escapes me, losing value as my world shatters over and over in my mind, the morbid images continuing to replay.

The whistles of arrows sing through the air, drawing me back into reality once more. I look over Kace’s shoulder, seeing the dawn break early once again, and my eyes widen. It’s real.

“Shit. The sun is rising too soon,” he says to himself, but my fear overcomes my weakened state, and I manage to break out of his hold, running the second my feet slap the ground.

“Arena!” he hisses, unable to yell without giving away our location, but our location has already been given away.

Roars of pain find my ears as the arrows connect. Were we attacked before or after the second wave?

My legs burn as I run, leaping and dodging the forest obstacles, and that’s when I see it. The first movement.

Kace grabs me by my waist, but his eyes go wide when he sees what I do.

“Fuck! Everyone out of the woods! Ambush!” he yells loudly, just as the hidden men burst toward us, their bodies smeared with oils for camouflage. I hear the commotion behind us as everyone starts shuffling, complying with Kace’s order, but I can’t stop to look and find out who is still okay.

Kace draws his sword while swinging me behind him, and I reach for the bow I’m missing. Shit. When did it get taken off me?

His bow is on his back, and I pull it off him, along with several arrows from his quiver while he tosses knives with one hand, wielding a sword and slicing through oncoming arrows with the other.

I start popping off arrows with rapid succession, firing into the thick of the mongrels with snarling faces. The arrows connect, drawing blood. We’re so close I feel the wetness of it strike my face. Screams below make me cringe, but I dare not look away.

Please let Helena be okay.

“I have to get to Helena,” I tell Kace in between firing the arrows, already running low as I fire them as quick as I can.

“I’d love nothing more than to get out of here, but we’re dead the second we turn our backs,” Kace says through clenched teeth, spinning to slice down three more arrows before they hit us.

I barely dodge one in time, leaning back so far that I almost fall.

I reach for his quiver, but my stomach sinks when I find it empty. Grabbing his dagger from his side, I brace myself. But then arrows start flying in from behind the mongrels, striking through their chests, legs… all over.

Kace shoves me to the ground, landing on top of me as the arrows continue pouring in.

“Arena!” I hear Helena yell, and tears spring to my eyes.

“Here!”

More and more arrows fly in, taking down the few left, and Kace leaps up when the onslaught subsides. I look down the hill to see oiled bodies rolling, our men pushing them out of the woods to send a message.

Relief spreads through me when I see Kendall pulling a hatchet from a man’s back, and then I see Keira as she flips, spirals, and fights her way to Johnny. My heart thuds in my ears when I see him bleeding from his side, but he’s still standing. He’s not crawling, and no arrows protrude from his body.

Helena’s scent engulfs me suddenly, and I turn to see her blonde hair just as she jerks me to her, hugging me tightly.

Kace runs off, leaving me behind as he goes to help the ones below. I look up to see Harrison leading our saviors down the hill behind Kace, and I pull back to inspect Helena. Other than a nasty red mark on her cheek, she looks fine.

We don’t speak, only exchange silent prayers of gratitude, and we both race behind the others. Helena is firing arrows from her crossbow all the way down, raining hell on anyone painted the colors of earth.

Raven’s daggers fly into the backs of two men, and she somersaults between them, drawing them back out as she continues to fight her way toward Kingston, who is also still alive. A spear flies by my face, and I suck in a sharp breath. That was close.

My eyes search rapidly as I duck and dive through the fight, shoving my dagger into any deformed son of a bitch I can along the way. The sound of bones crunching doesn’t sicken me the way it usually does. Taking a life has never been easier, because I’ve seen what’s at stake.

Spinning, I slam my blade deep into the stomach of one beast of a man, feeling the resistance of his flesh against the point, and I push it deeper with all my strength until it’s buried to the hilt.

Helena jerks me away seconds before the bastard manages to almost swipe me with his sword, and we leave him behind to bleed to death. I grab another dagger from the ground, one a little longer than my last, and I keep slicing and tearing through men as I search for Kace.

Then I see him. The Kuslan traitor is at his side, feigning loyalty as he now fights with us, seeing the shift in the tides and getting onboard before he’s discovered. But I know his true colors.

He steps aside, allowing one of the deformed sons of bitches to draw a sword, preparing to shove it in Kace’s back, and time seems to slow down once again. I pull the dagger over my head, and a grunt flees my lips as I fling the blade with all my might, watching it flip over and over through the air.

It slams into the herder’s chest, and Kace whirls around to face him, plunging his own sword deep inside the same man.

But the Kuslan traitor’s eyes meet mine, and fear spreads through him. He knows I saw what he just did. But he doesn’t know what else I’ve seen.

Kace slices through another man, spilling his blood without so much as batting an eye, and then more rush in, as though they have an endless supply. Then I see what I saw earlier. Kace starts fighting in a way I’ve only ever witnessed once, and that was… Well, I’m still trying to figure out what that was.

As he makes his way toward me, he kicks, flips, spins… It’s as though he’s all over the place, obliterating anyone who stands in his way. Again, he fights like a mercenary instead of a warrior, using skills I’ve only ever heard about but never seen.

I spin to shove my dagger deep into the side of an asshole that tried to blindside me, and my scalp tingles as though there’s more. Almost as though I know they’re there without seeing them, I shove my dagger behind me with enough force to stab into a tree, and I feel the gut-clenching resistance, proof there really was someone.

I look behind me just as one of the deformed bastards with a missing nose, a rotten set of teeth, and a snake’s tongue falls to the ground. My dagger falls out of him with every inch he descends until it’s free of his body completely, only stained by his blood.

The guy Kace called Carter throws a dagger, and my eyes widen until it connects with something behind me again. A body falls to my side, the blade buried right between the eyes. Shit. It’s a death trap no matter where I turn.

Carter is lethal. Barely any blood stains him, because he slices and moves like the damn wind. But it’s only a mild distraction, because my eyes turn back to my sister, watching as her bloodstained blonde hair becomes even more drenched in red.

Then, as quickly as it all started, it seems to end. Their numbers dwindle, and Kace snaps the neck of the one that charges him, finishing him without effort before finally making it to me, pulling me to him and breathing me in as though he won’t ever let go again.

That’s when I see why he stood in the same spot for so long. On the ground, covered in others’ blood, a small child rocks back and forth, her eyes buried in her teddy bear that rests between her knees and head, and her fingers in her ears.

“Thank fuck that’s over,” Kace says against my ear as Helena rushes to the child, picking her up and cradling her to her chest.

Harrison, who has apparently stayed close this whole time, is right behind Helena, kissing her hair as he hugs her, not paying any attention to the fact she’s holding a small girl.

With shaky arms, I slowly return Kace’s hug, but then I quickly shove him back.

“Arena, what—”

I interrupt his query when I see the Kuslan traitor trying to blend in while also slinking toward the forest.

“Raven!” I shout, and her head pops up from across the way. “Stop him!”

I point at the man whose eyes grow wide, and he turns to take off running. Raven doesn’t hesitate. She grabs knives from the body of a man nearby, and she launches them both, landing them directly into the backs of his thighs.

With a loud cry of pain, the man drops to the ground, and I run toward him as Raven approaches me.

“Why did I just take out one of Kingston’s men?” she asks me.

I look over at the unaware chief of the Kuslan. Kingston is busy loading up our wounded onto horseback or onto stretchers they’ve fashioned quickly.

“Because this guy is a traitor.”

“Damn it, Arena,” Kace growls as he spins me around. “You can’t just make accusations like that without proof.”

Kingston calls to Kace as the lethal man named Carter joins us.

“Get Kingston to carry back his men,” Carter tells Kace. “If this guy is really a traitor, I can make him talk.”

Kace gives him an incredulous look.

“No. We’ll carry him back and question him. Kingston needs to be there. This is his man. I would expect the same respect from him.”

Carter shrugs, walking off as though this is unimportant to him. Kace shakes his head while staring at his back.

“If there’s anyone we should suspect, it’s him.”

I look at the retreating figure of the man who I saw dominating in the fight. I bet he killed fifteen men on his own. If not more.

“He saved me from a blindsided attack,” I tell Kace, shifting my eyes back to him. “The man Raven just took down allowed that guy to almost kill you. He stepped aside.”

Raven curses while running a hand through her hair, her eyes drifting toward the man struggling to get the knives out of his legs. “That’s Ivan. He’s one of Kingston’s advisors. Kingston has a lot of trust in him, Arena. Are you sure?”

She took him down at my word, but now she’s asking if I’m sure?

Kace walks over to Kingston when he calls for him again, and I turn to face Raven. “Positive. I know it sounds crazy, but… Just trust me, Raven.”

She studies me for a long moment before blowing out a breath. “I do. I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know you. If you think something’s up, then I believe you. Let’s just hope Kingston does, too.”

If he doesn’t, this could go bad. Really bad.

Chapter 6

KACE

Arena’s fingers are laced with mine as we near the Shaylan walls. I glance over my shoulder at the man Arena insists is a traitor. Johnny is guiding the horse that is pulling Ivan on the stretcher.

Kingston is still unaware of the fact Arena had one of his trusted advisors knifed. He’s also unaware that he’s been accused of treason and aiding the herders. I dread this fucking conversation.

It’s already evening. The walk here was much slower, and Kingston left first with numerous wounded. Ivan passed out from the pain he was suffering before any questions could be asked. Which is fortunate, since I refuse to question him before Kingston is aware and present for such.

“I need to go talk to Kingston,” I say to her, kissing her forehead.

“You believe me, don’t you?” she asks, looking up hopefully.

She definitely saved our lives, even though the way she claims is crazy. “I think I should talk to Kingston. Ivan is his man,” I say in deflection.

She frowns as though she’s disappointed in that answer, but how can I believe she saw the attack ahead of time?

“I love you,” I tell her when she starts to pull her hand away from mine.

“Love you,” she sighs, not looking at me.

“I want you to get your arm stitched up as soon as we’re inside. I’ll come check on it once I have all this taken care of.”

I really hate it when she’s pissed, but surely she understands what she’s saying is ludicrous. Now I have to go find Kingston and explain why my girl had his girl stab knives into his man. I need a fucking drink.

Arena lets go of my hand, and she slows down so that she’s no longer beside me. Yep. I need one hell of a drink.

“So you saw it before it happened?” I hear Keira asking, her tone intrigued instead of disbelieving, so I slow my steps enough to eavesdrop.

They’re directly behind me, so it’s not too hard.

“Yeah. Go ahead. Say I’m crazy. Spider, Kace, Raven… Everyone else is saying it. Kingston will say it, too. I’ll be a joke by the end of the day.”

That makes me grimace, but I have no idea what to say or do right now.

“I want to know every detail,” Keira says, but Julius calls my name, beckoning my attention.

I’ll figure out a way to make things right between Arena and me before the day is over.

“What’s going on?” I ask Julius when he reaches me, leading the way through the gate.

“Kingston is waiting in the banquet hall like you asked, and he’s not happy about it.”

Fucking great. “I told you to wait until I got back.”

He shrugs before adding, “I told him he didn’t have to wait in there, but they’ve got some of the wounded being treated in there. And also, our tribe is very pissed at us. The warriors who were left behind demand to know why they weren’t chosen.”

Shit.

“Anything else?” I ask sardonically as I take long strides on my way to the banquet hall, dreading dealing with Kingston.

Oh, by the way, Arena had Raven stab one of the guys on your advisory council because she believes she saw the future.

Fuck my day.

***

ARENA

“I sound crazy, don’t I?” I ask Keira as Helena sterilizes a needle in the corner.

The more I tell this story, the more I feel as though I’ve lost my mind. But I was right, dammit. We were being ambushed. Day did break early. They knew we were coming, and that bastard stepped aside for Kace to be taken down, even though I saw him stabbing Kace in the… whatever it was I had before the attack.

“Not at all,” Keira says, seeming lost in thought.

Raven’s brow furrows in confusion, because she definitely thinks I’ve lost my damn mind.

“What about the fever?” Keira asks me, even though she seems a million miles away.

Helena walks over to answer before I can. “Probably from the wolf scratch. I need to treat it before it gets infected. They say the other man’s wounds are already infected.”

I’ve forgotten all about the deep wound on my arm. It hasn’t hurt in several hours.

Helena comes to sit down beside me, and Keira studies the wall as my bandage is unwrapped.  She has seemed overly attentive for a while, and she has wanted every single detail I had to share.

“Keira, is there something you’re not telling me?” I ask her.

She smiles grimly before returning her eyes to mine. “You would think I’m crazy if I told you what I’m thinking. For now, let’s just focus on this traitor. The guys don’t believe you, do they?”

I shake my head just as Kendall walks in. She takes a seat close to us, her eyes on me very warily. Everyone has looked at me weird since the attack.

“You saved our lives,” Kendall says before I can answer Keira. “I don’t care how you did it. I’m just thankful you did.”

I start to speak, but my words are cut off by a loud gasp falling from Helena’s lips as the bandage falls from my arm. I’m too scared to look.

“Holy… shit,” Raven says in a long drawl. “That can’t be right. That bandage is soaked in blood. There’s no way that’s right.”

Confused, I start to look, but Keira’s widening eyes and sharp breath halt me, and I study her pale face instead as she stares at my arm.

“Another omen,” she says under her breath, not making a damn bit of sense. “Kendall,” she says louder, “what did you overhear?”

Kendall was sent to spy on the proceedings dealing with Ivan. No one believes me, so he’ll be free to walk around… Well, as soon as he can walk again.

“They’re apologizing to him for the misunderstanding, and Kace is offering him gold as an offering of his deepest regrets.”

I scowl, but I can’t blame him. Hell, he thinks I’m delirious from the wolf scratch. Speaking of which…

My eyes slowly turn down to my arm, but a shocked breath passes between my lips when I see the impossible.

Nothing. There’s nothing at all there. I felt the gashes; I felt the blood… I know it was bad. But now it’s as though nothing ever happened.

“I have to go stop them before they let him go,” Keira says, standing and leaving us in a rush before any of us can say something.

Raven runs her hand over my arm, touching it and withdrawing her finger quickly as though there’s a trick somewhere.

“What the freaky hell is going on with you?” she finally asks.

I wish I knew.

***

KACE

“So that’s your idea of handling this?” Ivan asks angrily, cursing when he tries to stand and can’t. Raven really got his legs good. “Both of those women should be in the stockades for this. They shouldn’t be granted pardon because they have tits!”

Don’t kill him, Kace. Don’t kill him.

That has been my mantra every time this son of a bitch has pushed my buttons. If he keeps on, I might finally say fuck it and beat him to death.

“Arena believes you allowed a strike on Kace,” Kingston says, surprisingly calm and not pissed at me the way I expected him to be.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact Raven is the one who actually pegged the guy and not my girl.

“The fucking girl thinks she saw me step aside? I was fighting beside him! So you just believe that she’s right after all my years of loyalty? That bitch is probably the damn traitor. How else could she have known about the ambush?” Ivan snarls.

That small thread holding me back finally snaps, and I lunge for him, ready to fucking tear him apart, but Julius and Harrison are holding me back before I can, as though they were waiting on this.

“Watch your fucking mouth, or I swear you’ll be lucky if you ever walk again,” I threaten, meaning every word.

He glares at me before shifting his gaze to Kingston.

“This is ludicrous and you know it. Hear how he talks to me? I’m Kuslan. This should be settled between us. Why the hell are the Shaylan in here with us?”

“Because we’re using the protection of their walls,” Kingston says quickly, not giving much away with his facial expression.

All I want to do is rip Ivan’s arms off and beat him to death with them for calling Arena a traitor.

The door bursts open as Malfus walks in, his eyes moving from me—who is still being restrained—to Ivan, then finally to Kingston.

“If he wants to indicate Arena in anything, I’ll have no choice but to ask him to leave.”

Ivan laughs humorlessly at Malfus’s announcement. “Of course you will. She gets a free pass because you’re fucking her mother. Obviously it’s perfectly fine for me to get stabbed and accused of something as serious as treason, when she’s the one who knew about the ambush. Yet I can’t make such accusations despite the overwhelming evidence. Makes perfect sense.”

“Kace!” Malfus barks when I finally do manage to break free, but I’m tackled to the ground by Julius and Harrison before I can reach the fucking bastard with loose lips.

Kingston walks over and takes a seat beside Ivan, studying him, while I stay pinned to the damn floor.

Then the door opens again, and I turn my head to see Keira walking in. What the…

“Keira, this is a private matter,” Malfus says dismissively.

She casts a cold glare toward him. What’s she pissed about?

“I’m aware of the matter being discussed. I’m here to handle it the right way. You’re welcome to stay and watch.”

Kingston’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline, just as Malfus’s do, but Keira ignores them as she makes her way over to Ivan. Shrugging off my asshole friends, I push up and climb back to my feet.

“I’m a guardian of Adler’s journals,” she tells Ivan.

“Keira,” Malfus groans, “this is a council deal. I’m sorry but I can’t let you stay.”

“Then remove me,” she snaps, turning her eyes on him again. I’ve never seen her look so pissed. “Or try to,” she dares.

Malfus, a man who rarely ever shows much emotion, actually swallows hard as though he dreads that option. Then she softens her look ever so slightly.

“I have abided by your rules and lived by your instruction since I arrived. I’m grateful for the family you’ve offered my sister and me. All I’m asking is that you trust me right now, for you know where my loyalty lies,” she says to Malfus, sounding less threatening and more like herself.

Malfus tightens his lips, and then he looks to Kingston.

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” Ivan mutters under his breath.

Kingston inhales deeply before nodding toward Keira, and she turns back to face Ivan again.

“Do you know how a guardian is trained?” she asks him.

Ivan rolls his eyes, clearly not impressed. “Don’t really give a damn.”

Keira’s lips twitch. “It’s not the pampered training you received. I assure you. We were taught to endure torture. The only way to learn to endure it, is to suffer through it. I’ve been subjected to almost every form of torture ever thought up. I started training at thirteen, and training didn’t end until I was seventeen. That gives me four years of really gruesome training that could make me a monster if provoked.”

Ivan shifts uncomfortably, and Malfus takes a wary step back. We’ve seen Keira be docile, but we’ve never seen her ready to shred someone. What’s going on?

“I’m not scared of some cunt bitch,” Ivan says on a laugh. “I endured Misel. You have no idea what monsters are, little girl.”

How the hell does Kingston have any attachments to this prick?

Keira smiles wickedly while standing and pulling a knife out. “Misel. I’ve heard a lot about him. I’ve met men like him. I’ve suffered at their hands. It’s you that doesn’t understand monsters, Ivan. Because true monsters wear masks.”

She swipes the blade across her pants as though she’s cleaning it. “Once I helped my leader slice a man from stem to sternum. We removed various things from him along the way—if you get my meaning.”

Julius curses under his breath before stepping behind me, and Harrison slowly crosses his arms over his crotch as though he feels the phantom pain.

Ivan acts unaffected and unafraid.

“That was how we sent messages to those who sought us. We aimed to live in secrecy, but such a thing is hard to do. Men eventually came. We were outnumbered overwhelmingly so. But I can only assume there was a traitor amongst us. His reward by the men who came for us was death.”

She stands suddenly, and flings the knife. Ivan yelps as we all jump, but the blade stabs into the floor, missing his crotch by a mere centimeter. Even I feel the pain from how close that was. Surely Keira wouldn’t really do that.

She kneels in front of him, meeting his eyes that are no longer unafraid.

“My sister was left alive for my compliance. She’s the only thing that made me cave. My sister is my life. What do you think I’ll do to keep her safe?”

Ivan looks up, eyes wide and full of fear now.

“She’s here, you know. Of course you know. You’ve probably learned everything about everyone here by now. More than once you’ve shuddered at Misel’s name. You’re afraid. You’re a coward. You’re sure as hell a liar. And now you’re a traitor. Just admit it, and I won’t ask for time alone with you.”

The fear leaves his eyes, and something cold and calculated takes over. “No. I won’t. Because it’s a lie.”

Keira seems to enjoy the challenge. “You’re so scared of Misel, that you thought you’d what? Seek the herders out and tell them our plans? When did you do it? How did you do it?”

He defiantly meets her gaze, not backing down, but Keira smirks as though he’s doing what she wants him to.

“When we arrived at the herders’ camp, you were missing. I have a very good memory, another skill a guardian must have. While we set up, you were missing. We were waiting for the right moment of attack, and you were forming a quick alliance with the herders.”

Kingston leans forward, his face a mask of confusion, and Ivan’s confidence slips.

Keira continues as though he just admitted it. “When we attacked, you took cover and waited until you could emerge into the fight as though you had been there all along, while the leader used the darkest night we’ve had in a while as shade for his men’s departure and ambush. You told him where we’d be stationed. You explained our weakest points. You assumed the risk of death on sight to make a deal. But then it all went to hell.”

Kingston stands, his head tilted as Ivan’s eyes widen. Apparently Keira just figured it all out, because the look he bears doesn’t belong to an innocent man; it belongs to a man full of shock.

“It’s true?” Kingston asks, betrayal striking him to pain. “You did this?”

Ivan looks up, and that cold gaze goes back into play. “You’ll see us all dead soon enough. I was trying to save our tribe. I’m not the traitor here; you are.”

Kingston runs a hand through his hair, disbelief etched on his face.

“How the fuck am I a traitor, Ivan?” he demands. “I’ve done everything for this tribe. I’m trying to keep us safe, and yet you’re offering our blood to herders? Go fuck yourself. You’ll hang for this.”

Ivan doesn’t even flinch. “Misel won’t stop until you’re dead.” His eyes turn a glare on me. “And until he’s dead.” Then he turns back to Kingston. “As long as the two of you breathe, he’ll keep coming. I was willing to sacrifice the few to save the lives of many. The herders only wanted the girls, but your pride wouldn’t allow it. You never look at the big picture, and you’ll be the death of us all. Kuslan people are survivors. We know how to make sacrifices in order to live. You’re not Kuslan,” he growls.

Kingston’s anguish turns to fury, an emotion he has every right to own. “Kuslan are not murderers! We don’t bow to men who want to sell women like cattle.”

Ivan narrows his eyes at him. “No, you don’t bow to anyone, which is why you’ll condemn us all to death. You’d have us live with the Shaylan, keeping all his targets in one place. I sought to free our people.”

Kingston grabs Ivan by the hair of his head, and Ivan yelps as Kingston drags him out of the room in a mad rage. Julius exchanges a look with me before we both follow. Once outside, Kingston kicks Ivan off the banquet hall porch, knocking him to the ground.

“Kuslan people!” he yells drawing the curious eyes of everyone.

Keira steps up beside me, her lips tight. I’m starting to wonder what’s going on in her head, because she doesn’t seem the least bit interested in the show Kingston is putting on.

When Kingston feels he’s gathered a sufficient audience, he starts speaking. “Ivan believes we’re weak for not wanting to hand women over to the herders. He thinks we’re weak for planning to fight Misel. Out of fear, he turned on his own people. Fear is a contagious thing, and cowards only ever live in fear. I’d like to know who else is infected, because you’re more than welcome to leave the safety of the walls the Shaylan have graciously offered us. You’re welcome to take your own life in your hands if you don’t trust me to keep you all safe. I don’t sacrifice the few for the benefit of the many. I’m not my father. If you want to be led by a man like him, you won’t find such a leader behind these walls.”

Kingston takes a steadying breath, doing all he can to rein in his temper. Which can’t be an easy feat. “There’s no one I wouldn’t protect before this day. Decide if you’re with me or with him,” he says, pointing to the traitor on the ground.

Kingston looks over at Malfus and says, “Do whatever you want with him. I revoke his title as a Kuslan. He’s nothing more than a traitor to the Shaylan and us.”

Ivan stutters over words, demanding the people agree with him, but everyone turns their backs. Apparently Ivan’s fucked-up logic isn’t shared amongst his people the way he thought it would be.

“We’ll all die!” he shouts. “He’ll be the death of us all!”

Kingston shakes his head and stalks toward his cabin. I see the dark hair of Raven as she jogs toward him to catch up. My eyes immediately start searching the crowd for Arena, but I don’t see her.

Keira starts to walk off, but I gently tug at her elbow, pausing her steps.

“How’d you know Arena was right?” I ask her. “What’s going on?”

“She healed from the arrow too quickly. Now the wolf scratch,” she says softly, as though she’s not speaking to me at all.

“What’s going on?” I repeat.

She turns to me with troubled eyes, and a heavy, burdened sigh leaves her lips. “You don’t want to know what’s going on. Right now, I’m praying I’m wrong. I’m hoping this was a fluke and not what I think it is. Until I know for sure, I won’t burden anyone else with it. I need to go. I have something important to do.”

She walks away, leaving me confused and admittedly a little freaked out.

“How did Arena know?” Julius asks me, looking at me as though I have the answers to the impossible questions we all share.

“I—”

“Kace!” Meredith shouts, drawing my attention.

I turn toward her just as she comes up with sad eyes. “I thought you were tending to the injured,” I say, glancing down to the blood-stained apron she has on.

“I am. I came to tell you about the man who was attacked by the wolf. He died moments ago.”

Julius curses, but I tilt my head in confusion.

“They said earlier that the wounds weren’t fatal.”

She shakes her head. “The wounds weren’t, but he fell ill to infection. He had a fever, and-”

I’m running before she can finish that sentence, my feet pounding the ground on my way back to my cabin. Arena had a fucking fever, and she was scratched by one of the wolves. Shit!

I practically knock the door off the hinges as I barge inside, but Arena isn’t in here. Where the hell is she?

Panic seizes me, and I run back out, almost colliding with Harrison.

“Christ!” he says on a surprised breath.

“Have you seen Arena?”

He looks at me like I’m stupid. “I’ve been with you. I was coming to see if Helena was here—”

“She’s not. I have to find Arena. That guy who was attacked by the wolves just died.”

He turns the same shade of pale as me, and then he starts shaking his head.

“I’ll take the right, you go left. We’ll find her quicker if we split up,” he says, but I’m already running before he can even finish, my eyes scouring everything around me. Please let her be okay.

Chapter 7

ARENA

“Think they’ve made a decision about Ivan yet?” Helena asks as I lead us through the woods.

No hunting is allowed today, so it only made sense to take a walk out here where no judgmental eyes can look at me like I’m the crazy freak show.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine. Want to talk about why you’re still wearing a bandage on your arm when you don’t even have so much as a scratch anymore? Or how such a thing is even possible?”

I turn to face her as she knocks a piece of her blonde hair away from her eyes.

“I’m wearing a bandage to keep from having to explain the unexplainable. I think I’m drawing enough attention to myself after the vision thing that I still don’t understand. Can we please just…”

My words trail off as we reach a clearing in the woods, a spot I happen to love—Kace’s haven. Helena joins me, her head tilted as she stares at the same thing I am.

“Where are all the leaves?” she asks, looking up at the trees as though they’ve forgotten to litter.

The grass is clean without one leaf on it, and every strand is standing at perfect attention, not one piece lying down. That’s… impossible. Helena steps on the grass, walking through it, but the grass slowly stands back up after she passes through. In a matter of seconds, the grass looks untouched and standing high once again.

“This… is… weird?” Helena says, though it sounds like a question.

I shrug, looking over the quiet and still water ahead of me. But the sound of a fast trickling has me tilting my head. There’s no running water around here.

“Where are you going?” Helena asks me as I start following the sound.

“It sounds like a stream, but there shouldn’t be one.”

She follows me, moving through the trees and vines that hang, and we make our way closer to the sound.

“Is this a way to avoid talking about all the crazy stuff happening to you?” she asks me. “SaShante is worried, you know. She came looking for you before you dragged me out here.”

My footsteps lull just barely. There’s no telling what she’s heard by now.

“I’ll find her when I get back. I just needed a break.”

Helena grants me peace after that, and we keep following the sound deep into the woods. We keep walking until we finally reach the old creek that hasn’t carried water in so many years, but it’s filled to the brim now, almost spilling over with all the water rushing down it.

“Are you seeing this?” I ask Helena, positive that I’m going crazy now.

Her breath leaves in gasp as she stares at the impossible thing.

“It’s… how is it… but that’s not…”

Her words drift off into nothing as we both stare at the phenomenon. The water is running uphill, defying gravity and moving at a rapid rate.

“What the hell is going on?” she asks me, her eyes narrowed on me like I’m hiding a secret.

“Seriously?” I ask incredulously.

“Arena, you heal from a wound that some would have considered fatal, and you healed much faster than what should have been possible. Wolves attack when they should have retreated. Then you were mauled by a wolf, and today there’s no sign of it. It’s as though it never even happened. You also saw an attack happen before it did. Now grass is standing straight up, water is running backwards, and I’m starting to feel as crazy as I thought you were.”

Gee. Glad she was on that bandwagon.

The light flickers through the trees at a low angle, reminding me the sun is setting.

“We should get back before it gets too dark to see,” I tell her on a reluctant sigh. I dread facing Kace and hear how they let Ivan go. They’ll probably try to make me apologize. Ivan will demand repercussions most likely.

Helena follows beside me, and we both keep looking around for anything else spectacularly unusual. It’s as though something has upset the balance of the universe. At the risk of sounding incredibly vain, I feel as though I’m in the center of it.

The sun has disappeared from sight by the time we finally emerge from the woods, and Helena loops her arm through mine as we walk around the groups of people who are talking heatedly about something. We keep our distance, so I have no idea what conversations are taking place.

Suddenly, someone jerks Helena away from me, and she squeals until she realizes who has her. Harrison is hugging her to him as he breathes her in.

“Shit, I’ve been so worried,” he says against her head.

That confuses me. “Why?” she asks, leaning back. “What happened?”

His eyes lift to meet mine, and his lips thin. “Thank fuck you’re okay. Kace is tearing the tribe apart looking for you. You are okay, aren’t you?”

“I’m fine,” I say, a little more than curious as to why they’re so worried.

“Good. I’ll go see if I can find him. Head back to the cabin… please.”

Confused, I nod slowly as he drags Helena away. I jog to our cabin, still wondering what hell has erupted to have Harrison and Kace freaking out. I hope there aren’t more large predators that have somehow breached our walls, because I’ll never hear the end of being out there with no weapon.

As soon as I open the door, I’m suddenly in someone’s small arms and being squeezed to death.

“What the—”

“Are you okay?” Mom asks, leaning back and releasing me as her eyes work over me.

“I’m fine. Sheesh, why is everyone freaking out?”

She tugs at the bandage on my arm, and in my distraction, I don’t think to stop her until it’s gone. Ah, hell.

“How did this already heal? Johnny said it was a nasty attack, and that the bandage you were wearing when you returned was soaked in blood.”

I shrug, trying to figure out a way to play it off. But that’s a little hard to do.

Before I have to answer, the door flies open again, and I’m being whirled around to meet the eyes of the man I love. Uh-oh. He looks pissed.

I can’t catch a break.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. We need to—”

His words stop midsentence when he tugs my arm into his hand, and confusion mars his brow, replacing that angry wrinkle he bore just moments ago.

“The other man died from infection. Then they said you had a fever like he did, and we panicked,” Mom explains, but she still looks baffled. “I guess the scratch wasn’t as bad as they thought.”

It wasn’t merely a scratch. It was a mauling. I remember feeling the flesh hanging. But since I can’t explain why my arm looks almost perfect, nothing but the faintest marks in the place of where the shredded flesh was, I keep my mouth shut.

“It really wasn’t,” I lie, shrugging again, but Kace narrows his eyes at me.

“It was, Arena. It was dark, but I could still feel the blood running out when I started bandaging it last night.”

He doesn’t let go of my arm even when I try to pull it away, and he continues studying me with an intense gaze that I can’t decipher.

“It’s fine. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?” I ask him, but then I’m caught off guard when his lips crush mine, stealing the breath right out of my mouth when I part my lips to gasp.

His tongue sweeps in, and he picks me up as though he’s desperately seeking proof I’m okay, holding me as close as he can get me. My hands go to his hair, and my legs wrap around his waist as I moan against the touch I didn’t realize I needed so badly.

He’s better than any healing balm I’ve ever tried.

“Is she okay?” Malfus’s voice comes from somewhere behind Kace, but I don’t acknowledge him. Neither does Kace.

“Apparently she’s fine,” Mom sighs. Oh hell. I forgot she was even in here.

Kace doesn’t bother breaking away from our kiss. He continues holding me, kissing me as though he can’t get enough.

“We’ll see you two later,” Malfus says on a light laugh, and the sound of the door closing catches my ears.

I grin as Kace lowers me to the bed, finally separating our lips so that he can start kissing down my neck.

“I guess you’ve missed me today?” I ask him, shutting the rest of the world and our drama out of my mind.

“I’m just so fucking glad that you’re not hurt,” he says against my skin. “You have no idea how crazy I’ve been going trying to find you.”

My fingers tangle in the soft strands of his hair, and I shift beneath him, trying to get closer.

“As you can see, I’m perfectly healthy,” I tell him with a small smile as he starts tugging my shirt over my head.

“I’ll ask questions about how exactly that’s possible after I’ve thoroughly explored your body. For proof of your well-being, of course.” He finishes stripping me of my shirt, and his lips move back down to my body.

“Of course,” I echo playfully.

I grin, watching his lips work against the line of my cleavage, moving down the bare flesh. It’s almost too much stimulation, considering how long it’s been.

He blows out a breath after kissing my side where an arrow once tried to destroy me.

“You keep escaping death, Arena. It’s getting scary, because I keep worrying about what happens when luck finally runs out,” he says, kissing my side again.

It’d be easy to lie and tell him I haven’t had those same concerns, but I’m sick of secrets and lies.

“We could sit here and talk about death coming after me, or we can enjoy the fact that we’re both alive and finally alone.”

I look down my bare upper half, and he grins while kissing my side once more. “Then we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

Cocking my eyebrow in challenge, I say, “I don’t plan on doing much talking tomorrow either.”

His laughter comes out, and it sounds unburdened for once. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard him laugh that carefree, and I can’t help but smile. But all that laughter fades as he undoes the button on my jeans and starts tugging them down.

Why the hell am I suddenly nervous? I feel like a virgin all over again.

My breath hitches when he starts kissing the sides of my legs, dragging his lips over the newly exposed flesh until my pants are completely off, along with my boots. He kisses the instep of my right foot, and those blue eyes come up to meet mine.

After he gently lowers my foot to the bed, he stands and slowly starts undoing his pants. I watch, praying this time doesn’t end up cutoff like last time.

“You remember what happened the last time you took this long,” I remind him, suddenly worried about being interrupted again.

“I’d probably kill someone if they tried to pull me away from you again,” he says before walking toward the door and locking it.

I grin as I take in the hard lines of muscle all over his naked body. Then my eyes go down, and I stare like a fool.

I’m never going this long without him again.

When my eyes finally move up again, he’s staring at me and grinning. I roll my eyes, and he chuckles under his breath before climbing back onto the bed, slowly crawling over my body until his bare skin brushes against mine.

The slightest touch of skin on skin is so intimate, and I think I moan. Yep. That’s definitely a moan. Gah, I’m pathetic.

His lips find mine, and his tongue sweeps in. Just the kiss has my toes trying to curl, and my entire body throbs in anticipation. He doesn’t have to do any work at all, because I’m definitely ready for him.

He pulls back just barely until he can look into my eyes, and then he pushes inside me, stealing my breath with his excruciatingly slow entrance, filling me inch by agonizing inch until he’s buried deep within. Our garbled breaths echo each other’s, and Kace tugs my bottom lip into his mouth as he slowly works his hips back and plunges in again.

“Fuck,” he groans, releasing his hold on my lip as he stiffens his arms and raises up to hover over me, watching himself disappear back inside me once again.

My body arches off the bed, and he curses again before pushing in at a faster pace, slowly building speed until our bodies are almost clapping together. I feel his hipbones striking my inner thighs with each rough thrust, and then I feel him grab me under the knees, shifting the angle so that he goes deeper. Hell, I forgot that was even possible.

My eyes roll back in my head for a moment, but I force myself to look up at him. He’s on his knees, holding my hips in the air as he drives in harder and harder, chasing that high for the both of us. Then he suddenly drops to my body, and I claw at him, trying to get him as close as possible.

Explosions detonate behind my lids, even though I don’t remember closing my eyes, and his name tears through my lips. His shoulder presses against my lips as I hold him to me, but his thrusts don’t relent. Instead, I swear he starts going even harder, to the point where it’s just barely not painful in the best possible way.

But then he suddenly stills deep inside me, breathing my name like a prayer as he kisses the side of my face. He stops supporting himself, and I almost laugh when I find it hard to breathe under his steel body of muscle.

“Can’t. Move,” he says playfully, and I giggle like an idiot all the more.

“You have to, or I might suffocate,” I wheeze, even though it’s a fake wheeze.

His laughter continues to rumble free as he shifts to be at my side, only partially lying on top of me. He kisses the corner of my mouth, then starts kissing down my neck, preparing for round two. We can take it slow this time.

“Kace!” Julius calls from outside the door, and a litany of curses fly from my lips.

“Seriously?” I growl, and Kace groans.

“Kace, we need you out here!” Julius says louder. “Arena has already screamed out your name, so we know you’re done in there.”

My face heats about thirty shades of red in an instant, and Kace’s laughter booms out while I start plotting murder.

“And you bit me,” Kace says, only adding to my humiliation as he points to his shoulder. Crap. There really are bite marks.

“He’s dead to me,” I grumble, which only prompts my cruel fiancé to laugh all the harder.

“Kace!” Julius barks again, as though he’s the one who should be annoyed.

“Dead,” I repeat, only fueling Kace’s laughter as he kisses me softly on the lips.

“Coming,” he says, grinning salaciously before winking.

“Yeah. So we heard,” Julius quips. I’m never leaving the cabin again. There’s no telling how many people are out there listening to this.

“I’ll be back,” Kace says, delivering one last quick kiss to my lips before tugging his pants back on. In less than a few seconds, he’s also put his boots back on, and he walks out while I pull the sheet over my head.

Hell, as busy as he stays, you’d think he was the chief or something.

I smile when I start thinking about the first time we met. Never would have thought the same guy who pulled me out of that trench would end up completely changing my life.

A dull throb in the front of my head forces me to cringe when it attacks suddenly. My hands go up to massage my temples, and I cry out when the pain gets worse. My mind feels like it’s trying to explode.

Red drops of blood drip down to the sheet, splattering and staining it red, and I leap up to run to a mirror. My nose is bleeding. Shit.

I wipe it away, relieved to see it stopping, but my headache only grows, forcing me to cry out again. Wobbling back to the bed, I crawl under the sheet, praying it passes soon. And my eyes grow heavy as I try to block out the pain.

Chapter 8

KACE

Julius is smirking like an ass when I step out and shut the door behind me, and I lead us away from the cabin so that Arena doesn’t overhear anything. Harrison and Kingston are talking, but they both look up to grin at me.

“You’re such a dick,” I say to Julius, rolling my eyes when he laughs, following me farther and farther away from the cabin.

I’m surprised Kingston is smiling, considering he looked like he could tear someone in half earlier. Can’t say I blame him for that either.

“Arena is too easy to embarrass. I can’t seem to help myself,” Julius says with a careless shrug. She really might kill him. Hell, I might help her.

I finally got to have her after waiting—impatiently—and then I’m summoned again.

“Are you going to tell me what’s so damn urgent?”

“I really thought you’d be a little less cranky after finally getting rid of all that toxin.”

I groan as he laughs, but he finally says something worth hearing. “Obviously we didn’t get the chance to take the women we rescued to the market, given how severe our group injuries were.” His lighter expression grows serious in less than a breath. “But now we have numerous women who are rightfully freaked out, and we don’t have any vacant cabins, due to the fact we’re also housing the Kuslan. All of the new cabins we’ve built have recently had families moved into them. In short, we’re packed to the brim, and these women don’t want to be around people they don’t know. In truth, I actually think the market would be the worst place we could take them. I think recovering here is the best option.”

Except for the fact we’re out of housing. “What about the Heflin clan? They had some vacant huts down there. And I think the Tempest just finished the repairs on a few older huts that haven’t been rented out. I realize these women don’t want to stay with strangers, but they might be willing to bunk with each other.”

Julius nods, then he jogs over to relay the message.

“And we need you to look over the supply log to divvy up new rations. The Kuslan are sure as hell pulling their weight,” Harrison adds, prompting Kingston to smirk. “We have a surplus out the ass of most everything even with the extra bodies.”

Finally. Some good news.

“Make sure the women and children we just brought in get plenty of everything, including clean clothes. Have another woman make the supply deliveries to them. I think it’s best if we distance them from men for a while. They can make the choice as to whether they want to stay or not.”

“So does Arena know?” Kingston asks as I make my way toward the banquet hall.

Harrison makes it obvious that he’s listening, but I play dumb.

“About what?” I really hope he gets the hint.

“About the fact you’re acting chief now?” Yeah. He obviously didn’t get the hint.

I blow out a breath as my eyes move back toward the cabin. She’s under a sheet and waiting on me to get back. If I tell her this, we won’t spend the night doing all my favorite things.

Great. I sound like a selfish prick now.

“No,” I finally answer, and Harrison whistles low, already gearing up for the drama that will ensue.

“Why not?” Kingston asks.

“Because of the competition.”

Realization sparks in his eyes, and he tightens his lips.

“What about it?” Harrison asks, confused.

Kingston answers as I try to think of any way around the inevitable. Malfus hasn’t announced my status to the tribe. Maybe I can delay that for as long as possible.

“The competition has a rule about chiefs competing. If a tribe reaches a certain amount of members, the chief isn’t allowed to compete. The Shaylan obviously fall under that rule, unlike the Kuslan who are small enough for their chief to still compete.”

Harrison groans. “Damn, you’re our best. But why would Arena be pissed?”

I tighten my lips for a second before finally telling him, “The competition council sees women as an extension of their husbands, not as an individual person. Arena will be considered to have chief status, meaning she won’t qualify to compete either.”

“Damn,” Julius says as he rejoins us, apparently overhearing our conversation. “It’s not like she won’t still marry you or something. She knew you’d one day be chief. Malfus has been grooming you.”

Arena loves the competition. I’ll never forget the look in her eyes during the whole thing.

We reach the banquet hall, and I grab the chart that has the total stock number. Most of this will spoil if we don’t divvy it out. So I start bumping up rations, marking the changes on each clan’s line.

“I need a hell of a drink,” Kingston says as I finish up the chart and hand Harrison the updated information.

“I need to get back to Arena,” I counter, practically barging out of the banquet hall.

But suddenly Malfus is in front of me, and I bite back a string of curses. “These are requests from the clans. Most of these items will need to be gathered from the market. You’ll need to go over it and detail which things we should retrieve and how much of it.”

I drop my head back, cursing this new position. I’ve been chief for a few weeks—privately of course while Malfus completes my training. He still calls the big shots, such as attacking the herders, but all this mundane shit is eating up my time.

“Come on,” Malfus says through a small laugh. “I’ll help you sort through it.”

“Does it have to be tonight?” I ask, praying he says no.

“Unfortunately, yes. I’ve been informed another nomad market will be traveling through any day now. It’s always best to be prepared for when they come, because they don’t sit still for long.”

Motherfuc—

“We’ll help out,” Harrison says as he comes to my side, Julius with him as they both grin over at me.

I really don’t like being chief. I never wanted this.

***

KACE

Fucking finally! After ten more things came up, I’m finally back to my damn cabin, and Arena is going to—

Ah, hell. She’s asleep.

I groan as I shut the door behind me, looking over her dark hair that is fanned across the pillow. The sheet is almost exposing her chest, teasing me with just enough flesh, and I strip out of my pants and boots while keeping my eyes on her.

She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. A hint of a smile always seems to play on her lips, as though she’s doing something mischievous in her dreams. I can’t help but wonder what’s she’s up to inside her head.

As soon as the bed dips under my weight, Arena rolls over, and her arms and legs immediately wrap around me. Even in her sleep she’s as drawn to me as I am to her. I smile down at her as she snuggles up against me, and I brush away the hair from her face before kissing her softly on the lips.

Nothing can stop us. No one can tear us apart. It’s been one hell of a road to get here, but now she’s mine. And it feels so fucking good.

Chapter 9

ARENA

Morning light appears red through my eyelids, and I stretch on my bed… What the hell? Why is someone in bed with me?

My eyes dart open, and I scream when I see the naked man beside me.

His eyes fling open, and he looks around, leaping up as though he’s on alert, while I scramble to the top of the bed, pulling my sheet against me. Why the fuck am I naked?

“Arena, shit. What the hell?” he asks me.

How does he know my name?

Then I realize this isn’t my hut. This isn’t my bed. Oh. My. Damn. What the hell is going on?

“Who are you?” I demand, trying and failing not to let my eyes fall over his very naked, gorgeously defined, sexy as hell…

I really hate my mind right now. Traitorous thoughts. This is so not the time to lose my mind.

His eyebrows cock up as though he’s confused, and then he gives me a lopsided grin that makes my errant heart react. Am I seriously blushing? I hate myself.

“Funny, babe. You scared the shit out of me. Why’d you really scream? Nightmare or something?”

He’s crazy. How did I end up in… a cabin… naked… with some psycho? Some very hot, muscular, very turned on psycho. Holy shit. Is that thing really getting even bigger? He could kill a girl with that.

“Guess I know what you want this morning,” he says before he’s suddenly grabbing the sheet and jerking it away.

Before words can find my mouth, he grabs me at the ankles and jerks me down the bed until I’m on the edge, and he bends and crushes his lips against mine. Apparently my brain and body disconnect, because I do not react the way I need to.

Like some maddened woman, I grab him and kiss him back. It’s not until that thing starts prodding at my entrance that my senses snap back, and I slap the hell out of him before kicking him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground.

A grunt leaves his mouth as his naked body slaps the floor, and I pull the sheet back to me as I leap off the bed and scramble to the other side of the cabin. I grab the first knife I see and hold it out in front of me, perfectly ready to slice the first thing that comes within striking distance.

“I’m going to ask this again,” I say, cursing inwardly when my tone sounds breathless. “Who the hell are you?”

He leans up on his knees before standing up, and the confused expression he gives me only baffles me all the more.

“Arena, what’s going on? Why are you acting crazy?” the weirdo asks.

I’m acting crazy? What alternate universe is this hell?

“The only crazy person here is you. Who are you? Where am I? And why the hell am I naked?”

His grin returns as though he finds all this amusing.

“I’m your fiancé. This is our cabin. And you’re naked because you never put on any clothes last night after we fucked. Believe me, it was painful to find out you were asleep when I got back.”

Totally psycho.

“I don’t have a fiancé, you freak! I’d never get married. And I live with the Tempest. We have huts, not cabins. And you’d better be lying about that last part, because I will chop that thing off if you violated me in any way.”

Why can’t I remember anything from last night? I was going to go hunting. Our people are starving. The last thing I remember is pulling on a jacket to head into the woods. Then nothing.

His face distorts between confusion and concern, and he grabs his pants from the floor, not bothering to answer any more of my questions. Then he opens the door, still eyeing me warily.

“Harrison!” he yells, his voice uncertain and hitting an odd octave.

Harrison. Thank God. Harrison will help me. He’s infatuated with my sister. Until he starts showing what a damn barbarian he is, he’ll be trying to impress her.

“Yeah!” I hear him yell back.

“You… might want to get Helena. And Meredith. We have a… problem.”

Mom is up here? Helena too?

We have to be in the central camp of the warriors. It would explain the cabin. Did this creep kidnap me?

The guy’s eyes stay on me, and I really, really hate the fact that I can’t seem to look away. I hate my hormones right now. Why is my body betraying me?

“Arena, tell me the last thing you remember,” he says, wisely keeping his distance as I steadily hold the knife in front of me. He has no idea how good I am with a weapon.

“I’m not telling you anything,” I hiss.

Why does he look so exasperated? I’m the one who has been stolen away during the night apparently.

Helena jogs into the room, and I visibly relax when I see her. Wait… Is she wearing pants? She only ever wears dresses.

“What’s wrong?” Helena asks, her eyes moving from my captor to me.

“What do you mean?” I bark. “This pervert was naked when I woke up. Why are we in the warrior camp? What did they do to us?”

Her eyes widen, and the prick groans as he motions to me. “This is what’s wrong. Apparently she has no clue who I am.”

Helena’s eyes only grow bigger in her head, and she looks at me as though I’m some sort of messed up experiment.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I demand.

She swallows hard, looking taken aback, then her eyes shift to my captor. They appear to be having a silent conversation, and I start wondering what they’ve done to her.

“What’s the last thing she remembers?” she asks him.

He looks at me, frowning as he says, “Tried to ask, but she won’t tell me. She doesn’t know who I am, so that should tell you something.”

“Arena,” she says, turning back to me, “this is Kace—the man you’re marrying. This is the cabin you two share. We live up here now. Harrison and I are married, Julius and Kendall are together, and—”

“You sound crazy, Helena,” I point out, since obviously they’ve done something to her. “You and Harrison haven’t entered into a courtship. I don’t even know a Kendall, so I don’t know why you’re saying that. Besides, Julius is in love with you.”

“I’ve apparently missed something,” Julius says as he steps into the cabin, eyeing me warily.

Sheesh. I’m still in a sheet.

“Really, Julius? Get out!” I do not know him well enough to be in a sheet in front of him. For that matter… “You too!” I order, pointing the knife at… Kace to punctuate my sentence.

Why does Julius look confused, too? Am I the only one who hasn’t lost their mind?

“What the hell did you do to piss her off? And why does she think I’m in love with Helena?” he asks, looking toward the sexy man… No. Not sexy. The wicked man who was naked and in the bed with me this morning.

I really hope nothing happened. But I can’t remember a damn thing.

A pale girl with long blonde hair walks in, and Johnny is right behind her, holding her hand. I have no idea who she is, but I tuck the sheet against me as Johnny moves closer, and I rush to him, leaning against him.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, not touching me and actually stepping back like I’ve done something stupid.

I look at him, bemused and a little hurt, and stare expectantly for a reason as to why he’s not flipping the hell out about the fact I’m wearing a sheet inside a warrior’s cabin. When he just continues to stare, appearing just as baffled as everyone else this morning, I decide to prompt an explanation.

“What’s wrong is that I woke up in bed with a naked man. One who tried to take advantage of me this morning. What’s wrong is that I don’t know how I even got in here, which means I was drugged and kidnapped. What’s wrong is that everyone in here is looking at me like I’m the one who is crazy. What’s wrong is that you—my best friend—are just standing there and acting like all of this is just a normal fucking day!”

I’m on the verge of tears, and I don’t cry. I never cry. Why won’t someone get me out of here?

Johnny’s brow furrows, and he looks to Kace as though he’s concerned. Why does everyone keep looking to that creep as though they expect him to explain something about me?

“Your memory is gone?” the girl I don’t know asks, and I turn to face her, studying her. Nope. No clue who she is.

“My memory is just fine. Who the hell are you?”

Julius snorts, coughing back a laugh as he turns away. “Yeah. Her memory is peachy,” Johnny says dryly before turning back to Kace. “Anything happen last night?”

“I had to—”

I interrupt the warrior creep. “He says we had sex,” I hiss, glaring at Johnny who is still just standing there and making no attempt to take my side.

Traitors. He and Helena are both traitors.

Julius bursts out laughing, and Johnny fights really damn hard not to laugh. Kace scrubs his face with both hands, still looking exasperated. This is not funny. Not at all. So why are so many people laughing?

I know. It’s a dream. That’s it. I’m just in a terrible dream.

“Ouch! Fuck!” I yelp when I pinch myself, cursing the red mark on my arm. Dreams aren’t supposed to hurt.

“You’re not dreaming,” Helena says, laughing lightly as she walks toward me, but then her face turns more serious. “You hit your head or something last night?”

“Are you really asking her to recall something from last night when she can’t even remember meeting me?” Kace asks her, sounding annoyed.

I frown, admittedly starting to worry. I’m the only one in this room who seems to be sane. If I’m the only one who finds this crazy, then… What’s going on?

“Helena?”

Her eyes move from tediously studying my forehead to meeting my gaze, concern etched in her eyes.

“It’s going to be okay, Arena. We’ll figure this out,” she says at last.

“So I’m really missing my memory?” I ask weakly, looking around at everyone who is studying me.

“Yeah. We just need to figure out how much is missing. We’ll see if we can’t jar your memory a little.”

The blonde, pale girl is studying me the hardest, but it’s as though she doesn’t really see me. I start to ask her about it, but then Johnny speaks.

“We’ll let you get on some clothes before we start trying to piece together this puzzle.”

I nod, breathing out harshly, and everyone starts leaving. Well, everyone but him—the guy who has supposedly somehow managed to weasel into my life. I’m not sure what I’ve forgotten, but I must have had a moment of temporary insanity if I allowed this… Okay, so he’s hot. I’m not blind. But I’m also not in the market to be made some stud’s breeder.

“You should go, too,” I tell him, my eyes narrowed.

Maybe that’s it. Maybe my mind was lost, but now it’s found. Maybe whatever has happened that I’m blocking out is gone because it wasn’t really me. I just went crazy.

“I’m just showing you which drawers are yours,” he says. His expression is almost sad, and for some unknown reason, that makes my chest clench.

It’s as though my body remembers him just fine, and I really don’t appreciate its mutiny.

He pulls out a few drawers, leaving them ajar, and then he motions toward the side where a wardrobe stands. “Your shoes are all in there. You have some dresses in there, but I’m sure you won’t want to wear them.”

I snort, and then I think about it, and I snort again. Me wear a dress? “Now I know you don’t know me.”

He smiles grimly while shaking his head. “I know you better than you know yourself, Arena. I’ll meet you outside when you’re done.”

I don’t say anything as he walks to the door, but his hand pauses over the knob. “For the record,” he says, still not looking at me, “I fully intend to make you remember me. And soon.”

I’m not sure if that’s a threat, but it sounds like one to me. As he walks out, I shake my head and finally drop the sheet. That’s when I see blood on it. Oh no. I must have really lost my virginity last night.

No. No. No. No.

I don’t even remember it. I’m almost scared to revisit any of those memories now, because that blood can’t be a good sign.

***

ARENA

Swallowing hard, I look around at all the faces who are staring expectantly at me, acting as though I’m supposed to understand all the gibberish they just spouted.

Malfus and my mother… Gross. Wrong. Never going to happen. I’ll kill him first.

Kace is my fiancé, and I supposedly love him… Yeah. I’m not sold on that either.

Helena and Harrison are married—now that’s believable. But it’s about the only thing.

I went to the competition? I’m a warrior now? I won? The viewer is gone, and we’ve gone to war? Three times? It sounds like fairytales only children would believe.

“Well?” Helena prompts. “Do you remember anything?”

I shake my head slowly, and Kace curses before walking away and rubbing the back of his neck. For some reason, I stare after him. Then I shake my head harder, snapping myself out of the daze.

“I’m starting to think someone has tampered with our water supply,” I tell her very seriously, and Julius starts laughing again.

I forgot how annoying I find him.

“Honestly,” I continue. “I think you’re all suffering from some detachment from reality. It’s really the only thing that makes any sense at all.”

“Yeah,” Johnny says dryly. “Because it makes way more sense that we’re all suffering from the same delusion, than to believe you might be suffering a head injury of some sort.”

I really don’t appreciate his tone right now.

“My head is fine,” I remind him. “Helena couldn’t find a single mark.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not messed up,” he quips, winking at me.

I stand up, sighing as I do so, and take Helena by the elbow to pull her away from the group to voice a concern that has been plaguing me.

“I know you’re not all delusional. Well, not completely,” I whisper. “But I just can’t buy into all this.” My eyes flick to Kace’s back, and I watch a little entranced as he throws knives into a block. “I’m… sore. I think he took my virginity last night, and I’m still trying to—”

Helena bursts out laughing, cutting me off as she doubles over and heaves out her cackles. She really is crazy. It’s not me after all.

“What the hell?” Mom asks, speaking up for the first since I said a few unsavory things about her… relationship—gag—with Malfus. He decided it would be best if he left, and my mother scolded me like an errant five-year-old in front of everyone.

“Arena,” Helena says between her heavy spurts of laughter, “thinks Kace… took her… virginity last night.”

Everyone in the group starts roaring in laughter as my face floods red. How could she?

I look up, feeling the burn in my cheeks, horrified, and I see Kace’s lips twitch as he starts walking back toward us. Why does he look so smug right now?

Kace props against the railing of his cabin, his eyes burning against me as he holds me prisoner with that entrapping gaze. How is he doing that?

When his lips form an even smugger smile, I finally find the courage to rip my eyes away.

“Kace didn’t take your virginity last night,” Julius says, laughing just as hard as Helena. “He took it months ago. We’ve all had to endure the torrid screams and public displays of too much affection. You two are fucking rabbits or some shit.”

I just thought my face couldn’t get any redder. He’s making that up. He has to be making that up.

Kace pushes away from the railing, and he comes dangerously close to me, not bothering to show concern about personal boundaries. He’s lucky I don’t think he violated me. Whatever has happened, my body’s reaction to him lets me know it was very much consensual, even though it has me hating myself for it.

“Why do you think I took your virginity last night?” he asks, putting his finger under my chin and forcing my head up.

It’d be so easy to knee him in the balls right now. So why won’t my body respond?

Instead of jerking back like I want to do, I’m frozen to my spot, staring up helplessly at his mystifyingly beautiful blue eyes. I. Am. Crazy.

“Because I’m sor… I mean… there was blood.”

His lips twitch at first, but then seriousness covers his face. “Blood where?”

“On the sheet.”

He drops my chin, and releases me from the power of his eyes as he turns and runs back toward the cabin. Everyone follows him, including me, even though I don’t know why the hell I’m following.

“What’s going on?” Keira—that pale blonde chick—asks him when we get inside.

“Blood,” he says, tilting his head as he picks up the sheet I had tied around me earlier. “She bled from somewhere last night.”

“Ew. Fuck. Some things need to stay quiet,” Julius says, shuddering while gagging.

Kace rolls his eyes as my cheeks burn an even brighter shade of red.

“Not like that, dickhead. These patterns prove it was a heavy drip, more than likely from the nose, since there’re not any cuts or marks on her.”

“Not that cuts or marks would be there,” Keira says more to herself. “She was mauled by a wolf and it was gone the very next day—a few short hours after another man died from infection caused by the very same wounds.”

Kace tilts his head, and I look at her like she has lost her mind. Obviously I haven’t been mauled by anything.

“She’s a werewolf,” Julius says, grinning over at me. Does he think he’s funny?

“I wish,” Keira mumbles, groaning as though she’s frustrated. “I’ll be back in a minute. I need to go finish what I started last night. This is only getting more fucked up by the second.”

She doesn’t elaborate as she walks out.

“Is she always so vague and confusing?” I ask Johnny.

He shrugs. “Basically. It’s one of the things I love about her. I’ll go see if I can help her out.”

Hmmm. Apparently Johnny and I are nowhere nearly as close as we were just yesterday—back in the world I’m from.

Kace studies the doorway, then he looks back at me. It takes very little effort for him to leave me feeling captivated. Am I running a fever? I must be. I’m burning up and acting stupid. I’m sure as hell not acting like me.

“I’ll be back. I’m going to go find out what has Keira being so vague and evasive,” he says while walking away.

He really needs to wear a shirt.

Chapter 10

KACE

It’s karma. I’m still being punished for something. Has to be it.

My fucking fiancée doesn’t even know who I am. Unbelievable.

Keira is on the bed with numerous journals opened up and spread across the mattress when I walk in without knocking. She looks up, just as Johnny does, both of them keeping secrets with their eyes. He’s the only person she shares anything with.

“What’s going on, Keira? You know something, and right now, I’m damn close to losing my mind.”

She tightens her lips for a minute, and Johnny moves his eyes back down to the journal he’s reading.

“We’re trying to find out for sure that I’m right before I cause panic, Kace. It’s not wise for me to voice my concerns.”

I glare at her, then shift my eyes to Johnny. He doesn’t bother looking up, so I turn my attention back to her.

“You know you should tell me. And if he knows, then it’s apparently not a secret.”

She frowns while shaking her head. “Johnny is a lot like me. He’s calculated. And though he loves Arena like a sister, he’s nowhere nearly as emotionally invested in her as you are. I need someone calm working with me right now. These are already hard to decipher. I don’t need the added stress of a freak-out.”

Her eyes move back down to the bed as I continue glaring.

“What the fuck, Keira? Why can’t she remember me? Tell me what the hell you know!”

She blows out a frustrated breath before closing one journal and pushing it aside. “If I’m right, then it’s merely temporary.”

“And if you’re wrong?” I prompt.

She looks up, meeting my eyes again, and says, “Then we’re a hell of a lot luckier than if I’m right. Believe me. It’d be better to let Arena lose a few months of memories as opposed to the alternative.”

My blood runs hot and cold inside my veins, and Johnny shifts uncomfortably, flipping another page while avoiding eye contact with me.

“You’re scaring me, Keira. What’s going on?”

“Don’t be scared,” she says mildly. “That’s the panic I was talking about. If I’m right, she’ll end up getting her memories back within a week or so—all of them at once. Right now, I need to find something.”

I know Keira well enough to know she isn’t going to tell me a damn thing. A week? Arena won’t remember me for an entire week? That fucking sucks balls.

***

KACE

She laughs as she plays with the kids around her, but her eyes keep finding mine. I can tell she hates it when she can’t seem to look away. It’s like we’re meeting for the first time all over again.

“Keira give you any insight as to how to deal with this?” Julius asks, propping up beside me as I stare after the girl I love.

“No. But she says it could be a whole fucking week before Arena remembers me again. And that’s if she’s right.”

None of this is making any sense, and Keira is either crazy or really freaky, because none of this seems possible.

“It’s just a few months that she’s missing. You’re acting like it’s a lot worse,” Julius says too casually, and I turn my narrowed eyes on him.

“Are you kidding? How would you like it if Kendall suddenly couldn’t remember you? Besides, Keira can’t possibly know what’s really going on. There’s no way she can tell me that Arena will definitely have her memory back at all.”

He grins like a damn devil. “That actually wouldn’t be so bad. A lot of firsts all over again, you know?”

Why the hell did I think he might have some empathy?

“Well, my firsts weren’t as easy to come by as yours. I had to work my ass off to get her to fall for me. And this time I don’t have all the extra help I had the last time.”

Stupid amnesia. It’s all so random. What happened? And why was she bleeding? The doctor swears there’s nothing wrong with her physically. He’d better be right. I’d hate to kill the only doctor we have in the tribe.

“What extra help?” Julius asks, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“We met because I saved her ass that day in the woods. Then she started talking to me when I saved her from all the goons trying to put their hands all over her. Of course there was the incident with Jespin, and then the end of starvation in her clan. Every time I did something she considered heroic, a piece of that wall she had crumbled. Now I’m just some guy instead of the hero she fell for, and her wall is back up.”

He frowns as I sulk like a damn baby, staring at Arena and praying for a miracle. If I lose her… I don’t want to think about it. I’ve hit some dark periods before, but none of them were as bad as the times I’ve thought I lost her. There was always hope during those time, because I knew she loved me. Now… Now she doesn’t even know my damn name.

“She hasn’t been able to stop looking at you. Maybe the whole heroic thing expedited the process, but Arena is yours. There’s no doubt about it. Remind her. Who knows, maybe you’ll jog some of her memories.”

Remind her that she’s mine? Well, there are only a few ways to do that, and I’m fairly sure most of them would end with a knife stuck in my crotch.

I cringe at just the thought.

As she takes a bow from Helena and aims at the apples, I watch with rapt attention. All twenty fall after the release of just one arrow. Apparently she can remember everything but us.

“We’re running sparring trials tonight, aren’t we?” I ask Julius as a plan slowly forms.

“Yeah. Why?”

I smirk as Arena takes the knives from Helena. It’s become apparent that she plans on partaking in all the training festivities set up for today.

“Put me with Arena.”

He chokes on air before gasping. “Seriously? Everyone has been dying to see the two of you have a real match, but I don’t think that’s smart to do.”

“Oh?” I ask distractedly as my eyes stay transfixed on Arena.

“Dude, my balls protest every time I even think about sparring with Arena. So no. I don’t think it’s a good idea. Right now she doesn’t see you as the man she’d die for. She sees you as some pervert who woke up naked in bed with her. She won’t hold back.”

My smile only grows as the wheels in my mind turn. “Exactly. She won’t hold back at all. I can prove to her that I know her as well as I claim to know her. And I can also have an excuse to put my hands on her without freaking her out. Sign me up with her, Julius. I’m getting my girl back before someone else starts thinking she’s back on the market.”

He takes a step back, his eyes proving he’s confused. “Who would be stupid enough to try and take her away from you?”

I try not to let my anger surge, but it’s almost impossible. Yesterday I was planning a damn wedding, and today I’m trying to mastermind a way to get my fiancée to stand being alone in a room with me.

“If they value life, then no one. But the longer Arena takes to remember, the more likely it is that I’ll end up killing someone.”

He starts heading away from me, but says, “Alrighty then. I guess you’re fighting with Arena. Wear a cup.”

***

ARENA

“I can’t stay in his cabin. Are you crazy?” I say to Helena, looking at her like she has lost her damn mind.

“You have to. All the homes are full. We have too many people as it is. Besides, if anyone can help you reconnect to your memories, it’ll be Kace. It’s win-win no matter how you look at it.”

“Then apparently you need glasses, because no matter what angle I see it from, it’s absurd.”

She laughs as though any of this is funny. This is not the Helena I know, dammit.

“Sorry, Arena. But you’re engaged, you’re in love, and you’re not going to get out of living with the man who has walked through fire to be with you. Especially when there’s nowhere else for you to stay.”

I open my mouth to speak, but someone else beats me to it. “She can take my bed. I’ll change with her.”

I turn to face the new voice, but I have no idea who the hell she is.

“Go fuck yourself, Ebony,” Helena says, shocking the absolute hell out of me. Did Helena just say that?

The girl she called Ebony just rolls her eyes.

“Look, she has no memory of them being together. I’m sure it’s killing Kace. It’s only going to hurt him worse if she’s breaking his heart and ignoring him. Or worse, acting scared of him. She can take my place. I’ll camp outside if Kace doesn’t want me staying with him.”

I don’t know why, but it actually pisses me off that she’s so invested in staying with the man I’m supposedly engaged to. I have no reason to hate her, yet my blood seems to be boiling in my veins the longer I study her.

Again, it’s as though my body knows something my mind can’t reach, and it seems as if my body really hates this girl.

“Sure. You go ask Kace if he wants you in his cabin,” Helena says with sarcasm drenching her tone, acting unusually aggressive toward the girl.

Who is this Helena? I really like her.

Ebony rolls her eyes, and she walks off as though she’s on a mission. I turn to see Kace walking up, heading toward a series of bow shooters. When she intercepts him, his eyes move to mine as though he’s confused. Then his jaw tenses as she speaks.

I’m not sure what he says to her, but it has her practically running away from him. He looks really pissed right now.

“Does he always get so angry so easily?” I ask Helena as Kace veers to the right and starts chunking the hatchets instead of going to the bows.

The blades thud hard into the blocks of wood, chipping off pieces. He’s going to destroy the training blocks if he keeps throwing like that.

“That’s the look of a man who is fiercely in love with you, Arena. That’s not anger; that’s fury.”

I turn to look at her, prepared to remind her that I’m not one to jump at some alpha male just because he looks good without a shirt, but she continues before I can speak.

“And that’s the look of a man who will do anything to keep you. Do me a favor. Try not to let anyone near you that shows romantic interest. I’d rather not have to clean up a bloody mess.”

My jaw drops as she smirks and walks away. What the hell kind of man is Kaceton?

I catch myself staring at him—again—as he twists and turns, launching the hatchet with angry precision. I’ve really got to get a grip on my body. I’m not sure how I ever got sucked into his sexy trap, and I need answers. Because I know myself better than anyone here, and despite their claims, I can’t see me with a guy as dominant and possessive as he seems to be.

Then again, I can’t see myself with a man at all.

With him distracted, I jog back to his cabin where all my stuff apparently is. There’s only one person I truly trust, and that’s myself.

When I get inside the cabin, I start sifting through my drawers. Clothes, clothes, clothes… Where the hell are they?

“Looking for something?”

The deep voice brings unbidden chills all over my body, and I tense. Slowly, I turn to face the doorway where Kace is propped up, his right eyebrow cocked in amusement. At least he doesn’t look angry anymore.

Why is his body so distracting? All those lines of hard muscle over golden skin shouldn’t be doing anything for me. It never has before.

“I was… um… looking for my… journals,” I stammer, sounding like a… well, a girl with a damn crush.

I really hate myself.

He smirks, like the cocky ass he is. Honestly, what did I see in him?

He walks over to the side of the cabin, and with a booted heel, he pushes down on a floorboard that springs up on the other side. He catches the board, removing it, and reaches into the opening to pull out a leather-bound journal—my journal.

“I assume you’re searching for your most recent one,” he says, standing back up and slowly walking to me.

My breath catches in my throat as my eyes continue to shamelessly rake over his chest and torso, examining all the… Sheesh. Stop already!

He takes his time reaching me, and he doesn’t stop until he’s right in front of me, his body almost touching mine, and I’m forced to look up to meet his eyes. Bad idea. Those eyes seem to be a bigger weakness for me than his body.

A ghost of a smug smile plays on his perfect lips. “You stopped logging journal entries as much after the viewer was destroyed. But you still wrote some things down. You wanted to keep it hidden, considering you wrote a lot about us.”

My face heats upon hearing the suggestive tone of his voice. Maybe reading these isn’t such a good idea after all.

The feel of leather finds my left hand, but I can’t seem to stop staring into his eyes. When he leans down, bring his lips so close that his sweet breath fans my lips, my knees do some weird wobbly thing.

“I’ll be with the arrow catchers. Let me know if you need help… remembering anything,” he says, that suggestive tone there again.

When my knees finally buckle, his arms go around my waist, drawing me to him and pushing me flush against his body. He smirks down at me like he knew that was about to happen.

“I’ll be fine,” I croak. What is going on with my voice?

“Sure you will,” he says, grinning salaciously before releasing me.

I stumble and stagger as he walks out the door, and then I look down at my knees. “Seriously?” I ask them as though they can answer.

I drop down to the bed when stability refuses to find my gelatin legs, and I flip open the journal, smiling when I see numerous familiar entries. Reading those won’t help me remember all that I’ve apparently forgotten though, so I skip ahead, flipping tirelessly until I settle on a page that doesn’t ring familiar.

So he saved me from Malfus? See, I knew Malfus wasn’t a good guy.

I continue reading, finding most of what I have written to be contradictory. One minute I’m normal, and the next I’m some pathetic girl who is desperate to be with him. It actually pisses me off to see how easily I fell for him. And he was watching me? Yet I still went flying back into his arms?

This can’t be right. It doesn’t even sound like me. So what if it’s my handwriting? This sounds like fiction.

Deciding not to waste my time hearing the confessions of an insane girl, I flip through another few pages. That’s when I see a part that has my body heating in ways I’ve never felt before. Well, ways I can’t remember feeling.

Oh. My. Damn.

I slam the book shut, ignoring the flush I feel throughout my body, and I squeeze my legs together when some annoying ache forms between them. I can’t believe I would write about… that.

Swallowing hard, I look down at the journal that has only confused me more. No way am I attempting to get answers from that thing again.

I scramble over to the floorboard that is still raised, and I look around guiltily before tucking it in and slamming the board back into place. Why do I feel like I just invaded my own privacy?

I almost run out of the cabin, but I slam right into a hard chest, stumbling backwards until two hands grab my shoulders and steady me.

“Whoa! What’s on fire?” the unknown voice asks me with a laughing tone.

I look up into the eyes I’ve never seen before.

“Who are you?” I ask, knocking his hands away while pushing off him and putting distance between us.

He frowns as though I’ve said something wrong, not like I give a damn.

“Kace said your memories were messed up. I was hoping he was exaggerating the issue. He normally worries too much where you’re concerned.”

I glare at him, waiting for him to explain himself.

“Sorry,” he adds, taking another step back and ushering me to walk in front of him. “I’ll follow you and introduce myself.”

Warily, I step by him, not taking my eyes off the unknown guy. Judging from his muscles and toned physique, he’s definitely a meathead warrior.

“I’m Kingston—chief of the Kuslan tribe. You and I are friends.”

I heard him mentioned in the highlights they gave me, but I don’t know why he acts like we’re friends. That part wasn’t elaborated on.

“Just friends? We’re not having some secret affair or anything, right?” I ask jokingly.

“Not if you want to keep your hands attached,” a girl’s voice says, and I turn to see the face that matches the voice.

She’s wearing a smile, letting me know her words are spoken with malice despite her flat delivery. Long, black hair sweeps behind her as she makes her way closer.

She grins over at Kingston, and I turn to see him pretty much lost in the sight of her. Well, now I feel a little awkward. I shouldn’t have said that.

“I’m Raven,” she tells me when she reaches my side, but then Kingston tugs her into his arms, and before she can say anything else, his lips are on hers.

Okay… Time to go.

I walk away, leaving behind the couple who are dueling with their tongues. Some people really don’t know how to respect others. Who makes out like that for everyone to see? Ugh.

Julius and the girl they call Kendall are huddled up together, their lips locked as they drown out the rest of the world, and I roll my eyes as I pass them. I miss the Tempest camp. I never had to witness gross displays of affection like that there.

This camp is way too small, because no matter where I turn, it seems like I keep finding him—Kace.

His back is to me as he aims the bow, firing an arrow at—Oh holy shit!

The arrow flies through the air as I screech, watching with wide eyes and a thudding heart as it approaches Harrison. It all happens so fast. Suddenly the arrow is snatched out of the air, and Harrison smiles while taking a bow, arrow in hand.

Are they fucking crazy?

I jog down to where they are, ready to blast them all for being so reckless, when suddenly Kace holds his arms out. The same arrow Harrison caught is the arrow he loads, and before I can yell for them to stop, he fires it at Kace.

But his hand flies up quickly, and he spins as he catches it, laughing as though this is all a game.

“What the hell are you doing?” I bark.

When he said he’d be arrow catching, I had no idea what that meant. I certainly didn’t realize he meant it like this.

He turns and flashes that devastatingly perfect smile at me as I stalk toward him, ready to berate him the way he deserves.

“Worried about me, Arena? I guess you must have read some good stuff,” he says, his voice too seductive for those words.

My resolve to bitch him out melts away as he walks toward me, holding an arrow like I’ve never seen before.

“Ballpoints,” he says, handing me the arrow that indeed has a wooden ball on the end in place of a spike, while intentionally brushing his hand against mine. “We’re not idiots.”

That last part is debatable.

“Want to try it?” he asks me, grinning as I look up.

“Hell no. I’m not letting someone fire an arrow at me.”

His expression hardens, as though I’ve said something wrong. “Yeah. You’re right. I doubt I could handle watching it, either.” The angry look dissipates as his smile returns. “I heard you were sparring later.”

It feels too natural to talk to him, and for some reason, I want to stay here and do just that. But I refuse. I don’t know who wrote those journal entries, but it wasn’t the real me.

“You heard wrong. I told Julius I’m not sparring for another two days. I need to go,” I grumble, walking away even as an ache forms in my chest upon seeing his disappointment in my words.

Chapter 11

KACE

My head is fucking killing me. I’ve never been consumed by so much dread in all my life. So much for my sparring hopes.

Arena is arguing with Helena about something as I walk toward our cabin after watching the sparring event that Arena didn’t attend. I decided to pull out of the event since the only reason I was sparring was to put myself with her.

I really fucking hope she stays at the cabin, but I’m tired of trying to force myself on her.

“What’s going on?” I ask when they see me and hush their conversation.

Helena answers as Arena glares at her. “She keeps trying to get someone to let her stay with them, and I’m not letting it happen. You’re the person she needs to be with. It’s the best chance of getting her memories back.”

I wince, because knowing she doesn’t want me around hurts like hell.

“It’s fine,” I say on a breath. “Arena can stay in there alone. I’ll camp outside. I’ll grab some stuff now.”

The words leave a bad taste in my mouth as I turn to head inside the cabin, putting my back to the girl it hurts to look at when I know I can’t touch her. I try not to slam the drawers as I pull out blankets to form a pallet on the damn ground.

I feel her before I hear her footsteps or the sigh that leaves her lips, but I don’t turn around as I grab a few clothes. I can sleep outside, and dress at one of the guy’s houses.

“Kace,” she says in a tired breath, “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I suddenly feel guilty about all this, but I do. You shouldn’t have to leave. This is your home.”

That’s when I snap.

Turning around, I narrow my eyes at her, trying not to fall into the trap her deep green eyes always hold for me.

“Arena, this is our cabin. But it’s not my home. My home doesn’t know who I am, and she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me right now.”

I ignore the sharp intake of air she takes, and turn back to grab my pillow from the bed. Just as I start to walk by her, thunder crackles heavily in the sky, and I close my eyes while groaning.

“Looks like sleeping outside isn’t going to happen,” she says flatly.

I cock an eyebrow while turning back to face her. “I’ll borrow the floor at someone else’s house then.”

She walks to the door, and to my surprise, she closes it before leaning against it, blocking me from leaving. I toss the pillow back to the bed, and then toss the clothes and blankets to the side.

“Are you inviting me to stay?” I ask, trying not to be too hopeful.

She smiles that bashful grin of hers that she used to give me all the time, and she lowers her eyes to the floor as a pretty blush climbs over her cheeks. At least that’s something.

I really want to touch her right now, and it’s physically hurting me not to.

“I think this is a seriously fucked up situation. I wish I could remember you, but I don’t. Yet when you look like I’ve hurt you… something inside me aches as though I’m hurting, too. Like it did just a second ago.”

Thank fuck. At least she hasn’t completely written me off. She can’t.

“That leaves us where?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest, refusing to stop looking at her.

She looks up and blows out another heavy breath. “I don’t know. To you, I’m this girl that I’ve never even heard of. That journal didn’t sound like me at all after you pulled me out of that trench. To me, you’re a warrior. I don’t like the warriors. At all. In fact, I—”

“I’m aware of the low opinion you had of warriors,” I tell her, biting back a grin. “But now you’re one of us. So that would sound a little hypocritical.”

She tries so hard not to smile, but she can’t help it. “So I hear. Yet another mind-boggling change that I can’t remember. But that girl with Johnny keeps telling me my memory will return, even though she won’t tell me why she’s so certain. In the meantime, I thought I’d learn some things about this new version of me, and everyone here says you know me better than I know myself.”

Because I do.

“And what do you think?”

She snorts while shaking her head. “That I’m crazy.”

I can’t help but laugh, and she smiles over at me. This is progress.

“Sleep on the floor,” she says when her eyes meet mine again. “We’ll figure this out as we go.”

She’s letting me stay. Albeit the floor isn’t ideal, but I’ll take it.

“Any chance I could talk you into sharing the bed with me?” I ask, pushing my luck.

She grins while walking over to the bed and pulling back the cover. Then she meets me with that fiery spark in her eyes.

“Not a chance in hell.”

I’m not sure why, but that makes me smile and curse inwardly at the same time.

“We’ll see about that,” I say more to myself than her as I prepare a spot on the floor.

I’ll be touching her before the week is over. If she can’t seem to make her body resist me, then I’ll use that as my strongest offense. Starting with the sparring. She’s getting in that ring with me tomorrow if it’s the last thing I do.

Chapter 12

ARENA

“You’re signed up for sparring today,” Helena announces as she joins me. That Kendall girl keeps trying to talk to me, but I’m too busy trying to remember the fiancé I have to try and remember a friend as well.

“Tomorrow,” I tell her absently, looking over some of the notes that describe me in the competition. I borrowed Kendall’s journal to read about it, since I’m scared to read about it in mine.

“No. Today. Julius said they had to rearrange the schedule, and to let you know that you go on after Harrison.”

Crap.

I look up from the journal, still stuck in disbelief. It doesn’t seem possible that any of this stuff really happened.

“Why?” I ask, curious, but distracted. Kace is in my damn head. I’ve lasted one whole day, and he’s in my head. My mind is starting to sound like the girl in my journal.

“He didn’t give a reason. He’s the head sparring coach, so he makes the schedules.”

Well, hell. I asked for another day to try and get some private practice in. But for some reason, no one will spar with me. I’ve asked everyone.

“I’ve been trying to get in practice time at the side rings before entering the big one. But no one will help me. I’m not ready to just dive in where everyone will be watching with no practice at all.”

She laughs as though I’ve said something funny. “You’ve wounded a lot of egos.”

And I don’t even have the pleasure of remembering it. I really hope that Keira girl is right about my memories returning. I feel like I’m constantly on the outside of an inside joke.

“Whose egos are wounded?”

Helena and I both turn to see the Kuslan chief… Kingston—I think that’s his name. He smiles as he joins us, waiting expectantly for an answer.

“Everyone’s,” Helena says with her own smile. “Arena can’t get anyone to spar with her outside of the event ring.”

“Ah,” he says, sounding overly familiar with my dilemma. “I’d offer my services, but I’m about to be due in the event ring myself. I’ll see you two later.”

He jogs off, and Helena shakes her head. “He totally just lied his ass off. Julius scheduled him for later on tonight.”

Men are such bitches.

“Come on,” she says, tugging my hand. “Let’s get you stretched out before you have to spar. Kace has to loosen you up.”

I stumble to a halt. “What? No. I can stretch on my own.”

She smirks while shaking her head. “Sorry, but you have special stretches. You pulled a muscle once. Since then, Malfus put you on thin man stretches. You risk injury otherwise.”

“And I have to have help with these stretches?”

“Yep.”

“Then you do it,” I protest. I need to stay away from Kace as much as possible. I couldn’t even manage to let him leave the cabin last night after I saw the hurt look in his eyes. I can’t control myself around him, and I really don’t trust myself around him.

“I can’t,” she continues. “I don’t weigh enough to stretch you properly.”

The blood drains from my face. Weigh enough? Why do I feel like she’s lying to me?

“What does that mean?”

“It means someone bigger and stronger has to stretch you.”

“Then we’ll find someone else.” Does she not realize I’m desperate to keep away from that guy?

“Someone else would get their heads ripped off if Kace saw them stretching you out.”

Confusion rattles me. “What is that supposed to mean? What the hell kind of stretches are these?”

She doesn’t answer. Instead, I hear her calling for Kace as soon as he comes walking out in all his shirtless glory, moving toward the knife throwing section. Does he always walk around half naked? Or is he just trying to mess with my scrambled mind?

Kace doesn’t hesitate to change his direction and walk toward us. His eyes… I really have a love/hate relationship with those piercing blue things.

“Yeah,” he says casually, waiting on Helena to explain why she has called him over.

“Arena is up in less than an hour, and she needs to be stretched.”

His grin becomes insuppressible as he winks at me. “Lie down,” he commands, enjoying this far too much.

“I don’t think so,” I scoff. “Not until someone—Ah!”

My words end in an embarrassing squeal when he scoops me up, shocking the hell out of me, and he has me on the ground before I can react. I’m really not ready to spar if I couldn’t even stop that from happening.

“I really don’t appreciate being manhandled,” I snap, grimacing when my heart speeds up.

He’s too close. He puts a knee between my legs as he grabs my right ankle, and I’m frozen to the ground like a fool.

“Next time just do what I ask, and I won’t have to manhandle you,” he quips, acting far too cocky. “Besides, you usually get turned on when I do manhandle you.”

Speedy heartbeat, flushed cheeks, painful ache… Shit. I am turned on. Now I hate myself even more.

Before I can sputter some very witty retort—and it would be witty, dammit—he starts lifting my leg, pushing it up onto my chest until my foot is beside my head. His body presses against mine as he uses his weight to create more resistance, and I frigging whimper—yes, whimper—when I realize he’s turned on, too.

He grins down at me, not hiding the fact he knows I feel that, and he pushes lower until his lips are just centimeters from mine.

“This is always my favorite part of getting you ready to fight,” he tells me. His eyes move to my mouth as I struggle to breathe.

Finally, he leans back up, slowly bringing my leg with him, and I relax. Until the bastard grabs my other ankle, repeating the motion, and once again his lips are too dangerously close to mine.

“Breathe, Arena,” he says, grinning bigger. “You’ll pass out if you don’t.”

Why am I not breathing? This is so embarrassing.

He leans back up, sliding his hand from my thigh all the way down to my ankle again, leaving a fiery trail in its wake. I almost wish he’d kiss me again.

I. Need. Help.

“Just a few more, and we’re done,” he says.

I barely manage to endure the next few sets of stretches, especially when his lips just barely brush mine. He has to be doing that on purpose.

“I’ll see you down there,” he says as he finally lets go of me.

Longest stretches ever.

“You’ll be watching?” I ask with a rasp voice.

He grins as he walks backwards, keeping his eyes on me. “Something like that.”

He turns and walks away, leaving me to… Am I seriously shaking?

I don’t believe in magic, but I swear I’m under some sort of spell. Feeling like this for a total stranger can’t be natural.

Helena seems to have disappeared, and I make my way toward the event ring in search for her.

“Arena!” The somewhat familiar voice has my head turning, and I narrow my eyes when I see the Ebony chick that Helena doesn’t like very much, even though she hasn’t given me much backstory on that.

“Yeah?”

She reaches me, and starts keeping stride beside me as we make our way toward the ring.

“I know you’ve heard some nasty things about me, but I hope we can put them aside. Maybe even consider this memory wipe a clean slate between us?”

“Honestly,” I tell her while shrugging, “no one has said anything about you at all.”

I turn to see her face fall as though she’s disappointed by that. And I have no idea whether to feel bad for her or not.

“Oh,” she says, utterly crestfallen. “Well, I suppose I can consider that a good thing. It really will be like a fresh start.” She takes a deep breath before adding, “And I really was just trying to help yesterday. You may hate me for it, but I care about Kace. He loves you, and I can only imagine how much he’s suffering right now.”

People are so dramatic. “It’s only been a day, so he can’t be suffering too much.”

She smiles grimly while looking down at her hands. “He’s probably worried it’s a permanent thing. I wasn’t trying to start any problems. He let me know my concern wasn’t wanted or appreciated, but I thought I’d at least try to explain myself to you.”

I’m not sure why he’s being a jerk to her. She sounds sincere. Yesterday I felt as though I wasn’t supposed to like her, but I don’t know why. She seems nice enough.

But there’s a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that leaves me leery of her for no reason.

“Arena!” Helena’s voice has me turning my attention away from the girl I don’t really know, and then I notice Kace glaring at the girl as though she just crossed some enormous line.

She walks away with her head down, but I still can’t seem to summon pity. Kace steps up as I near the group that has huddled together, and he slides his arm around my waist like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

I step away, eyeing him like he’s lost his mind, and his lips thin as hurt resides his eyes. That same painful, guilty feeling courses through me just like it did last night when I saw that expression. I don’t know the guy, so why do I feel obligated to not hurt his feelings.

“Sorry,” I say to him, despite my mind’s opinion.

He forces a smile. “Don’t be. I… just forgot. It’s going to take me a minute to adjust. I just hope I don’t have to for long.”

I’m not sure what to say to that, so I opt for silence instead. He moves to be behind me as more people shuffle in, and we all watch as Harrison takes down some guy.

But watching Harrison feeds me some confidence. I know how to fight like a warrior, because I was trained by the best of the best. Even though I was young, I still used those training skills everyday while growing up.

We get bumped into from behind, and Kace staggers into me, putting his hands on my hips to steady us both before we fall. I try to ignore how good it feels, but it’s hard to, and he takes his time about letting his hands fall away.

Since I can’t bear to see that look in his eyes again, I don’t say anything about it this time or knock his hands away. Eventually, his touch is completely gone, and the disappointment that strikes in my chest is unwanted and definitely surprising.

Shit. This is ridiculous.

“Now it’s time for something everyone has been waiting for!” Julius announces, drawing me away from my disturbing thoughts. The group has doubled in size, all of us circling the large fighting area marked by white lines. “Our two champions in the ring—Arena versus Kace!”

No! He can’t be serious!

My mouth falls open as Kace walks by me, moving into the ring as we’re met with a mixture of cheers and groans. “They don’t actually fight!” a small girl points out, though I don’t know her name.

Kace winks at her, and she giggles loudly.

“They will tonight, SaShante,” Julius tells her. “Most of you have heard the news, but in case you haven’t, Arena has recently suffered some trauma to her mind. I know that’s not really shocking. If you know her, then you understand she’s always had something wrong inside that pretty little head. But this time she actually has something serious going on.”

Everyone laughs as I widen my eyes, mentally making a list of painful ways to pay him back. He’s making very light of the situation.

“So tonight,” he continues, winking at me, “you finally get the showdown you’ve all wanted. Arena won’t be holding back. There won’t be any dirty stuff going on—well, there might be some dirty fighting. I’ve sparred with Arena, so I know firsthand that she doesn’t care to hit below the belt—literally.”

Laughter ensues, though I don’t know why. I can’t ever remember fighting with Julius. Yet again, I’m on the outside of an inside joke.

I step into the ring, ignoring the whistles that follow. Kace’s smirk… I wish he didn’t look so sexy and cocky right now.

He bounces from side to side, eyeing me as though he’s daring me to make the first move. I was prepared to fight a newbie. Not a champion. Not a guy who makes my body have uncontrollable responses to him.

“Your move, babe,” Kace says, still smirking.

I decide to wipe that look off his face and remind him I’m not the idiot girl he managed to tame.

With a hard lunge, I slide on the ground, ready to take him out at the knees, but it’s as though he expected my move. He twists, and spins, dodging my attempt, and he pulls me up from the ground, securing my arms behind my back, and pulling my back against his front.

“I told you I know you better than you know yourself,” he says against my ear. “Watching you fight is one of my many pastimes.”

Now I’m pissed. Everyone is smiling as though they enjoy seeing me look like a fool.

I shrug out of his hold, and he laughs while letting me go. I take a few steps before turning back around and facing him again. He motions toward me with both hands, tempting me to come at him again, but this time I’m smarter about it.

I make my way to him, swinging my leg around, but he catches it, proving I’m not as smart as I thought I was. He holds me at my thigh with one hand, and secures me to his body by holding my waist with his other, jerking me against him as he stares into my eyes.

“This is one of my favorites,” he says, still holding that grin intact.

My elbow flies up, aimed at his face, but he tosses me back before it can connect, and I stagger to regain my balance.

“Kace isn’t going to fight her,” one guy complains. “This is pointless.”

It’s embarrassing and degrading to be this… girl they all seem to think I’ve become. I was once too badass for anyone to even consider mocking. The Tempest men never try to cross me. Hell, very few of them make eye contact.

“Come on, Kace. Give us a show,” Julius prompts, his shit-eating grin still on his face. “We all know what happens after one of your fights. Might get a first if you give it a shot!”

Kace starts laughing, though I don’t know why, but his distraction is my window of opportunity. I sweep my leg, and it catches him right behind both knees, sending him to his back. He lands with a hard thud, his laughter disappearing, and I move to strike again.

Unfortunately, I underestimate his reach, because he grabs my ankle and with one hard tug, trips me up, forcing me to the ground as well. He rolls over, quickly putting his body on top of mine, and my breath ceases as he pins my arms above my head.

“You yield?” he asks, daring me to fight back.

I take the dare. I buck my hips, thrashing wildly, but the jerk just weighs too much. Then I gasp when I realize this is turning him on.

He brings his lips dangerously close to mine before whispering, “If I win, I’m sleeping in the bed tonight. With you.”

That has me bucking harder, and I finally gather enough space to wiggle my knee up. He curses when it connects to his side, and he falls off me. Everyone starts cheering as I try to kick him while he’s down, but he is so damn fast.

In less than a breath, he’s back on his feet, stalking toward me like a man on a mission, and I duck when he swings his arms out to grab me. My knee comes up, connecting with his stomach, but it doesn’t faze him this time.

At all.

Holy shit. He’s a wall of muscle when he’s flexed.

I panic momentarily, searching for a weakness. Deciding to try out a throat punch—my one and only option—I throw my fist up, but he catches it midair, and wrenches it behind my back, using it as leverage to force me forward. My left fist comes up immediately, but he catches it in his hand, twisting it back to join my other hand.

I stare up at him, efficiently pinned by his ungodly strength, and he holds my gaze, staring at me like he’s hungry or savage. Not sure which.

“Yield,” he whispers.

Apparently he doesn’t know me as well as he says he does if he thinks I’m the type of person to ever surrender.

“No,” I hiss.

With barely any effort, he holds both of my hands together at the wrists with just one of his hands, and his free hand goes to my hair, pulling my face to his until his lips crush down on mine. Catcalls ring out alongside whistles and groans. My mind spins at warp speed as several conflicting emotions travel through me and crash all around inside.

He kisses me harder than last time, desperately seeking every inch of my mouth with his amazing tongue, and I melt against him like a fool because he tastes and feels so good. I’m not me in that moment. I’m whoever it is he loves.

I start to pull back, begging my senses to come back and push away the insanity, but he’s the first to break the kiss.

“Sorry,” he says breathlessly. “I… shouldn’t have done that.”

I scowl at him, wishing I felt mad or taken advantage of… but all I feel are traitorous emotions that I deny the right to surface.

Before another word can be spoken, the wind stirs suddenly, violently rushing toward us. Cold air breaches the night as though it’s suddenly winter, and my teeth start chattering as instant frost starts forming on the ground.

“The fuck?” Kace says under his breath, his eyes moving around the madness.

Everyone grows silent as we watch in disbelief. The air stirs more viciously, whistling between the trees and howling in the openings. Frost continues to form, blanketing the ground in waves, as though it’s alive and searching for anything to cover.

“Get to the cabins!” Kace yells at last, and I look off in the distance just as lightning crashes down from the sky.

For a fleeting moment, I see a flicker of purple in the sky, but it vanishes almost as suddenly as it appears. It had to be lightning. The viewer is gone.

A strong arm wraps around me, pulling me against a familiar solid frame, and I’m forced to start moving at a quick speed. Kace tucks me against his naked side, and my teeth continue to chatter painfully.

We run up the steps together, and Kace forces me through the doorway first. He slams the door behind him, and he pulls a board down, barring the door shut instead of just locking it.

“What’s happening?” I ask him, worrying.

I’ve never seen winter just suddenly appear in the middle of early fall. It’s supposed to be sticky hot for another month or more.

“I don’t know. Shut and lock the boards around the windows. I’ve got firewood in here.”

Good, because I’m already freezing to death.

I rush over, doing as instructed, and then look down at the frosty boots on my feet. My toes are so cold that they’re numb, so I quickly pull off the boots.

“Get under the blankets,” Kace tells me as he grabs several more blankets from various drawers and tosses them to the bed.

Every second that passes makes the air all the colder. In no time at all, I can see my breath leaving my lips.

“I need to go make sure everyone is tucked inside. Can you get the fire started?”

“I’m a pro fire starter, Kace. But you can’t seriously plan to go back out in that.”

He frowns as he comes over to me, and he hands me the flint.

“As much as I appreciate the fact you’re worried, I have to go make sure our people are okay.”

“Then I’m going, too. They’re my people also.”

I stand up, refusing to be some girl that hides inside and lets the man go take all the risks. His throaty chuckle spills out, surprising me.

“Some things never change,” he says to himself. “But someone has to start a fire, or else we’re fucked.”

He grabs a coat from the wardrobe and removes the wood from the door, leaving before I can object. Cursing, I get up and go latch the door back into place. If we didn’t need a fire, I’d definitely be going out there right now.

I start piling the firewood up, building a strong foundation, and then I grab the bowl beside the fireplace that is full of kindling. After lighting a few of the pieces and creating a steady blaze, I put them on the wood, waiting for it to spark.

Fires are so slow.

It takes fifteen minutes before the fire is burning strongly, and I back away to grab a coat. Before I can even get it on, a loud banging is at the door.

I manage to get it open, and Kace comes crashing in, carrying large amounts of snow with him as the wind blows fiercely through opening. Icy cold, white flakes assault me, hitting my eyes, flying into my mouth, and getting sucked up into my nose as we both push the door shut.

Kace lodges the wooden hold back into place as the wind gets blocked, and he goes to grab several shirts from the wardrobe before stuffing them against the crack at the bottom of the door.

“I could barely see out there, but I think between the eight of us, we got everyone safely put away,” he says, cursing as a blob of snow falls out of his dark and now wet hair.

“What about the other clans?” I ask worriedly.

He tugs off his coat, scattering more snow on the floor, and he tosses it to a corner.

“Every clan has a group like us that would have checked on everyone. Julius’s father is running the Tempest now. He’ll make sure they’re okay, if that’s who you’re asking about.”

Julius’s father? That’s perfect. He really will make sure everyone is fine.

I start to ask how long he’s been the clan chief, when suddenly Kace pops open the button on his pants, and he starts pushing them off. Some squeak pops out of my lips, and I turn my back to him.

It’s not like I haven’t seen him naked before, but that doesn’t mean I can just stare at him again.

“This makes me think of when we first got together,” he says from behind me.

I hear drawers opening and closing, but I don’t turn back around.

“You stripped naked then, too?”

He laughs as he comes closer, pushing my hair over my shoulder. He’d so better not be naked behind me.

“I meant you being shy and turning around. You’ve grown out of all that.”

I shiver when the heat of his breath finds my neck. “Why does it almost feel like I’ve time traveled?” I ask, which prompts him to laugh again.

“There would be two of you if you were past Arena. I don’t know that I could handle two of you. One keeps me plenty busy.”

For some reason, that actually makes me smile. Of course, I wipe that stupid smile off my face quickly. Our sleeping arrangement can’t stay the same tonight. This floor is freezing my feet even now.

“You’ll have to sleep in the bed tonight,” I tell him without looking.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t be mean and leave me on the floor,” he drawls, moving away from my neck.

I hear him shuffling around, apparently putting on some clothes. So he was naked behind me and touching me.

I really, really, really don’t want to be thinking about that.

“I’m not mean,” I say, frowning. “I just… Well, right now I’m confused. I went to bed hungry and angry in my hut at the Tempest camp. I was getting ready to go hunting the next day, then suddenly I’m waking up in bed with a warrior I’ve never met. Naked. And I find out I’ve lived a completely different life for so many months. It’s almost as if… As if my memories were faded.”

I shudder at just the thought.

“The viewer doesn’t exist,” he says, brushing his lips against the back of my head.

It’s a comforting motion that settles down the anxiety that is building inside me. How does he do that?

“No memories have been faded,” he continues. “We’ll figure this all out together, Arena. I’m sure as hell not going anywhere.”

I smile again, even though I shouldn’t. His loyalty to me… Well, it’s starting to become a little more apparent why I fell for him.

“We should get in bed. I’m freezing my ass off,” he says, laughing lightly.

Hell, I’ve forgotten the cold. He really does control my body.

I nod absently, still trying to sort through all the weird emotions. He turns his back for me to change, and I manage to finish just as he turns back around. Then I crawl across the bed to get to the other side.

“I know you’re not trying to seduce me, but you’re killing me,” he groans.

My cheeks heat again, and I smile to myself while climbing under the covers and putting my back to him.

The bed dips behind me, and the blankets shift as he gets comfortable. Tingles encase me, freezing me to the spot. I’ve never knowingly gotten in bed with a man before. I’ve woken up with one, but never gotten in bed with one.

“Thanks for trusting me enough to let me in bed.”

I laugh, because I don’t know why I trust him. In my mind, I barely know him.

“I don’t want you freezing. Don’t let it go to your head.”

Everything gets quiet, and I start to assume he’s asleep. But then he speaks, hesitance in his voice as if he’s reluctant to ask his question. “If you for some reason don’t get your memories back, what happens with us, Arena? Will you give me a chance to try and get you back?”

My spine tingles as that possibility takes root. I don’t owe him anything, yet I can’t seem to point that out.

“I don’t ever see me being that girl in my journal. Will you want me if I’m not the same girl?”

A strong hand slides over my waist, turning me toward the blue eyes that are already piercing something deep inside me.

“You’re my girl whether you like it or not. You’ve been it for me for longer than you realize. To ask if I would want you? That’s like asking a starving dog if he’ll eat.”

I stare at him, soaking in the strong lines of his jaw, the determined, honest gleam in his eyes. His hand stays on my waist, and I don’t bother knocking it away. It feels right. Him touching me feels so right.

“So you and I… we’re close? Like my mother and father were?”

His grin is beautiful, and he comes closer, invading all personal space. “Closer. There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t get stronger together. I love you. You love me.”

That has me scooting back, because that’s a confession I wasn’t prepared to hear—not from his lips in this far-too-intimate proximity.

“I wish I knew what to say to that,” I answer honestly.

He doesn’t move his hand, and even though I like his touch, my mind reminds me this isn’t me.

“You don’t have to say anything right now.”

I smile down at the hand on my stomach, and reluctantly, I move it away. He groans at the loss of contact, but he doesn’t protest other than that.

“I guess I should be thankful you let me touch you for that long.”

That has me curious, and I look over to meet his eyes again. “I take it you like touching me?”

And now I’m flirting. Great. Being in bed with a guy who has seen you naked… I shouldn’t be flirting right now.

His grin grows, and I really regret my little question.

“There’s nothing I love more. Right now, with you giving me that same look you used to, all I want to do is pull you under me and remind you what jump-started this relationship.”

That ache returns with a vengeance, and I squeeze my thighs together, doing all I can to suppress the desire that shouldn’t be unfurling. He notices it, and he winks at me.

“I’m game if you are,” he brazenly suggests.

I scoff, even though it’s only to cover a groan, and roll away from his devilish expression.

“Too quick, warrior boy. Stay on your side of the bed, or I will kick you out of it.”

His loud boom of laughter startles me, and I turn just as he rolls over on his side, putting his back to me.

“Apparently you didn’t read very much of your journal,” he says.

I tilt my head, turning back and failing not to let my eyes roll down his body. At least he finally has a shirt on. That makes me appreciate this cold weather.

“I skimmed it. Why do you say that?” I ask absently.

“Because you’d know I’m not the one who has a problem staying on my side.”

He’s crazy if he thinks I have that problem. I’ve always slept just fine without occupying more than my space on the bed.

Chapter 13

KACE

Nine days. Nine fucking days. She hasn’t gotten her memory back yet.

The freak blizzard has slowly started to melt under the return of the hot sun. The grounds are slowly drying up. Everything is getting back to normal, except for Arena. She still can’t remember me, and my patience is fraying. Keira said a week.

I look down at her all spiraled around me, feeling her hot center pressed painfully against my hard-as-hell dick. Hell, she practically sleeps on top of me now, and I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with that fact.

I love that it’s one way I can hold her or touch her without her eventually brushing my hands away. I love that she presses small kisses against my neck and chest all night. I love that she feels like she’s mine when she’s clinging to me in her sleep, even muttering my name.

I hate that it never comes with any sort of release, and she’s driving me out of my fucking mind.

She arches into me, spreading her legs wider, and my eyes screw shut. My hands slide down to her ass, tugging her closer and pushing her against me, and she moans in her sleep.

It’s wrong, but I can’t stop myself from doing it again, and when she responds with another moan, I’m almost unmanned. Of course she picks that moment to wake up.

Her green eyes flutter open, and she looks down at how thoroughly she is tangled on me, straddling me and clinging to my body.

“Shit!” she groans, rolling off me.

I wince, because it physically hurts to lose her touch.

I already suffered a month without being able to touch her the way I wanted to. I only got to have her once before all this shit happened… It’s official; the universe hates me.

“Why do I do that?” she asks, climbing out of bed wearing nothing but my shirt.

Her lightly tanned legs move across the room, and I follow the view, staring at the hem of the shirt that ends just under her ass.

I want to tell her it’s because we’re drawn to each other. I want to point out that we’re part of each other. But then I remember this is the Arena who has shielded herself from the pain the world can offer. The same one who doesn’t even let her mother and sister get too close. This isn’t the woman she has become.

Instead, I climb out of bed, and begin dressing wordlessly, changing out of my sleep pants and pulling on my leather ones I wear for sparring.

“You’re quiet this morning,” Arena says, though I doubt she’s watching me.

It’s hard not to lose my temper and expose my impatience, because this is fucking killing me. But it’s not her fault that she can’t remember. I just wish I knew what the hell to do.

“Are you mad at me for being all over you this morning?” she asks in a quiet voice. “Because I don’t mean to. I know that’s blurring the boundaries that you keep respecting, but it’s as though my body does whatever it wants to during the night.”

Shaking my head, I start pulling on a shirt.

“The nights and mornings are my favorite parts of the day,” I mumble absently.

I stay awake for as long as I can the second she goes to sleep and gravitates toward me. It’s hard to close my eyes when she’s touching me, since I know she’ll recoil when she wakes. It’s almost like she’s mine when she’s asleep. So I’ve slept very little lately.

She doesn’t speak for a long moment, so I assume my words have once again scared her off. I’ve figured out that telling her how much I care about her only sends her backing away.

“I wish I knew what to say when you say things like that,” she tells me, finally being honest for once.

“You don’t have to say anything,” I answer, leaning over to start stocking my weapons harness.

“If I tell you that I enjoy the way it feels when I’m in your arms, it doesn’t mean I’m ready for this to progress to the level you’re already at.” Those words… For the first time in nine long days, I finally have a trace of hope, and it hurts to swallow down the lump in my throat.

Slowly, I turn around, trying not to spook her as I make eye contact.

She looks timid for a change. Her long lashes brush her skin as she looks down, and her cheeks darken with that usual shade of blush. I want to speak, but I decide not to press my luck.

“It’s hard to say anything when you’re so freely telling me exactly how you feel,” she finally confesses. “I’m not used to this, and it feels like my body and mind are constantly at war with each other as far as you’re concerned. I’m trying to keep up, but it’s hard to just give in when I still feel like I barely know you.”

That’s more hope than I had yesterday.

“I understand, Arena. Well, I’m trying to be understanding. Regardless of how you feel right now, I know what we’re capable of. I need to go see how much damage the snow has done. Yesterday was promising, so maybe today the snow will completely melt.”

It’s a shitty way to leave this conversation, but I don’t want to press her for anything. I can leave with hope this way.

She nods while holding her cup of coffee against her, and I force a smile before walking out. She can’t keep pants on during the night, because she always gets hot and kicks out of them. She started wearing my shirts to cover herself when she wakes up without them.

It’s all a big ass ball of torture designed to drive me out of my mind.

Helena walks up as I leave the cabin, and I offer her a tight smile while stepping over the remnants of melting snow.

It’s already much safer to be out here today than it was yesterday. Hell, it’s almost all gone.

“How’re things?” she asks, wording it nicely.

“The same. She gave me a little more hope this morning, but other than that, things are the same.”

She nods understandingly.

“I never did thank you,” I tell her.

“For?”

“For lying to Arena about you not being able to stretch her out, for one.”

She laughs while shrugging. “Thought you could use the help.”

That’s for damn sure.

“Kace!” Malfus calls, waving me over, and I start jogging in his direction, waving bye to Helena over my shoulder.

“What’s up?”

He blows out a weary breath. “Damn snow ruined a lot of our crops. We have what’s in the greenhouses, but all of our baby plants that were growing outside will need to be replaced.”

Shit.

“Nomad market?” I ask hopefully.

“Don’t know when it’s coming, but it won’t be any time soon after that blizzard. We’ll have to visit a true market.”

“I’ll assemble a team,” I say while rubbing the back of my neck.

“Can’t take Spider. I allowed him to go with Keira this morning.”

My eyes come up, confusion riddling me. “Where did Keira go?”

His eyes move to my cabin that is barely seeable from here. “She claims that she might have information dealing with Arena and our freak storm. Did you know water is running uphill right now? And the moon has been full for seven nights in a row.”

I tilt my head. “I don’t understand. What does that have to do with Arena?”

“I asked that same thing. She told me that she should have known something during the time Meredith and I were hiding underground during Misel’s attack, and then the attack that ensued here. She claims Arena walked through a storm of arrows after you were hit. And she says the arrows seemed to all miss her even though Arena walked a straight line. Such things shouldn’t be possible. I almost don’t believe it, but I’ve heard numerous accounts that support the fact it did happen.”

She’s lucky I didn’t see that fucking display of stupid bravery.

“She thinks nature’s fucked-upness and Arena walking through a storm of arrows is linked? That makes no sense.”

He shrugs. “I can’t question Keira. She scares the unholy hell out of me.”

The admission catches me by surprise, and suddenly I’m bursting with laughter. He just stares, looking a little emasculated, but my laughter continues to pour out.

“Who all went with her?” I finally manage to ask.

“Spider went. The rest were younger warriors.”

Nodding, I turn my attention back to the clan that is picking up the pieces left behind from the storm.

“I’ll take my regulars then.”

His grin sparks before he can stop himself. “You know the girls will insist on going. With Misel watching us, do you want to risk it?”

His smile fades into a more serious look, and I groan while running a hand through my hair.

“Misel isn’t watching too closely right now. We hurt his numbers with our last fight. He’s too smart to attack too soon. It should be safe enough. But I doubt Arena is going to want to go, so keep an eye on her for me.”

His sympathy is suddenly written all over his face.

“I’ll watch her from afar. She’s back to hating me right now. I hope she gets her memory back soon.”

No one hopes that more than me.

Chapter 14

ARENA

Kace walks back into the cabin just as I finish putting on a pair of jeans. He gives me that tight smile he gave me earlier, and that same nagging feeling clenches in my gut.

When he grabs his bag from the wardrobe and starts pulling out clothes, I feel the confusion cross my face.

“Are you going somewhere?”

I knew he was pissed when he left, but where is he going? I thought all the other homes were full.

“Yeah. We lost a lot of our budding plants. I need to replace them. All we have is the full grown food in the greenhouse. I’ll be gone for a few days.”

Why that disappoints me, I don’t know. But it does. Really, really does.

“Where are you going to get new buds?”

“Market.”

His answers are clipped and short, matching his brusque and jerky movements as he shoves clothes in a bag.

“Who’s going?” I find myself asking, even though I don’t know why.

“Kingston, Raven, Julius, Kendall, Harrison, Helena… All the usuals.”

Helena’s going? Girls are going?

“But I’m not going?” I ask, cringing at how pathetic it sounds.

“Didn’t figure you’d want to.”

He keeps his back to me as he finishes packing, drawing the top of the bag tight.

“Well, I do. I’ve always wanted to go to the market.”

He pauses his motions, finally turning around to face me, and an eyebrow cocks.

“I’ve taken you to a market before—more than once. We’re going to Greyhorn—the same place they host the competitions.”

I don’t know why the sound of that excites me, but it does. “Well, in my mind, I’ve never gone. I’d like to go.”

A small grin graces his lips. “I have conditions.”

What?

“Conditions?” I ask, tilting my head.

He grabs my bag from the wardrobe and tosses it to the bed.

“Two. One—you have to stay in a room with me.”

I don’t have any currency. I also don’t have anything worth bartering for stay. So I guess that leaves me with no other options. Or maybe I just don’t want any other options.

“Okay.”

He almost looks surprised.

“Okay?” he asks, waiting for me to change my mind or something.

“Yes. Okay. What’s the second condition?”

He moves forward, coming closer to me, and my breath hitches in my throat when he tilts my chin up with his fingers.

“I get one kiss. One kiss where you can’t push me away or fight me off. One kiss where I control everything. I won’t press for more. Just a kiss.”

Pretty sure I’ll never breathe again. I’ve worked so hard to deny every urge I’ve had, and now he’s stripping me of my resolve. It’s not like I’m suddenly going to turn into that girl from the journal because of one kiss. Besides, he’s kissed me twice and I’ve recovered.

Well, I’m not sure how recovered I am, actually. I’m still waking up spiraled around him and letting him sleep in the bed with me. I certainly haven’t made an effort to adjust our living arrangements. And now I’m begging to go with him to the market for reasons I won’t admit.

“Fine,” I say without a filter, not giving my mind time to reject my body.

“Fine?” he asks, clearly intrigued. “I can kiss you?”

A shiver runs up me, and he smirks when he notices. “One kiss.”

I close my eyes, feeling the heat of his breath drawing nearer, and suddenly it’s all gone, leaving my lips cold and teased. Confused, I open my eyes to see him openly smirking at me.

“I’m not wasting my one kiss right now. Pack up. We’re leaving in ten minutes with horses and wagons.”

He turns to grab his bag, tossing it over his shoulder, and he walks out with a much happier strut than he had this morning.

What the hell have I done?

***

ARENA

Kace demands a kiss that he’s now withholding, and he’s ignoring me—has been since we left the Shaylan this morning.

“You’re staring at him. Any memories resurfacing?” Helena asks, forcing me to rip my eyes away from the dark-haired, much too-sculpted enigma that is leading our crew.

Helena and I have strayed to the back, riding at a gentle pace.

“No,” I answer, deciding not to admit or deny that I was looking at him.

“You look lost,” she says, studying me too intensely.

“Months of my memories are gone. It feels like a fade, yet different. So yeah, I feel lost. Especially where he’s concerned. My mind and body do not agree about him. And I sure as hell don’t know how any of this happened. I feel… weak.”

She snorts while shaking her head, and I focus all my attention on her.

“What?” I prompt.

“Arena, you’re not weak because you feel something for Kace. There’s a difference between being a strong woman and being a bitch. Before him, you were usually the latter of the two.”

My mouth falls open and her laughter bubbles out. This is not Helena.

“I said usually. Not always,” she continues, still laughing.

Kace turns his head, probably curious as to why my sister is laughing hysterically right now. He smiles when he sees me, and I look away after being busted.

“I’m not a bitch just because I’m not an eager—”

“Don’t,” she interrupts, her eyes narrowing on me. “Don’t go there. I’ve watched you turn into someone who isn’t judgmental. I’ve seen you grow, Arena. Loss of memory doesn’t justify childish behavior returning. You’re not the same person. Because of Kace, you’re stronger. You inspire others. You set an example with hope, compassion, and all around goodness—that’s strength. You’re better because of him. I’m not overly fond of the Arena you used to be now that I know the woman you’ve become.”

I almost feel scolded right now. Am I really so bad?

“You make it sound as though you hate me.”

So what if I’m insulted. She did just essentially call me a bitch.

“I don’t hate you. I love you. The better you tells me you love me, too. This you can’t. Again, you’re stronger with him because you don’t fear letting people get close.”

That has me swallowing hard as the town of Greyhorn comes into sight. It’s hard to be fascinated with it, because I’m too busy running over Helena’s words.

“And he’s better with you, too,” she says, drawing my attention once more.

“What? He was a dick before me?” I ask, admittedly with a bit of snarkiness.

“I wouldn’t know about that, but I’ve heard he was. I was referring to the fact that Kace is a strong, caring man. But with you, he’s a strong, caring leader. Apart, you two are tough as hell. Together, you’re unstoppable. So don’t think that opening yourself up to him again leaves you vulnerable. Because it’s just the opposite.”

With that, she rides ahead, leaving me behind to stew in the medley of my own thoughts. I barely gauge the surroundings around me as the moon hangs in the sky. We cut a long journey in half by running the horses in spurts, thankfully keeping us from having to make camp.

Even though it’s late, the town of Greyhorn is still fast and furious. The streets are full of people, some of them singing drunkenly from the benches off to the side. Kace comes over to me as Julius starts taking the horses away, pulling the reins of them.

Harrison starts helping him, even coming to get mine, just as Kace grabs my waist and lowers me down. My body slides against his, a deliberate motion. He’s killing me slowly.

“Stay out of the shadows, and never go anywhere alone. Last time we were here, you were tricked into an alleyway where a group of men… It was a close call.”

I suck in a sharp breath, surprised by the revelation. I was that gullible?

“I’ll stay away from the shadows,” I tell him when he continues to stare expectantly.

“Let’s get some drinks,” Julius announces.

Several cheers erupt as Julius returns sans horses, and Kace laces our fingers together as he drags me through the crowded streets. I look down at the seemingly harmless connection, but I can’t deny the ungodly stir of heat that simple touch creates.

I never withdraw, not even when we finally reach the boarding house that is full of people in the stairwell. We’re forced to work at getting up the stairs, but Kace never once loosens his grip on my hand.

The heat only stirs more inside me, making it hard to ignore the numerous arousing feeling coursing through me in attack-mode. I almost feel like I need to fan myself.

“Greyhorn air,” Kace says over his shoulder, a smile in his voice.

“What?” I ask, confused as he stops in front of a room and pulls out a key.

He tosses our bags inside, and shuts the door immediately before locking it back up. I suppose that means we’re going to go drink with the others.

“Greyhorn air. It’s hot here,” he says, but it sounds as though he’s saying one thing while meaning another.

“We’re drinking?” I ask him instead of prompting him to elaborate on what he means.

“We don’t have to,” he answers, his feet pausing.

I don’t want to drink. Hell, I don’t trust myself sober.

“I’m actually really tired.”

He nods in understanding, and unlocks the room once again. “Then we’ll sleep.”

He’s quick to dismiss everything based on what I want. Maybe Helena was right about him. He’s actually not the meathead warrior I thought he was nine days ago. No one has had to point that out to me.

“You can go drink if you want to.”

He shakes his head. “We’ve danced to this song before. I went drinking, you slept, then you woke up and went out without me. That’s how you ended up in an alley. Besides, I’d rather not drink. We have to get the buds tomorrow and ride back in the evening. We’ll have to make camp along the way this time. Horseback with a hangover is a major bitch.”

I laugh without meaning to, and he smiles over at me while dropping his weapons harness to the floor.

“I’ve always loved that sound,” he says as he tosses a shirt to me from his bag.

The scent of him engulfs me the instant I take it. It’s almost hard to resist the urge to breathe it in. He watches me with rapt attention, and I start squirming nervously.

“Do you care to turn around?”

He drops his eyes to the floor, a small smile playing on his lips, and he turns away. I can’t help but notice this bed is smaller than his. Not that it matters. The second I go to sleep, I apparently seek him out.

It’s pointless to wear any pants or shorts under the shirt, because I simply kick out of them, another new habit I’ve apparently formed.

“Why do I ditch my pants during the night?” I ask him, considering he seems to know more about my habits than I do.

He keeps his back turned as I finish buttoning up the shirt he gave me, and I climb into the bed with nothing but it and my panties on.

“Probably because you’ve gotten used to sleeping naked,” he says far too smugly, and I choke on air.

He laughs when he hears it, but he turns around, smirking at me as the laughter tapers off. Hungrily, he rakes his eyes over me, licking his lips absently as he takes a step forward. When he drops his pants, my cheeks turn blood red.

I swear the throbbing I’ve endured for nine days is suddenly ten times worse.

“Wh… What…”

The words die on my tongue, refusing to fully form as he walks toward me in nothing but his underwear, pulling the sheet back as he slides in next to me.

“It’s too hot to wear pants. From freak blizzards to heatwaves. Mother nature must be suffering menopause.”

I think I’m supposed to laugh, but I’m too distracted. When he turns to face me, I freeze. Blue eyes search my green ones before a scandalous grin emerges on his full, plump, tempting lips.

When he moves forward, I instinctively move back, almost falling off the side of the bed.

He grabs my waist, pulling me under him in a motion so smooth that I barely register him moving at all. “You can’t push me away,” he says, grinning lightly as he waits for my mind to process his words.

The kiss. I promised him a kiss. But I didn’t expect for him to wait until we were in bed. Practically naked. I also didn’t expect to be twice as intoxicated by him as I usually am.

“Ready?” he asks, slipping his body between my legs.

“I thought you said just a kiss,” I hoarsely whisper, trying not to pay any attention to that hard as hell thing between his legs that is pressing against my panties even through his underwear.

“Just a kiss,” he promises, and that’s the last warning I have before he crushes his lips to mine.

His tongue parts my lips, and he starts exploring my mouth thoroughly. How can a kiss up here be doing stuff to my lower body? I don’t know, but I immediately begin to squirm, which causes more friction between his erection and my already aching center.

My hands fly to his hair, and I go from compliant to hungry, devouring him just as he’s devouring me. His hips thrust against the bed as he growls deep in his throat, and he kisses me that much harder, a bruising kiss that I never want to stop.

It’s a terrifying yet exciting mixture of emotions that all assault me at once, and when his lips break apart from mine to start kissing down my neck, my body arches to press into him even more.

“Fuck, I want you,” he says in a reverent breath, his lips pausing at the base of my neck as his hands grab my hips, pulling me roughly against him to let me feel every hard inch he has to offer.

I swallow back the stupid words I almost say, and manage to force out more logical words instead.

“I’m not ready for this.” My voice lacks conviction, especially when my body contradicts my words by pressing against him again, raising off the bed in search of his touch.

He groans as he presses his face into the crook of my neck, and his warm breath travels down my skin like an enticing trail.

“I know,” he finally says, cursing under his breath as he rolls off me and stares at the ceiling.

I start to speak, but suddenly a bloodcurdling scream leaves my lips instead as pain sears through my head. Kace’s shouts echo in my ears, and vaguely I’m aware that he’s touching me, shaking me, carrying me.

Something hot and wet runs over my lips, and I taste the metallic tang that proves it’s most likely blood. Groggily, I see candlelight passing me by, and with droopy eyes, I see the terror etched in the eyes of the man who claims to love me.

Images run amuck in my mind, stealing my sight of the world around me as they assault me without mercy, and the light fades from sight.

***

KACE

“Arena! Dammit, tell me you’re okay!”

She gurgles something unintelligible as her entire body goes limp in my arms. Panic consumes me as I run down the stairs, cradling her to my chest, and holding her tight. My chest closes up, making it hard to breathe as I run down the streets.

“I need a doctor!” I yell, and people point in a direction I follow.

“I need a fucking doctor!” I yell again.

A woman steps out of a building, and I narrowly dodge a collision with her.

“I’m a doctor,” she says, tightening the strings on her robe.

She opens the door wider, letting us in, and I follow her as she guides us to a room off to the side with nothing but a small bed and a few tables full of medicines.

“What happened?” she asks, as I gently put Arena on the bed, kissing her forehead as I try to get my breathing under control.

“I don’t know. She was fine one second, then she was screaming in pain the next.”

Blood pours from her nose in an endless trickle. It’s all over my chest and my hands, and it’s all over her. It’s not natural. This shouldn’t be fucking happening.

“Did she get hit in the face? Why is her nose bleeding?”

Her accusatory glare is barely even noticed, because all of my attention is on the only thing that matters.

“I told you, she was fine, then she was crying out in pain. Her nose started pouring blood. She doesn’t have a damn mark on her. What the hell kind of doctor are you?”

She tightens her lips when I look up to glower at her, and she finally blows out a breath.

“Some marks don’t show up immediately,” she growls.

“Are you going to keep accusing me of something without using words, or are you going to help my fiancée?” I snarl, gripping the edge of the bed to keep me from leaping across it and throttling the woman who isn’t doing a damn thing to help Arena.

She breaks the stare down and starts examining Arena, pulling open the buttons on her shirt before pressing a stethoscope to her chest and listening intently. The seconds feel like hours as they pass by excruciatingly slow.

She takes off the stethoscope and props it around her shoulders and neck before using her fingers to pry apart Arena’s closed eyes. She tilts her head, confused.

“The hell?” she asks under her breath.

“What?” I bark.

She shakes her head before looking at me with baffled eyes. “I don’t know. Her pupils are so dilated that her eyes look black. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

She turns back, searching the other one. I can’t bear to look. I’m barely hanging on to my sanity as it is.

“Kace!” Helena’s voice has me pivoting as she runs in, and her eyes go wide before dropping to Arena.

“What happened?” she asks.

“I don’t know. She started screaming and then blood poured from her nose.”

Julius and Harrison stumble to a halt as they crash through the room. Apparently someone has told them what’s going on.

“How did you know?” I ask, my eyes moving back to the doctor as she examines the inside of Arena’s mouth.

“Everyone was talking about a naked guy running around the town,” Harrison says, his eyes moving over Arena’s lifeless body. Her breaths are steady, and the blood has stopped. Please let that be good news.

“You couldn’t put on pants?” Julius asks.

I glance down at my underwear, then my eyes move back to Arena. I don’t bother answering him.

“She’s breathing easy, her pulse is strong, and her eyes are returning to normal now,” the doctor says, still confused. “She seems perfectly healthy right now. A little rest should do her well. I’ll swing by in the morning to check her out if you’ll give me your information.”

I quickly tell her where we’re staying and in what room, and she writes the information down. There’s no way in hell I trust this doctor.

Arena stirs in my arms when I scoop her up, and hope fills me. She’s not just limp anymore. Even though it’s subconscious, she wraps her arms around my neck, holding on like she won’t let go.

Then, something I never thought I’d hear again leaves her lips in a sleepy, whispered admission. “I love you.”

I take the first easy breath I’ve had since she started bleeding. I’m sure it’s her dreams. Hell, it might not even be me she’s telling. But it’s words from her lips. That means she’s going to be okay.

I need to find Keira and figure out what the fuck she knows. I’ll be damned if she gives me vague answers again.

Everyone follows me as I return to my room, still cradling Arena to me. I almost have to pry her hands out from around my neck, and I smile when she frowns in her sleep, almost pouting. She reaches out blindly, searching the bed for me, but her eyes refuse to open.

“I think she’s looking for you,” Helena points out, and I take an even deeper breath.

Without hesitation, I climb into bed beside her, and she instantly tangles herself around me just like she always does. Each breath becomes easier.

“Looks like you finally got lucky. Maybe it was too much for her,” Julius says, earning a glare from me.

Harrison smothers his laugh with a cough, turning and walking out, while Helena comes to brush Arena’s hair out of her face.

“Come find me if anything else happens,” she says, meeting my eyes.

I nod silently, still trying to wrap my mind around everything that has happened.

Arena mutters something about checking greenhouses, and I smile while kissing her forehead.

Chapter 15

ARENA

My eyes fly open as sunlight peers through the crack left by the heavy drapes. Kace is under me, breathing evenly as his arms stay encircled around my body. I smile against his chest, kissing a trail from one side to the other, and I shuffle out of my panties to prepare him a surprise.

He groans in his sleep, and I bite back a laugh. Though the memories of the past ten days are still a little groggy, I know I’ve put him through hell. I’d be in hell if he suddenly couldn’t remember me. And though I need to figure out what’s going on with me, right now I just want to make everything better for the man I can’t imagine my life without.

I straddle him fully, and I feel his restraint even as he grips my hips, battling with some internal war of morality in his mind while screwing his eyes shut tighter. When I grind against him, he curses under his breath.

“Kace,” I say, finally deciding to let him know I’m actually awake this time.

His eyes flutter open as confusion mars his beautiful face.

“You’re okay,” he says in a breath of relief.

I tilt my head, and suddenly I remember the pain from last night. It was even worse than the last time I felt it.

“I’m fine,” I say, rubbing the side of his cheek.

He looks down at where I’m straddling him, and his breath gets lost. I’m bared to him, and slowly, I start unbuttoning his shirt.

“What… are you… um… I can’t just… You were out of it last night, Arena. I need to call for the doctor…”

His attempt at being noble is put on hold as I drop the shirt away from my body, and I grin down at him.

“I’m me again, Kace,” I tell him, waiting for realization to sink in.

He stares at my body, nodding his head slowly. I see it the second all the pieces fly together for him, and his eyes dart up to meet mine, almost as if he’s scared to hope.

“You’re you? As in, you remember?”

I nod while he slowly processes everything, then suddenly I’m squealing in surprise when he flips me, putting me under him before his lips crush mine. His tongue sweeps in, and I kiss him back with just as much fervor, completely bare beneath him.

“Thank fuck,” he says in a grateful breath as he reaches in between our bodies and starts pushing down his underwear.

I grin up at him as he curses them for getting stuck.

“Miss me?” I ask jokingly, and he narrows his eyes at me.

“You sure you’re okay? That shit last night—”

“Is the same thing that happened the night before my memories went away,” I interrupt. “And physically, I was fine. Mentally… Well, I’m still trying to figure out what happened and why.”

He brushes my hair away from my face, staring into my eyes.

“I think Keira knows something. We’ll track her down later to find out for sure.”

My thumb brushes his bottom lip, and he draws it into his mouth, biting it gently.

“Can we talk about that later? Right now, all I want is you.”

He smirks before putting his hand between us again, this time guiding his erection toward my entrance, and my whole body starts squirming in anticipation.

“I love you,” I say softly when he hesitates, as though he feels we have things that outweigh our carnal desires, and it’s the catalyst he needs.

With one hard thrust, he buries himself inside me while taking my lips in a desperate kiss, one that pours days of frustration into my mouth. It’s raw and savage, a primal claiming that proves he’s not holding back, unlike last night.

His hips rock back and forth, each motion carrying me closer and closer to the edge. It feels like it’s been too long. I claw at him, needing him to be closer as he says so many things that start driving me crazy.

He pins my hands over my head, lacing our fingers together in a tight lock as he drives in harder, and finally I cry out, searching for his lips. He swallows my sounds, kissing me with a need that matches mine before he finally stills inside me.

His breaths come out heavy and harsh when he finally pulls back, and he grins down at me, slowly tracing imaginary lines on my skin. Silence engulfs us, nothing but the sounds of air leaving and entering our lungs, but he finally breaks the quiet spell.

“I’d forgotten what a resistant pain in the ass you used to be,” he says, laughing when I playfully slap him in the chest.

Rolling my eyes, I wrap my legs around his waist, using them to pull him deeper inside me as he hardens again, and all that laughter fades away.

“I’d forgotten how cocky you can be.”

He smiles before brushing his lips against mine, but before we can restart anything, the door flies open, and Kace curses while jerking the sheet up, and I wince as he pulls out of me. I can’t see around him, but I hear the sudden outburst of fierce laughter, and I groan when I realize Julius is in the room.

“What the hell, man?” Kace asks, annoyed.

“I guess Arena is feeling better? You should really learn to lock a damn door if you’re going to be making the bed cry.”

“I was a little too preoccupied last night to concern myself with anything other than Arena. And this morning I was...”

“Preoccupied with Arena,” Julius says suggestively. I can see him making lewd gestures without actually being able to see him.

Kace rolls his eyes before kissing me on the forehead, and he carefully ensures that I’m covered up before he rolls off me and tucks his arm behind my head, pulling me to him. Without any hesitation, I rest my head on his chest while staring expectantly at Julius.

“You finally convince her you knew how to work it?” Julius asks with his shit-eating grin.

“Did you come here to ask him for lessons?” I ask with sarcastic sweetness.

His eyes widen, and then he fist-pumps the air. “Hell yes! Arena has her motherfucking memory back! What the hell happened?”

He pulls up a chair as though it’s perfectly natural to sit in here with us completely naked under a sheet. But I’m too exhausted to deal with it, and all I want to do is get lost in Kace.

“We have no idea,” Kace says to him, his hands refusing to leave my body for even a second.

Julius purses his lips, seeming to be truly lost in deep thought.

“You need to get the new buds,” Kace tells him, eyeing him like get-the-hell-out-before-I-throw-you-out.

Julius’s eyebrows cock up. “I take it you’re not helping?”

Kace shakes his head. “You have the list. I just got my girl back. We’re staying the day and night. I’m going to capitalize on the Greyhorn air. Send food up.”

He gives us his most devilish grin before waggling his eyebrows. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll tell the others. But get your own damn food.”

Kace laughs as Julius leaves, shutting the door behind him. Then Kace hops out of the bed and jogs to the door, locking it this time. I can’t help but smile like a fool while admiring his naked body.

“I’m so happy you’re staring and not freaking out,” Kace says, still grinning as he makes his way back over to me.

I laugh without meaning to, and he drops down on top of me, kissing a trail from my neck to my chest.

“We need to try and figure out what’s going on with you,” he says against my skin.

I laugh humorlessly. “And how do you propose we do that? In case you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of freaky things going on lately.”

He looks up, moving his lips away from my skin. “Keira knows something.”

“If Keira knew anything definitive, she would have already told us. She’s secretive, but she’s not that secretive. That means she has a theory.”

“That’s more than what we have,” he points out.

“And Keira is gone to who knows where. We’ll get her theories when she returns. There’s nothing else we can do, Kace. That’s just the facts.”

He gets lost in thought, his eyes dropping down but not actually seeing anything. Finally, he asks, “What happens if you lose your memories again?”

Despite the seriousness that question poses, I manage to smile and joke. “Then I feel sorry for you. I’m really not easy to win over. And you were definitely close to pulling your hair out if you didn’t get me into bed.”

He snorts derisively. “The first time we were together, you begged me for sex. It was making you love me that was the hard part. This time, it was hard to make you even want to look at me. It wasn’t the abstinence of sex that was killing me; it was not being able to touch you. We both know I’ve grown addicted to your touch.”

I smile at him while pulling his hands up, lacing our fingers together. “Well, I wanted to be touching you, but it was confusing. Very confusing. As for me begging for sex the first time… You did save my clan from starvation, capture a traitor, as well as show me the truth about my father’s fade. Then of course you supported me in the competition, got me here in this Greyhorn air—smart, by the way. Bringing me back here was actually pretty brilliant.”

He laughs this time while winking at me. “I’m a smart guy. I didn’t expect it to work quite so well. I would have brought you here ten days ago if I had known it would restart your memories.”

Heaviness settles over my chest as reality keeps trying to beat me down. “I don’t know how they disappeared, and I don’t know how they started back. But I don’t want to think about it right now either. I just want to lose myself in you for as long as we can get away with it. Will you let me?”

His response is a toe-curling kiss, his tongue sweeping into my mouth again, as he peels the sheet out from between us.

“Just remember you asked for this.” Without any warning, he thrusts inside me again, and the crazy world around us ceases to exist.

Chapter 16

ARENA

“We have to go,” Kace says against my ear, but I bat him away, swatting at his hand when he tries to touch me.

“No more sex,” I mumble into the pillow, almost cowering.

A deep rumble of laughter spills out of him, vibrating against his chest. “I didn’t say anything about sex. I said it’s time to go.”

He kisses the spot behind my ear, and I groan, inching away from him. I swear he’s an animal. An animal with ungodly stamina and endurance.

“I need sleep,” I grumble pathetically, almost whimpering.

“No time for sleep. We have to start traveling.”

I turn over and glare at him—well, I try to glare. Everything is blurry in my sleep deprived state, and I’m not so sure if my face is working properly either, considering all my muscles feel too weak.

Every time I’ve tried to sleep in the past forty-eight hours, Kace has slipped inside me, starting his sensual assault all over again until I’m drowning in waves of unnatural pleasure. He has more bite marks on him than ever before, and I’m fairly sure everyone in the boardinghouse has complained out the noise we’ve made—mostly the noise I’ve made.

“You look confused,” he tells me.

Damn. I knew my face wasn’t working right.

“No, I’m not confused. I’m exhausted. And this is me glaring at you!”

He laughs lightly. “I’ve seen your glares, and believe me that’s not a—”

“It’s a glare!” I growl, well, again, I try to. My angry voice sounds more pitiful than furious.

“Okay. Okay. It’s a glare,” he cedes, but it’s only to mock me.

I whimper while rolling back over, but he pulls the sheet off me, exasperating and frustrating me further.

“We have to go, babe. Sorry, but you’re the one who said you wanted to get lost in me as much as possible.”

Incredulously, I stare at him, finally seeing a real shape instead of just fuzz. Oh, my head hurts. But not a pain-searing, memory-stealing, wake-up-dumbfounded headache. It’s just an I’ve-had-too-much-sex-and-not-enough-sleep-headache.

“How are you forming make sense sentences?”

He laughs as though I’ve said something funny. I don’t think I have.

“Stamina, girly. Stamina,” he says, recycling words from our true beginning.

I mumble something that is supposed to be threatening, though I’m not sure exactly what I say.

“Did you just offer to cradle my balls?” Kace asks, half laughing.

“That’s not what I meant to say if I did,” I groan, turning over and pulling the pillow over my head.

He continues laughing—the annoyingly perfect bastard that he is—and tugging at me to get up. Pouting, whimpering, and cursing all at once, I finally let him pull me out of the bed. He practically has to dress me, and I move my arms and legs as necessary to comply.

“I prefer taking your clothes off,” he says lightly, and I feel the jerk’s smile.

The world is still blurry as I start to shove his chest, but I just end up leaning against him for support instead. He grins against my forehead before kissing it, and I wrap my arms around his waist, clinging to him to stay upright.

His laughter is deep and mocking, but I’m too tired to care as he leads me out of the room and down the stairs.

“You can ride in the wagon and sleep on the way home,” he says against my head, kissing me again.”

Thank God. Because I don’t see myself riding a horse without falling off and getting trampled. Not that I’ll give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

“I can feel your smugness,” I grumble, which only prompts his laughter to grow in volume.

“There’re the sex-birds.” Julius’s chipper voice only grates on my nerves. Are we already outside? When did we go down the stairs?

“You get all the plants?” Kace asks through a snicker.

Julius starts reciting lists of stupid plants and all their stupid placements, but I stumble off in search of an empty spot to lie down. When I hear the snickers and mocking lines, I just extend my middle finger in the direction I hear them. Sleep. I need sleep.

***

KACE

“You must have really worn Arena out,” Julius says through a laugh, motioning toward the back of the wagon where Arena is sleeping between rows of plants.

She’s pretty damn cute when she’s exhausted. And she’s also really cranky.

I start smiling and Julius groans beside me. “That ten days was almost a reprieve.”

I laugh without meaning to. “Other than the fact no one would spar with me because I was a ball of anger,” I remind him.

He starts to say something, but suddenly the horses rear back, and Julius is tossed to the ground. I barely stay on mine when it starts bucking, jolting me around on the saddle. Several others are tossed to the ground, and I panic when I see the horses attached to the wagon fighting against the reins.

Arena leaps out of the back just as Harrison and Helena abandon the driver’s seat. She staggers to her feet, narrowly dodging a horse as it wildly darts toward her. I hop off my saddle, yelling for her, but then I stumble and crash to the ground, a loud roar emanates from under my feet, vibrating violently.

The world around us continues to be jarred, making everything seem unfocused and chaotic as the horses’ shrill noises breach the air, their sounds of panic mingling with the vicious roar of the ground. That’s when I hear the cracking.

“Kace!” Arena yells, weaving through the pandemonium as she tries to reach me.

I force myself up to my feet, finding it hard to stay vertical on the unstable ground that continues to shake beneath my feet. Trees start collapsing around us, crashing down in the wooded areas, but not close enough to hit us.

The wide clearing we’re in starts crumbling around us, the earth opening up, but I reach Arena just as some of the horses get swallowed by the ground. She gasps while clutching to me, looking around as the ground continues to split open.

Wide trenches are formed, and I pull her back as the cracks run wider, deeper, and faster, looking like an earthy streak of lightning. We all huddle together, getting closer as the wagon gets sucked into the trench.

Helena staggers toward us, Harrison right on her heels and keeping her on her feet. Kendall grabs her hatchets, flinging one across the plains and landing it against one of the ropes that was attaching the wagon to another horse before it too gets pulled in.

Unfortunately, the horse freaks out and tries to leap over the trench, but it grows so vast so quickly that it crashes into the other side and yelps in pain before dropping. I cover Arena’s eyes while turning away from the sight myself.

As suddenly as it all started, a quietness falls over the plains and the forest in the distance. Arena slowly draws her head away from my chest, and I look around at the destruction left behind.

“Fucking shit,” Julius says, running a hand through his longer hair as he studies the messed-up predicament we’re in.

Everything has been turned into a canyon around us, the depths of which go too deep to see. For miles and miles on either side of us, the plains no longer exist.  All that stands is the small circular type island we’re on. The rest has collapsed, and we’re stuck up here.

Kingston leans over, looking over the edge, and then he leans back up.

“There’s no way to climb down from this angle,” he announces. “Not without ropes. The woods in the distance seem to have suffered the same fate to an extent, but they’re too far away to see from here.

“This is too deep to find a way across,” Helena says, hugging herself as she stares across the canyon. It all happened within a few blinks.

A piece of our island crumbles away, dropping down into the abyss, and Kingston scurries away from the edge, jerking Raven with him when their feet almost lose the ground they hold.

“You’re sure we can’t climb down?” I ask Kingston. “Because I really don’t see another option besides building a bridge, and that would take quite a while. We’ll starve to death or dehydrate in this heat before that can be accomplished, and that’s only if someone from the other side started it now.”

“Way to keep up morale,” Arena says dryly, but I can tell her mind is already scheming something. Probably something dangerous. I need to strap her to me somehow so that I can keep an eye on her.

I get down on my stomach, inching to another edge to take a look for myself, and I curse when I see why Kingston was so convinced we couldn’t climb down.

There’s nothing but a thin strip of fragile earth that leads from the middle of our small patch of land to the bottom of what seems like an endless pit. The sunlight can’t reach the bottom, so there’s no telling where it ends.

“It’s a miracle this thing is even still standing up,” Kingston says from behind me.

Just as I move back, the piece I was hanging over collapses, and my breath leaves in a rush at how damn close that just was. Arena’s hand clamps down on mine as we all get as close to the middle as possible.

“It’s falling apart little by little,” Julius says, wrapping his arms around Kendall and drawing her tight against him while shuddering and screwing his eyes shut.

Damn. Julius is terrified of heights. That’s the last thing we need right now.

“How is it possible that the only spot still standing is the one spot we were all gathered in?” Kingston muses to himself.

“You’re questioning the one good thing that has come out of this?” Raven asks incredulously.

Arena seems lost in her own thoughts, and I brush my lips against her head. “You know I’ll figure out something,” I tell her, just as another piece of our ever-shrinking platform crumbles.

Her eyes flit to the newly shortened section, and she presses her lips to a thin line.

“Kingston poses a good question,” she says, more to herself than me. “How did this one piece stay up?”

I tilt my head, studying her. I really fucking hate the look she’s wearing right now. It means she’s thinking of doing something stupid.

“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”

She looks up at me with a grim expression. “That’s the problem, Kace. I can’t think of anything. But I’ve seen shit like this happening in my dreams. We weren’t here, but I’ve seen the earth collapsing in on itself. I’ve seen water running backwards. I’ve seen the moon refuse to take a smaller form… I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve seen all of this in my dreams.”

Raven comes closer, tilting her head as she studies Arena, and I chew over her words.

“How can you be dreaming of all this?” Raven asks. “What are the dreams like?”

Arena shrugs, her mind trying to think about something else as she answers. “They’re not like dreams. They’re just… images—random images. It’s more like I’m just…” Her voice trails off, and I can tell something has just sparked inside her head. “Viewing them,” she continues, her expression changing again to one that definitely means trouble.

She turns to me, her wheels still churning. “What did Keira say about me?”

Now? “You want to discuss this right now?”

She nods, still staring expectantly. I run a hand through my hair while blowing out a breath. “She never said anything really. She was looking over old journals, and she said your memories were the least of our problems if she was right. She was certain they’d return. She also told Malfus about how the arrows didn’t strike you that day I was hurt. She said it almost looked as though you were protected or something. I don’t remember exact words right now, Arena. Why?”

Her eyes drop as her mind starts working over something, and then she tightens her lips. “Why did the arrows miss me? I was struck in the fight. Why did they miss me that day?”

“Fuck if I know,” I say, completely puzzled by her line of inquiry right now.

“I heal,” she says to herself. “Each time is quicker. The fatal wolf scratch healed overnight. The arrow injury that should have killed me took weeks. What am I missing? The arrows missed me, but then one struck me. Nothing is consistent.”

I can’t tell if she’s talking to me or talking aloud, but I don’t like where her head is at.

“Fear for you,” she says, her eyes widening. “My fear for your safety. That’s the link. With the massive arrow attack, I was determined to save you. The wolf injury was brutal, but it stopped hurting before we charged the herders, because with it, I would have been too vulnerable to survive. I had to witness my death, as if it was a warning. But my fear wasn’t for me. It was for you. It’s… that’s the link. The more I fear for your life, the bigger the risk I take.”

“Arena, what the hell are you talking about?”

She looks up at me with serious eyes. “I wasn’t scared for your safety after the arrow struck me. That’s why it took longer for me to heal.”

She’s talking nothing but crazy.

“What was Keira’s sole purpose in life before we found her?” she asks me, even as another piece of our island crumbles.

“She was a guardian,” I answer, looking around to see what piece just dropped.

“Arena, what the hell?” Raven prompts, at the same time Helena says, “Bigger things to worry about right now.”

“Of Adler’s journals,” Arena says, continuing on as though no one else has said anything. “It’s all she lived and breathed for most of her life. What controls life or death, Kace? What’s the only thing to ever have an outside say on who lives or dies? What’s something that was known for seeing the future just as I did that day with the herders?”

“The viewer,” Kingston says in a low breath, seeming to be catching on to something I’m not.

A determined look flares in her eyes, and she takes a step back. “What the hell are you doing, Arena? Get away from the edge!” I bark, already moving toward her.

“I have a theory,” she says, a look of uncertainty mixed with dangerous resolve written all over her face.

Without any warning, she takes another step backward, only there isn’t any more ground for her to step on. My heart hits my throat as I dive onto the ground, sliding toward her to catch her, as my world falls apart.

Chapter 17

ARENA

As I step away from the edge, I hear the ground moving, shifting, doing something, but I’m almost too afraid to look.

“Arena!” Helena and Kace yell in unison, but as soon as I feel my stomach lift up to my chest, the sensation is ending, and I’m suddenly standing on land that wasn’t here moments ago.

I was right. It’s frigging crazy, but I’m right.

My eyes open to see Kace breathing heavily, lying across the land bridge that has formed to reach my feet, extending from our island.

“Are you crazy?” I hiss, glaring at him. “If that hadn’t worked, you’d be falling right now.”

He gives me a look that swears he can’t believe what I just said.

“Am I crazy? The fuck, Arena?” he growls, standing up and grabbing me by the waist before kissing me as though he’s punishing me, not that I mind. “You’ve lost your damn mind.”

“It worked,” I say, smirking even though I’m working hard to hide the tremble that is just beneath my surface.

“How… when… I’m confused,” Kingston says, his eyes as wide as everyone else’s. Well, everyone but Julius. He’s still got his eyes closed tight.

“Holy fricking crap,” Helena gasps, shock etched in her horrified expression.

“What’s going on?” Julius asks, trying to lift an eyelid, but unable to do so.

Kace looks around, obviously finding it all impossible.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Kace demands, sucking in a breath as he looks down at our small step of a bridge, only three feet in length at most, and four feet in width, safely harboring us in the air.

“The arrows… I was determined to save you. I walked through the arrows—and there’s no doubt I would have been killed if more than a few struck me. Instant death can’t be healed. And a fall from this height would mean instant death. The bigger the risk, the more dramatic the save.”

Kace looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. In a way, I suppose I have. But I knew it. I could feel it in my gut that I was right. And I am.

“I can’t die,” I say to clarify.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Arena, don’t be crazy. You’re talking… this is insane.”

To prove my point, I blindly take a step backwards, pulling him with me, and he gasps as the land bridge extends, finding root under my feet once more.

“How…” His words trail off as he looks at our feet in disbelief.

“Okay… So Arena is suddenly all-powerful?” Kingston asks, his voice hoarse.

“The viewer has something to do with this?” Kendall asks, piecing it together.

“That’s all I can figure,” I say to her, but my eyes don’t leave Kace’s.

“We can start walking now,” I announce, looking around. “We need to hurry before sunset. Otherwise we’ll—”

My words halt as I watch the backside of the land bridge crumble off, dropping down to the ground. Everyone stares in disbelief as Kace and I float on the piece still in the air and attached to nothing now.

“Okay… So that wasn’t planned,” I groan. “That means you’ll need to move fast and stay close.”

“You can’t be serious,” Raven says on a gasp, but two large chunks fall off their small island perch, limiting them to less and less space.

“Please tell me that’s not the sound I think it is,” Julius whines, his eyes still not opening.

“You have to trust me and run close,” I say to everyone again.

“This is so fucked up,” Harrison says as Helena comes to inspect my bridge from a safe distance.

“Arena’s right,” Helena says, though her eyes lack the conviction of her voice. “This thing isn’t going to hold up much longer—”

My breath catches in my throat as Raven screams, and Kingston barely jerks her away from the edge before another large piece crumbles from under her feet, crashing down.

“Now would be good,” I prompt, waving my hand over.

Julius finally opens his eyes, but only to yelp like a scalded boy when he realizes the area he’s standing on is shrinking. Kendall has left him to join Raven, holding her hand as they both stare at me.

“I can’t. There’s no way,” Julius says through quivering breaths.

I step back across, making the land bridge extend once again, marveling at how it forms before my foot connects with it.

“We have to, Julius. It’s the only way.”

Another piece, then another piece both fall on the island platform, and Kace walks by me to go to Julius.

“No. No. No. Hell to the fuck no. You know I can’t. My fucking legs won’t even move right now.”

Kace frowns, looking over his shoulder at me. Then he turns back to Julius. “Sorry about this.”

“Sorry about wha—”

Before Julius can finish his question, Kace’s fist connects with the side of his face, and Julius drops like a ton of bricks, completely unconscious. I gasp, obviously a little surprised, and Kingston walks over to grab Julius’s arms, while Kace grabs his legs.

“Can you two run like that?” I ask. “Because we’ll have to run to be safe.”

He tightens his lips. “Do we have a choice?”

Good point.

I turn around, waiting for them to get behind me, and then I call out, “Everyone stay close to each other. And run hard.”

I look over my shoulder, meeting Kace’s eyes as he stands facing frontwards, holding Julius’s ankles in his hands, and my eyes follow to where Kingston has him under the shoulders. Everyone else lines up, and I turn to take a deep, steadying breath.

“Here goes nothing,” I murmur more to myself.

With one step, the bridge starts forming again, and I take another breath, this time holding it as my feet start digging in. I push off, exhaling in relief when the bridge starts forming rapidly, keeping up with my fast pace, but I keep my steps slow enough for the others to keep up.

The bridge keeps collapsing behind us, staying a safe distance away from Raven who is holding up the rear. We’re staying ahead of it, and that’s all that matters.

It seems to go on forever, but everyone keeps their silence, only their panting breaths reaching my ears. I don’t know how long it takes. It could be hours but it feels like days. The sun isn’t far from disappearing, and only a glimmer of light still illuminates the path behind me. I run faster, hoping they can keep up. Kace and Kingston have to be dying after carrying Julius’s stone body for so long, but no one complains.

My legs start burning as I keep forcing my way forward, cursing inwardly about how out of shape I still am. It didn’t look this far, but then again, it never does.

Then I see the edge—the place the canyon hasn’t struck, and I yell over my shoulder, “Just a few more feet!”

As soon as my feet hit the solid new ground, I almost rejoice, until I hear the sound that leaves a sick tug in my stomach. Kingston drops Julius just as Kace collapses to the ground with him, and I watch in horror as he rushes back, only to be tackled to the ground by Harrison even as Raven screams, the bridge falling out from under her feet.

Kingston roars in anger as Helena tries to catch Raven, both of them tumbling, and I grab Kace’s whip from his side as I dive into the canyon, feeling the harsh thud against the appearing bridge once more as it collides with my stomach and chest, but the whip catches Helena’s left wrist, giving her something to hold on to, just as she catches Raven’s hand with her right one.

My grunts and their screams echo through the canyon. Raven looks down at the fate she almost had, and my sister blows out a breath of relief. Raven’s eyes look up at Helena then at me.

“Next time, knock me out and carry me, too,” Raven says on a shaky breath, and a small spurt of laughter leaves my lips as Kingston, Harrison, and Kace rush to help me pull them up.

Chapter 18

KACE

“It worked,” Arena argues, the only two words she keeps playing on repeat.

“It was stupid,” I remind her for the hundredth time. “You can’t go around thinking you’re invincible. It’s reckless.”

I don’t know whether to fuck the hell out of her or tie her to the bed in a non-kinky way for the rest of her life just so I can make sure she doesn’t do anything so damn stupid again.

“Did you have any other way of getting across the canyon?” she asks me, clearly not taking in the severity of the madness that just transpired.

“Arena, admit that what you just did was insane.”

Damn her. Does she not realize that I’ll never breathe right again. I would have figured something out. I always do. Just stepping off a ledge because you have some preposterous theory that you can’t fucking die… I need a drink—a strong one that never ends.

“She kind of has a point,” Kingston says, earning a nasty scowl from me, but it’s now too dark to see, so the effect is lost. I know he feels it though. He wouldn’t be too happy if it had been Raven that had done that shit.

“She did save our lives,” Julius chimes in.

My hand comes out to the side, swinging into his stomach before the action can register in the night, and I feel him heave for air the second the powerful impact connects.

“Dude, you had to be carried like a bitch across the collapsing bridge,” Harrison reminds him. “You really don’t get to weigh in.”

“I was punched!” Julius barks, sounding affronted. I just roll my eyes. “By my best friend,” he adds.

“To keep you from hyperventilating and getting us all killed,” Harrison continues. “I ended up having to help Kingston hold your heavy ass up. Seriously, lay off the weights a little.”

The guys pick on Julius for a few more minutes, but I’m not in a laughing mood. I still can’t wrap my head around all the bizarreness of everything that has been happening or how it’s linked to Arena.

“Well, after that, I doubt I’ll be fond of heights for a while,” Raven chimes in, and I see Kingston pull her to him. That was scary as hell. And of course Arena had to get in on the fucking action. As always. I’m going to be the youngest chief to grow old so quickly because of her.

Though she won’t admit it, I can tell she’s freaking out about it, too. Even though I’m still pissed, I need to touch her, so I lace our fingers together as we walk in the dark, not bothering to make camp since all of our supplies went into the canyon.

“We were lucky to make it out with our lives,” Kendall says solemnly. “What the hell is going on? What does the viewer—the viewer Arena destroyed—have to do with anything?”

Arena shudders beside me, and she looks over at everyone.

“I don’t know. But there’s no other thing on this earth that could be responsible. There’s no other possible explanation to explain the laws of nature and gravity that are being disregarded. And somehow it’s all tied to me.”

Even though she’s exhausted, she keeps it together and keeps walking. I pull her closer, tucking her head under my chin, and she leans into me without hesitation. I just want to carry her, hold her, lock her up with me and never let her go again. I don’t know that I’ll ever recover from watching her tempt death so many times. And she just keeps getting bolder. What happens when fate fights back?

“You could have died if I had been wrong,” she says quietly, the words meant only for me.

I kiss the top of her head, absorbing her touch like it’s the only reason for breathing. She really doesn’t get it, even after all we’ve been through.

“Where you go, I go,” I say after a moment, and she sucks in a sharp breath. She doesn’t say anything, because she knows it’s pointless to argue.

She clings to me, just like I love for her to do, and I smile when she yawns. I’m almost tempted to scoop her up and carry her, but my damn arms are still burning from carrying Julius’s dead weight across the damn land bridge.

“I’m sleeping for two days when we get back to the Shaylan,” Arena says around another yawn.

I smile while kissing her forehead, but it’s a forced smile this time. I’m not going to be able to sleep until I know for sure she’s safe. It shouldn’t be in the realm of possibilities for the viewer to be an option, but she’s right about it being the only thing in the universe to hold such power.

If the viewer is involved in some way… Things never end good.

Chapter 19

ARENA

Kace collapses onto me as I slowly come down from my high, still convulsing and shivering under his breath. My skin feels too sensitive.

“I was supposed to get to sleep,” I mumble, one eye barely able to lift open.

“Sorry,” he says insincerely against my lips before he climbs off me, seeming rejuvenated instead of dead tired like I am.

He pulls on his pants, and I watch with only the one eye that will stay open.

“Where are you going?”

He frowns as he tugs a shirt over his head. “To talk to Malfus. He was in a meeting when we got back. I need to let him know about the losses we suffered. We’ll have to replace the wagon and all the horses. And we still don’t have our plants. We also won’t be able to travel that route again, obviously. We’ll have to find a safe way around it.”

How can he have so much energy?

“Will you come to bed with me when you get back?”

The sun is already up and blaring down on us. We traveled through the night and the morning to get home.

He smirks as he comes closer, bending until his lips just brush mine. “Gladly.”

He pulls away while strutting out the door, and I grab my journal the second he’s gone. If anything happens to my memories again, I want to make sure I tell my stubborn ass to get over myself and love Kace. He shouldn’t have to suffer.

Then reality sinks in. Whatever is going on with me can’t stay a good thing. Everything comes with a price, and invincibility has to cost a hell of a lot. Kace’s words keep haunting me.

Where you go, I go.

What if death comes back with a vengeance the second this… whatever it is wears off?

It’d be pointless to try and explain to him all the reasons he should live. He’s as stubborn as I am, and there’s no way I would live without him. Instead of wasting energy on pointless things, I tackle the problem in a different way.

I make a list of everything I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s a long, long list. It would take someone a lifetime to accomplish it. By the time I’m done, I’ve filled up twelve journal pages. He’ll read it. If he doesn’t, Mom or Helena will.

If I can’t live long enough to do these things, I hope you’ll do them for me. Those are the words I sign at the bottom. Kace loves me too much to deny me my last wish. He’d die for me, but with this list, I hope he lives for me.

Because I’m starting to think my time is coming sooner than any of us ever expected. The devil doesn’t come back to offer gifts, especially not to the one who destroyed it. The devil’s wrath is coming. I can only hope I’m the only target.

***

KACE

“The more you tell me, the less I feel I understand,” Malfus says while running a hand through his hair.

“Welcome to my world. Anyway, we’ll regroup, restock, and head out after we’ve had a couple of days to rest.”

Even though I really don’t want to. I never want to let Arena outside the walls again.

“Sure. Take a week if you need it. Christ. This is insane. The viewer? How?”

I shrug, ignoring the gut-clenching feeling that assaults me with dread. I need those answers more than he does.

He starts to say something else, just as Harrison walks in, pale from head to toe.

“What the fuck has happened now?” Malfus groans, but Harrison only shakes his head slowly.

“What?” I prompt.

“The Triton tribe… We just received a message that they have Keira and the others. They claimed they trespassed on their territory and now they’re holding them until we make a deal.”

“They want ransom? Do they not know kidnapping invites war?” Malfus growls.

“They know, but they’re claiming our people were in their territory, pressing too close to their lines. That gives them the right to take them as prisoners. Now they’re extorting us.”

Malfus shakes his head in disgust before releasing a litany of curses.

“Spider knows better,” I say aloud, even though it’s more of a thought. “Why would they get too close?”

“I don’t know,” Harrison answers. “I only spoke to the messenger. He rode off when I tried to get him inside. Coward. I told the archers to stand down because I didn’t want anything to get started without Kace’s say.”

These are times I don’t want to be chief. Especially since I still haven’t told Arena. Of course now being ineligible for competition seems like an insignificant thing in the grand scheme of things.

“This is a bigger call than I make,” I tell Harrison, my eyes moving to Malfus.

“This is your tribe,” he counters. “This is your call.”

Cursing, I run my hand through my hair. “I’ll assemble a team.” Malfus merely nods, not adding anything to my statement.

“And the girls?” Harrison asks, knowing the severity of the situation.

“I’ll explain it to Arena. She can make the others understand why they can’t come to this, even though it’s really going to piss her off. Ready some horses and one wagon. At least we don’t have to go anywhere near that damn canyon. We’ll ride to Martinsburg market to spend the night. It’ll be a two-day trek. We’ll bring along gold and items of value for bartering as ransom payment. We’ll bring along a secondary team that will follow us to market, and they’ll return from there with the supplies and plants we need just in case the Nomad Market doesn’t show up or doesn’t have any plants available.”

Malfus’s lips twitch, but other than that, he doesn’t give any indication as to whether I’m making a good decision or a bad one. But it’s the same decision he would make.

He claps me on the shoulder as we walk out, and I stare over at my cabin and the impossible task in front of me.

Arena.

I dread the hell out of this.

“Good luck,” Malfus says, quickly walking in the opposite direction as though he wants to be far away when this all goes down.

I really need a night of sleep before dealing with this hell. Ah, shit. Arena hasn’t slept more than thirty minutes. She’s going to kill me, then revive me so she can kill me again.

As I walk into the cabin, I almost find myself laughing. She’s sleeping so hard that she’s snoring lightly. I debate wearing a cup, but decide to just risk it.

I climb in bed behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, and I draw her as close as possible. Then I push my lips right up against her ear, “Arena.”

She stirs just barely, but she doesn’t wake up.

“Arena, I need you to wake up.”

“S…not…happ…ening,” she says through long breaths. “No more… sex… ever… again.”

That has me torn between smiling and shaking my head. “No sex. I have to leave the tribe.”

She groans while tossing back the sheet, revealing her very naked body to my eyes. Every soft curve is covered in lightly tanned skin. It’s hard to look away, but I make myself as she speaks.

“They can’t wait… just a few days for crops?” she mumbles around a yawn.

“It’s not about the crops. Johnny and the others that went with Keira are with the Triton’s. They’re making us pay for their return.”

She leaps out of bed, suddenly wide awake.

“I’ll get my stuff right now.”

“No,” I say standing and pulling her back down to the bed. “I need you here, and I need you to calm down the girls.”

She does that thing where she looks confused again. “Are you confused or glaring at me?” I ask, considering the last time she was this exhausted.

“Both,” she says, clearly annoyed.

Cranky Arena always comes with sleep deprivation. I just need one damn thing to go my way.

“Arena, the Tritons are known for their… ways. They won’t touch a hair on Keira’s head, so don’t get confused. They’re not barbarians. All of our people will be treated with care and respect, just as we would treat prisoners that didn’t carry malicious intent. But they don’t respect women like the Shaylan do, either. They’ll feel it an insult if we bring you along for ransom negotiations, and that could turn ugly. I can’t just leave you at the market. And with everything else going on… Please, for once, just do this for me.”

She leans back, studying my eyes, and finally she breathes out really hard. Is that… no. Surely not. That’s not a relenting breath is it?

“Fine. I’ll stay. But only because I can tell you’re genuinely freaked out and stressed out. If you’re serious about this making things harder on Keira, then I’ll make things right with the other girls.”

Words can’t seem to form. Did she seriously just agree to something?

“Don’t keep looking at me like that or I’ll change my mind.”

My lips clap shut when she finishes that statement, and I smile lightly. “I’m just surprised. Thank you.”

She pulls me to her by the back of my neck until my lips just barely touch hers. “Just hurry back. I’m going to be worried the whole time. You sure I can’t stay at the market? I could shop for our wedding.”

A compromise… Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“The nomad market should be coming through here. With Misel out there…”

“Fine,” she grumbles. “I’m only doing this because of my weird issues though. Until I find out what’s going on, it’s safer for everyone if we all play as nice as possible. And because I love you and you seriously look stressed out. Why isn’t Malfus dealing with any of this? You’re acting more like the chief than he is these days.”

Now would be the worst possible time to bring it up. “Malfus is trusting me with this. I’ll bring back Keira, we’ll get answers about you, and then we’re fucking getting married.”

She laughs lightly before brushing her lips against mine again.

“What if something like that earthquake happens again?” she asks, already talking herself out of letting me go without her.

“There seems to be several days in between the freak natural disasters. Don’t worry. Just please have everything ready for our wedding when I get back. I’ve already done all the stuff I was supposed to,” I remind her.

She smiles again before kissing me harder this time, her devilish little tongue flirting with mine. When she starts tugging me back, pulling me on top of her, I grin against her lips.

“I thought you said no more sex.”

She laughs lightly, a sound that has always made everything feel so much easier.

“That was before you said you were leaving for a few days.” Then a frown puckers on her tempting lips. “I don’t like this—us splitting up. Not after everything that has happened.”

I caress her cheek with the back of my hand, and she leans into my touch. “After everything that has happened, I think the best thing for you is some rest. I need to get Keira, Spider, Johnny, and the others away from the Triton tribe. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Reluctantly, she nods. I think she’s only agreeing mostly because she’s only had a few hours of sleep. I’m used to running on little to no sleep, but she’s not.

“Fine,” she groans at last. “Then you’d better go before I change my mind. I don’t like this.”

I bend forward and pull her against me, feeling her body flush against mine as her small arms encircle my waist. She rests her head against my chest, and she fits against me as though this is what we were made for.

“I love you,” she says softly, and a calm washes over me, stealing any angst, fatigue, or doubts that I have.

“I love you,” I say against her forehead, kissing it gently before standing.

She watches as I assemble a new bag, and she stands up to get on some new clothes. “I guess I need to tell the girls before they go crazy.”

I smile over at her. “They’ll listen to you.”

She gives me a look that swears she’s not so convinced. “Kendall and Helena, maybe. Raven is going to kill Kingston.”

I laugh while moving toward the door, but the sound of quickly shuffling feet has me turning around just as Arena crashes into me, her hands going behind my neck and pulling me down before she delivers a kiss that has me desperate to carry her with me. She nips at my lower lip before finally pulling back, and she runs her hand down my chest.

“When you get back, we’re getting married that day. No more wasted time.”

Fuck, I love her. “No more wasted time,” I parrot, then she shoves me out the door, and our eyes stay locked until the door finally closes.

Now to get the hell out of here and back before anything else can go wrong.

Chapter 20

ARENA

“Ow!” I yelp, cursing the newest whelp that is forming on my abdomen. “Why the hell is this so hard?”

I rub the newest sore spot through my shirt, and Helena rolls her eyes while lowering the bow. Kendall is preparing a shot with Raven, who is flinching and trying to back out every time she raises the bow again.

“The guys made this look so easy,” I grumble, pouting when I pull my shirt up to see seven whelps of failure.

“The guys have been practicing this for a month. We haven’t,” Raven says, bouncing on her heels. “Alright. Go,” she says to Kendall. But the second the bow is raised, she quickly says, “No! Wait! Wait! Wait!”

I laugh, then wince. Damn. I’m going to have bruises.

Kace only left yesterday, but it feels like it’s been weeks. I’m. Pathetic. So, so pathetic. He’s probably in Martinsville right now, looking at the same sunrise I am…

Christ, I have to stop sounding like a fool.

As Helena pulls the bow up once more, I feel something ruffle through my stomach, and suddenly the pain vanishes. With a cocked head, I pull my shirt up again, trying not to gasp when I see the clean skin devoid of the whelps that were there only seconds ago.

“What’s wrong?” Helena asks, her bow still raised as she waits for me to give her the signal.

“Nothing,” I lie, pushing my shirt back down. “I’m ready.”

I prepare myself for the next arrow, then I nod toward Helena. The arrow whizzes through the air as she releases it, and I sling my hand up to catch it too soon this time. That mean little balled-up end strikes me right in the back of the palm, and I yelp again as the not-so-harmless arrow drops to the ground.

Damn!

“Okay. Forget it. I’m not going to be an all-around, so I don’t have to know how to catch an arrow,” Raven announces as I continue to do a painful dance.

“You might be an all-around,” Kendall says. I think she wants to shoot an arrow at Raven for some reason.

“Kingston is an all-around, and below him is some dude that can beat the hell out of someone with two punches. I’m not going to beat either of them, so suffering through the learning curb is pointless.”

As I massage my poor, pitiful hand, I watch the whelp slowly fade, leaving my body as though a ballpoint arrow didn’t just strike it. Shit. The healing is getting more and more rapid.

“Arena? You okay?” Helena prompts, now studying me intently.

I nod, tightening my lips. The arrow catching was supposed to be a distraction, but ironically enough, I’m too distracted to catch an arrow.

Everyone’s eyes drift behind me, and scowls form on all three girls’ faces. There’s no doubt Ebony is approaching.

Warily, I turn to face her. She was actually nice to me when my memories were missing, so now I’m… confused about her. I completely understand being obsessed with Kace. I can’t say I’d be any different if the roles were reversed, so maybe that plays a small part of my empathy toward her.

She nervously, plays with the ends of her blonde hair while staring at the ground. But she looks up just as she comes within ten feet of us.

“I just wanted to let you know the nomad market just arrived. They’re a mile away, and Malfus is assembling a crew of people to go. Only fifteen are allowed to go at a time. The nomad markets have a strict policy on numbers, especially since the herder attack on the last one.”

She turns and practically sprints away, as though she’s afraid of being attacked by us. Then again, two out of four are holding bows.

“I need to go. There are several things I need to buy for my wedding, and I refuse to entrust Mom and Abigail with it,” I say to the girls behind me.

“Then let’s go use your pull with the chief to get us in the first group,” Raven chirps while coming to loop her arm through mine.

Her eyes go down to my hand as we walk away, and I try to hide it.

“The arrow didn’t leave a mark? You acted like it hurt like crazy. That’s why I couldn’t go through with it. Sheesh. I thought you were tougher than that.”

I force a smile while shrugging. “It was more surprising than painful when it struck,” I lie.

I already feel like a big enough freak. Telling them that my wounds are healing faster than the wolf scratch… I can’t. Besides, I don’t know why they’re healing so quickly. Bruises aren’t fatal, and until now, that’s what has been healing rapidly—fatal wounds.

Malfus is waiting just inside the gates with a list in his hand as he instructs one of his younger warriors. As I walk up, SaShante comes to cling to my side, hugging me tightly.

I lean over to scoop her up, squeezing her in an embrace that has her smiling against my cheek.

“I’m glad your memories are back,” she says in her sweet voice. “Because now you remember promising to work on sparring with me.”

I laugh while leaning back and lowering her feet to the ground. “As soon as I get some supplies for my wedding, I’ll do just that.”

She beams at me while patting her side where a set of four knives are holstered. “Raven has been teaching me knives.”

Raven shrugs when I cock a quizzical brow. “The girl wants to learn from the best woman at each event. She wants to be the ultimate all-around.”

SaShante looks up at me, and I swear she seems smug.

“And here I was thinking I was special,” I sigh, mocking her lightly. Malfus comes up as SaShante laughs.

“I’m guessing you would like to join the first group,” he says, eyeing me warily.

I grimace while nodding. “Yeah. Sorry about… um… the old me.”

He chuckles nervously while nodding. “It’s no problem. But for all your help with the latest deployment, I have secured you and the other girls a spot in the first group. Kace informed me you might need to search for supplies for the wedding.”

I nod. “Just some special things, like chocolate. I’d also like to get Kace a gift. Mom wants lace for decorations, but I’m going to see about using something less… girly.”

He snickers softly while motioning to the gate. “You can go on with them,” he tells me, motioning toward the assembled group. “As you get back, just make sure to let me know so that I can send on the next group.”

Helena joins me at my side, along with SaShante, as we head through the gate. The face of one of them brings back memories.

Carter—the man who saved my life when we fought with the herders—is just a few feet ahead of me. The same man who fights like a mercenary. Again, not that I can judge, considering Kace apparently shares that skill. I never did ask him about that, due to all the craziness going on. It’s one of the many things that has evaded our conversations lately. Damn messed up memories.

“Hey,” I say, jogging up beside him as SaShante grills Helena about the crossbow. He tucks his hands in his pockets, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

He’s too relaxed for me to consider that a nervous reaction.

“Hey,” he says mildly.

I study his dark hair and strong jawline, keeping stride beside him as we all travel toward the nomad market. I wish they hadn’t set up near the woods.

“I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life back at the herder camp.”

Of course now I wonder if it was a waste of energy. It’s likely I would have never suffered a fatal wound. Not that I can tell him that.

“Don’t mention it,” he says with a careless shrug, his eyes still trained ahead.

Okay… Not much of a talker.

“The nomad market usually sets up on the open side of the tribe—the plains. It’s easier to see possible attacks.”

“Didn’t help them when the herders attacked the last time,” he points out flatly. “This time they probably want to shake things up, be less predictable.”

It’s a different nomad market—obviously—but I get what he’s saying.

“You don’t like talking to people, do you? Sort of a loner?” I ask him, still trying to get a feel for the man who could easily snap several necks before the first arrow could even touch him.

“Yep,” he says curtly, possibly hinting for me to leave him alone.

“Loners don’t usually like tribes as large as ours, especially now that the Kuslan are mixed in. So why stay?”

He bristles as though he feels interrogated, which essentially is accurate. I can’t help but be suspicious, even if he did save my life.

“I like the walls. It makes me feel safe,” he says, though it doesn’t sound at all like the truth.

“Arena!” SaShante calls, and I smile over at her as we near the nomad market. The traveling booths are staggered instead of in a militant line this time.

I notice Carter frowning in the direction of SaShante when I turn back around. He catches my eyes and quickly averts his gaze before walking toward the rear of the market, pulling out a list Malfus must have supplied him with.

I wonder how he got in the first wave of the ones going.

My thoughts are interrupted by the tugging at my hand, and I smile at SaShante before letting her lead me through the booths. These are boxier than the last set. But just like the last ones, everything is made to be mobile.

I sift through the various vendor stands, glancing over each and every one. SaShante is animatedly discussing the numerous weapons choice, and I grin as she points out things I would buy myself. But today I’m not looking for weapons.

“There’s what I’m looking for,” I say, grinning salaciously when I see the chocolate vendor.

SaShante claps her hands in excitement, and I move over to the cart. A woman with a brittle smile greets me, her eyes moving from side to side. Her booth is the one on the outskirts of the setup, making it far behind all the others. Which probably makes her nervous.

There are more than fifteen people shopping, so apparently Malfus allowed more than he initially planned to come out. But I still get almost first selection at the chocolate.

“You have a lot more booths than we initially expected,” I say to the woman who is now wringing her hands, her eyes shifting more nervously from side to side.

Paranoid, I find myself looking, but only a few others are even anywhere close. Most everyone is more fascinated with the plants they’ve brought or the awesome selection of weaponry they have.

“Is something wrong?” I ask the oddly behaving woman.

Her eyes widen only fractionally, just enough to register a tinge of panic.

“Not at all,” she says, but her voice quivers. “Any particular chocolate you’re looking for?”

She brightens her smile, showing a flash of teeth, and I start looking through the assortments.

“I didn’t know there were options. I don’t remember what kind my fiancé got me, but I’d like to get it for our wedding.”

My eyes feast over the array of selections, their colors varying from lighter to darker. There’s even white chocolate? There’s so much to choose from.

“I have more in the back. Cherries dipped in chocolate,” she tells me, motioning for me to follow. “You’ll have to come inside for these.”

Cherries in chocolate? Best wedding ever.

Chapter 21

KACE

“That’s a mighty big order,” the merchant says while whistling low. “Might take me a little while to get it all together.”

“That’s fine,” I tell him while handing him half the payment. “You’ll receive the other half when we receive the goods.”

He nods in acceptance. “You from close by?”

I really don’t have time for idle chitchat. I have to hurry and get to the Triton tribe before dark.

“From the Shaylan. We normally use the nomad market for seedlings when we have to, but… well, the blizzard hit.”

He shudders as though that brings up bad memories. “Crazy damn weather lately. But the nomad market won’t be by anymore. They had a run-in with some barbarians that didn’t turn out well.”

Barbaric herders.

“I heard. But there’s a new nomad market.”

He tilts his head. “Well, I’ll be damned. I usually hear about any new markets out there. I haven’t heard a thing.”

I shrug while pointing back to the paper in his hand. I hate to be rude, but I’m sure Keira, Johnny, and Spider wouldn’t appreciate me talking idly to a man while they’re awaiting rescue.

“I’ll need everything on this list. Two of my men will be by in a few hours to pick up the order,” I tell the man at the enormous greenhouse. Martinsville has doubled in size since I was last here. I’ll start coming here more often for supplies.

“I’ll have it ready,” he tells me as I walk away, heading toward the stables where Julius and the others will be waiting.

Everything on the list, including horses, has now been procured. All the second team has to do is drop it off at the tribe once they pick it up. And I really have to get to the Triton tribe and come to an agreement for the rescue of Keira, Spider, and…

“Johnny?” The name leaves my mouth in an unusual octave as I see the thin figure leaned against the doorjamb of a pub.

His eyes come up, leaving the pages of the journal in his hand, and he tilts his head as he gives me a look that matches my confusion.

“What are you doing here?” we both ask at the same time.

Then Keira walks up beside him, running her hand across his arm until her eyes meet mine. Her brow rises in confusion.

“Kace? Did you come looking for us?”

I just nod, waiting for her to explain how in the hell they got free, and where the rest of our people are.

She sighs heavily before looking down at the journal in Johnny’s hand.

“We were on our way back. There are so many things I need to tell you. I wish I didn’t have to, but all my worst fears have been confirmed, and I—”

“Keira, what the hell are you doing here?” I ask, still dumbfounded and tired of her ramblings.

“I just told you. We’re on our way back. We stopped to spend the night here last night. We just came in from the plains after digging for what seemed like forever. Is Arena here? I really need to—”

“No!” I growl. “Arena isn’t here. None of the women are. We were coming to offer ransom to the Triton tribe for all of you. Where is everyone else?”

Spider walks out of the same pub, his confusion mirroring theirs.

“Kace?”

Fucking really?

“Why is everyone so damn surprised to see me, when I’m the one on my way to come save all of you? The hell is going on? How’d you escape the Tritons?”

The three of them exchange a puzzled look, then finally Keira meets me with wary eyes.

“Kace, we haven’t gone anywhere near the Tritons. Like I said, we’ve been in the dark plains digging. We’re on our way home today.”

None of this makes a damn bit of sense.

“Why did you think we had been taken by them?” Spider asks, moving toward me with troubled eyes.

“There was a scout. Harrison said he wore the markings of the Triton, and he delivered a message stating such. We assembled a team to come and get you.”

Johnny snorts, shaking his head. “Sounds like a seriously twisted joke got played.”

“But how would anyone know you left our tribe unless they were from our tribe?” I point out. “And Harrison would recognize them if they had ever been inside the walls.”

My eyes meet Spiders as realization spreads, and he registers the same sickening thought.

“What?” Keira prompts.

“It was diversion. Someone wanted us away from the tribe,” I say, then I take off running. “And they didn’t want the girls to come.”

Arena. I have to get back.

“Kace, this doesn’t make sense,” Johnny calls out, but I’m already at the stables, filling in Kingston, Julius, and Harrison.

“The walls will keep anyone out,” Johnny reminds me, and I calm down slightly, but it’s not enough to put my mind at ease.

“Let’s hurry back. Just in case,” Julius says while saddling up.

“I agree,” Kingston says, doing the same as I also go to my horse.

“No one goes through this much trouble without some sort of plan,” Harrison says, only adding to the growing knot that has returned to my stomach.

Someone will pray for death if they touch Arena. For their sakes, they’d better hope their plan fails.

“Who would want in our tribe?” Keira asks, saddling up as well.

Then it all crashes down on me like heavy rocks, and I feel the color drain from my face as my eyes meet Kingston’s. He looks as stark white as I feel.

At the same time, we both utter the name that would strike fear in the devil’s heart. “Misel.”

Chapter 22

ARENA

“Come on in,” the woman softly urges, motioning for me to join her inside the booth.

“Um… can you just bring them out?” I ask warily.

The woman is skittish, and now she wants me in a small, confined space with her? I don’t think so.

“They’re at the bottom. Just come on in.”

Banjos and guitars are playing loudly, along with what sounds like a violin. There’s a loud clatter of singing coming from somewhere behind the vendor stands behind me, but they’re blocking my view. It makes hearing her a little difficult.

I’m not sure why the fine hairs on my skin rise, but something feels off. I back away, deciding against the chocolate. A wedding can go on without it just fine, and I really don’t like this.

“Actually, I changed my mind,” I tell her, turning to walk away.

“No!” she yells, diving toward me. “I mean, I’ll just dig them out. Just give me a second.”

She gives me that brittle smile once more, and SaShante tugs on my arm. When I glance down at her, she starts to speak, but then her eyes go wide at something over my shoulder. Before I can turn around to get a look, a hand clamps over my mouth, and a strong arm comes around my waist, lifting me off the ground.

“Arena!” SaShante yells, but I’m being whirled away as I struggle against the tight hold.

“No, child!” I hear the chocolate-selling woman yell seconds before I hear the yelp coming from the beast of a man who is trying to carry me off.

Air hisses through his teeth, and I compensate on his loosened grip, slamming my head backwards to connect with his nose. I hear something crunch before he releases a cry of pain, and I try to ignore the throbbing and speckled vision.

The next time someone calls me hardheaded, I can attest that it is only in the metaphorical sense, because that shit hurt like a bitch.

But it works. He drops me and staggers backwards, and I escape his grasp, turning to see him doubled over as blood pours from his nose. I grab the back of his head while simultaneously jerking my knee up, once again. As his hand-covered face slams against my knee, he drops unconsciously to the ground. That’s when I see the knife that is stuck in the back of his leg.

I breathe out in relief while looking over to a trembling SaShante whose hand is still suspended in the air, frozen there.

“You did good,” I tell her, trying to catch my own breath.

She meets my eyes, looking somewhat contrite. “I was aiming at his head.”

I’m torn between laughing and grimacing. She’s too young to kill someone. Who knows what that could do to her fragile mind.

“Well, I’m glad Raven hasn’t traine—”

My words are cut off when another set of hands wrap around my throat, lifting me off the ground, and I choke on air that I can’t get down. SaShante screams, but it’s drowned out by the even louder, rumble of male singing, the crowd joining in.

I’m dragged backwards until I’m behind the chocolate stand, and I struggle harder when I see SaShante getting tossed over the shoulder of another man. It’s the incentive I need.

With one hard thrust, my foot connects with something on the man’s body, and I hear a muttered curse. Three more hard kicks forces him to release my throat when I’m on the cusp of passing out.

“Get her the fuck under control,” SaShante’s captor orders.

I heave for air, but I don’t have time to get my bearings before he’s grabbing at me from behind again. Without hesitation, I dive for the first man’s unconscious body, jerk free the knife, and fling it right between the eyes of the man holding SaShante.

He stands for a moment longer, his eyes widening, then falls to his knees, giving SaShante the chance to run.

“Run!” I yell at her just as the man behind me jerks me around.

My knee comes up, connecting with his side before I even get a look at him, and a painful grunt passes through his lips. Narrowly, I dodge his punch, and I grab his arm before twisting it and moving behind him, wrenching it behind his back so hard that he cries out again.

I kick the side of his knee, forcing more wails of pain, and he drops to the ground, resistant but restrained.

“Who the hell are you?” I demand.

His bark of mocking laughter gives me chills. No one can see me from here. I need to get back around to the front and warn the others.

The singing and music grows louder, as though it’s a part of this—a way to expel the sounds and yells.

Then a face appears, and I breathe out in relief. Carter stands in front of us, his eyes moving from the two bodies on the ground, to the man on his knees in front of me, then to me.

“Thank God. Warn the others. I think this is an…”

My words trail off as five men I don’t know join him, and my heart sinks to the ground when SaShante is thrust into sight by one of the barbarians. Her hands are bound behind her, and a gag is tied around her mouth.

“Why?” I almost whisper, my eyes not leaving SaShante.

“It’s nothing personal, Arena,” Carter, the backstabbing son of a bitch, says.

I scowl as I look up at him, still holding the man’s arm behind his back.

“Believe me when I say it’s very fucking personal.”

He frowns as he looks down at SaShante. “This can be real easy, Arena,” he says, bringing his eyes back up to meet mine. “She’ll be left here safe and unharmed if you just surrender now. You don’t want to hear the alternative.”

“You’d better hope nothing happens to her. If there’s an alternative, I swear I’ll make you wish you never knew me.”

He smiles grimly. “I already do, Arena. I wish I had never studied you. It’d make this a hell of a lot easier right now. But I have a deal to fulfill. Surrender, and I swear to you she’ll be fine.”

The man at my feet tries to move, and I twist his arm tighter, reminding him who the bitch is right now. He hisses between his teeth again, and I glare over at Carter.

“Your word doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “I really wish you wouldn’t complicate this.”

“Sorry that I’m not making this easy for you,” I snarl. “Let SaShante go. That’s the only way I’ll turn myself over.”

He laughs humorlessly. “Obviously I can’t just let her run off. She’ll simply warn the others. But I’ll put her somewhere they can find her at a later time. It’ll give us plenty of time to get a head start.”

He’s crazy if he thinks no one will notice we’re missing.

“This really doesn’t have to be difficult. I have five men with me, not counting the one you currently have subdued. It wouldn’t take much to overpower you. I’m giving you the less violent option.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I’ve already taken down three. What’s six more? And I’m not counting the guy at my feet.”

His lips twitch, as though he’s amused, but he walks up. “How about just one? Take me down, and they’ll fight you fairly afterwards—one by one.”

I try not to swallow noticeably. He’s too confident, and I’ve seen the ease he uses his mercenary fighting skills.

“Agreed,” I say with a confidence I don’t feel.

The man at my feet curses loudly when I dig a foot into his back while jerking his arm, popping it out of place. He cries out again, whimpering while flailing around on the ground. Carter smirks as he steps up.

I thought dislocating that jerk’s shoulder would scare him a little. Or at least offer enough intimidation to provoke a reaction. And I get a smirk. Shit.

He steps forward, and then, to my surprise, he puts his hands straight out. “Take your best shot, Arena. I don’t plan to hit you. But I’ll still win.”

I scoff, “Why wouldn’t you hit me?”

He circles me, just as I circle him. My eyes catch SaShante’s wide eyes only briefly.

“Because I don’t hit women. It’s not my style.”

I snort derisively. “Says the man who has a small girl tied up and gagged.”

That actually causes him to grimace, surprisingly enough.

“Desperate times, Arena. Now fight me. You’re so sure you can take us, so fight me.”

I don’t need a second invitation. I lunge, kicking my leg at him, but he dodges it effortlessly. There’s no dally in my next attack. As soon as my leg misses, I’m swinging around with my arm, my elbow aimed at his nose.

He catches my arm and shoves me forward. His hands move rapidly, and each time I attack, he blocks my attempt. Each strike is precise, but it’s as though he’s anticipating every move I make. His speed is unnatural almost, and he barely sounds winded, even though I’m practically heaving for air.

“End this already, Carter,” one of the guys groan. “They can’t keep the others distracted for long.”

Carter catches my arm, and in one swift move, he has himself and my arm behind my back. When I try to elbow him with my other arm, he catches it, wrenching it behind me as well. I struggle in vain to escape, because he ties my hands together tightly.

“Watch her while I secure the girl.”

I start to yell, but suddenly there’s a gag being tied in my mouth, the fabric cutting against the sides of my mouth.

“Tie up the other girls. They’ll all need to be left in the spot we discussed in order for our plan of delay to work. Kace won’t be back for a few days.”

Carter walks away, and I shout against the gag. My words are muffled and destroyed by the gag, shattering the effects of my threats.

Three men walk off, three stay with me, including the man whose shoulder I dislocated. I don’t count the unconscious or dead man, since neither of them pose a threat. I can take down three men who don’t fight like a damn ninja genius.

Two of them wear wicked grins, while the one I hurt glares at me, cradling his wounded arm at his side. It sucks that I can’t taunt them, which means starting the fight is all up to me.

The injured one growls as he comes closer, stalking toward me with malicious intent, and I ready myself.

“Stand down, Jasper. The girl kicked your ass. Get over it. We have to take her back alive and well.”

Jasper doesn’t listen. Instead, he gives me exactly what I want. His good arm swings out to slap my face, but I duck, and then I ram my shoulder into his stomach, making his breath heave out. The guys laugh, but when I bring up my knee and catch Jasper in the groin, their laughter turns to hisses of pain, as though they feel it as well.

Jasper collapses as a high-pitch squeal leaves his lips, and I kick the hell out of his face.

“Fuck!” one spews, rushing after me to stop me before I kick him to death, and I spin while jumping, and scissor his head between my legs while in the air.

He collapses to the ground, still pinned in my grip, as the other comes rushing over to jerk me off him. I’m hauled to my feet, and even though I really don’t want to, my hands are in the exact right spot behind my back to grab the soft flesh through his pants.

He howls in pain as I twist and rip, trying to detach the fucking thing from his body, and he falls to the ground just to escape me, crying as he cradles his injured crotch.

The other one is up and running toward me, and I bring my foot up at the exact right moment, kicking him hard enough in the face to send blood spewing and his eyes rolling back in his head before he falls backwards.

With my hands bound and my mouth gagged, I take off running, but I slam right into the hard body of Carter before I even get past the damn chocolate vendor. He roughly grabs my arm, evading my attempts to hit him. He’s too damn skilled to take down like the others.

“Christ, you idiots are worthless,” he says to the group on the ground. The two conscious are groaning in pain.

A wagon pulls up, and Carter bends to tie my feet even as I try to kick him in the face. Again, he blocks each shot until he finally grabs my ankle, giving it a rough yank, and forces me to fall to the ground with a breath-stealing thud.

He binds my feet with quick, effortless ease, and I curse him despite the fact he can’t hear a damn word around this stupid gag.

A struggling and muffled scream draws my attention away from my own problem, and my stomach sinks once again when I see Helena being dragged toward me, hands bound and mouth gagged.

“You’re supposed to tie her up with the others,” Carter says to the man while standing.

“This one is for me,” the sick son of a bitch says, smiling to show his deceptively perfect smile before running a hand over his Mohawk tips.

He’s wearing black leather pants and a leather weapons harness, along with numerous whips wrapped around him.

Helena struggles, and I fight harder against my own binds even as the unforgiving twine bites into my flesh.

“No other girls are coming. Only this one,” Carter says, pointing to me. “And she’s not to be touched.”

The guy laughs as though Carter has said something funny. “Boss won’t care if I bring a new toy to camp. Let’s go.”

Carter curses just as the other two come back around, looking down at the mess I’ve made. He walks toward the man holding Helena, and he pulls her out of the man’s clutches. The Mohawk guy glares at him.

“I’ll take the fucking girl if I want to, Carter. You don’t call the shots.”

In less than a blink, Carter spins, reaching up at the same time to grab the man’s head, and I hear a crunching snap before the man falls to the ground lifelessly. His neck is obviously broken, because his head is not supposed to be pointing that way. It actually makes my stomach roil.

Carter pulls Helena toward me before looking back at the dead body and speaking as though the man can hear him. “I said no other girls go.”

He then brings his eyes up to meet the other two men. “Any problem with that?” he asks, a veiled threat amongst those words.

Even though their jaws tick with wishful defiance, they both slowly shake their heads no. Carter drags Helena next to a horse even as she struggles, her eyes meeting mine in panic. A tear escapes my grasp, because this might be the last time I get to see my sister, and I can’t even speak to her.

“If either of you move, I’ll hurt the other,” he tells us.

He said he didn’t hit women, but I didn’t believe that then. I sure as hell won’t risk my sister. It’s apparent now that he has no intentions of killing her or taking her, so I comply in order to keep her safe.

Carter comes back and lifts me up, tossing me over the saddle of a horse. My stomach hits the center of the saddle, and I feel him tying my feet to what I assume is the stirrup. Then he moves Helena with him to the other side, putting her in front of me.

With tears in our eyes, we both silently exchange inevitable goodbyes, while Carter ties my hands to the other stirrup. He moves to grab the reins, and he pushes Helena forward as he quickly moves us toward the woods.

At least now I know why the nomad market really set up by the woods. They were forced to.

Just as we reach the edge of the forest, I see Raven, Kendall, and SaShante, all three of them bound, gagged, and tied to a wide tree. Carter forces Helena to the ground, making her sit like the others with her legs out in front of her, and then he grabs a rope from the ground before winding it around the tree, securing all of them even more as he adds Helena to their circle.

The girls all struggle in vain, their eyes meeting mine. Their looks are wide with horror, but there’s nothing they can do. I’ve just become a prisoner.

I start choking on the gag, and Carter comes to remove it from me.

“Say your goodbyes,” he tells me, even though he immediately starts tugging the reins of the horse to guide it away from my sister and friends.

“I love you. All of you. Tell Kace…” My voice breaks as tears start falling, but I swallow the lump in my throat and force my voice to be steady once again. “Tell Kace I love him. And if I… If something happens to me, tell him to read my journal.”

The emotion wads up in my stomach, especially when SaShante starts crying harder, shaking her head wildly as she jerks against the restraints. Helena screams around her gag, but it’s dulled. Her eyes meet mine in defeat as more and more tears stream down her cheeks.

I finally look away when it hurts too much to watch, and my horse pauses briefly as Carter stops to saddle up on a horse of his own.

“Load the injured in the wagon. The decoy wagon tracks have already been laid. Just take the trail we spoke of. I’ll take her the long way around.”

The barbarians behind the chocolate vendor just nod as they load up their men, and Carter starts leading us away again, moving us at a pace that will leave the tracks looking unhurried and unsuspicious.

I need these tracks to stand out.

“They’re going to notice we’re missing, and they’ll come after you. This pace is just going to screw you.”

“A quicker pace would insinuate a hurried getaway, but you know that. Don’t worry about me, Arena. By the time they realize you’re missing, we’ll be days ahead of them.”

“They’ll notice we’re missing when we don’t come back right away. You’ll be a few hours ahead of them at most.”

He looks at me without any trace of fear or hesitance. “That’s already been taken care of.”

Groaning from my uncomfortable position, I twist my head to see him better, wondering if I’m misreading his eyes. Nope. He’s not the least bit concerned.

“Kace will kill you,” I stress, praying that’s enough of a deterrent since the bastard sort of has me bound to a horse. Any threat I make of bodily harm won’t pose much concern.

“I don’t doubt that he’ll try. Kace would break open the gates of hell to pull you out. He believes the devil himself would not have the power to stop him.”

I struggle with the bindings on my hands, finding it useless once again. Through clenched teeth, I say, “I hope get free soon enough to unleash my own revenge.”

He doesn’t even bat an eye at my words. “Hope is a dream that will be crushed soon, Arena.”

It’s not hope I cling to. It’s truth. I only hope I live long enough to see them all die. Maybe my inexplicable invincibility will hold out a while longer.

“You’re an idiot if you think you can just leisurely stroll away and not get caught. They will notice. They will come. And you will be fucked.”

“Not likely, Arena.”

“How can you possibly be so confident?” I ask incredulously. Does he think so little of our tribe?

His impassive expression stays in place as he flatly says, “Because I’m not the only one who infiltrated your walls.”

Chapter 23

KACE

The torches of the walls illuminate it, and I force my exhausted horse on faster. “Open the damn gate!” I yell, not planning on slowing down until I have Arena in my arms.

I see a scurrying of motion in the darkness along the top of the wall, shadows moving under the light of torches, and the gate opens just enough for me to charge through it. Julius, Kingston, and Harrison are right on my tail, as the others filter in somewhere behind them.

I practically leap off my horse, leaving it to run until it can safely slow down, and I rush toward my cabin. People jump out of my way, others shout my name, but my heart is thudding so loudly in my ears that I can’t hear anything past that.

I barge through the door of my cabin, and my stomach sinks to the ground. She’s not here.

I walk back out, my eyes scouring the entire clan. “Where’s Arena?” I shout, my tone full of angry panic.

“Helena’s not inside,” Harrison says, his voice cracking as he runs toward me.

“Kendall either,” Julius says with fear etched on his face.

Instead of waiting on anyone else to speak, I run toward Malfus’s cabin. I don’t bother knocking as I burst through the door, and he leaps off the chair, almost knocking Meredith to the floor. Apparently she had been in his lap.

“Kace? The hell?” he asks in confused surprise.

“Where’s Arena?” I demand.

Meredith scowls for some reason. “She and the other girls are off planning your damn wedding. They’re hiding because they claim I’m driving them crazy. Abigail is pissed too, just so you know.”

Relief settles over my bones, and I almost sag to the ground. It’s such a relief that I have to fight hard not to laugh like a madman.

“Thank fuck,” Kingston says from behind me. Julius actually collapses, lying down on the porch while running his hands through his hair.

“Any idea where they would go?” I ask a little calmer, needing to touch her before I completely release all my fear.

“If I knew where they were, I would be there,” Meredith says, still pouting.

“Kace, what the hell is going on?” Malfus asks, still wearing a baffled expression. “Why are you back already?”

“The Tritons never had Keira and the others. It was just a diversion. Has anything at all happened here?”

He looks taken aback. “No. No threats of any kind. Why would someone go through the trouble of setting all that up and not attack?” he asks. “And what would they gain from attacking our walls? All who have tried have failed.”

There’s something I’m missing. Has to be.

Keira walks in, eyeing us all. “Are the girls okay?” she asks.

“They’re planning a wedding,” Meredith says, her head cocked.

Keira starts to talk, once again mentioning where she has been, but I talk over her as a thought occurs to me.

Why would Arena bother telling them about a secret meeting to plan our wedding? Wouldn’t that be counterproductive?

“It’s dark and it’s late. They should be back by now. Who told you they were going to plan the wedding? Arena? Helena?” I prompt.

Malfus shakes his head. “No. Frank told me.”

That has me even more confused. “Why in the hell would Frank be relaying that message? Arena hates him.”

“I told everyone to let me know when they returned from the nomad market so that I could send more people in their place. I suppose she sent Frank to keep from having to explain to Meredith what she was doing.”

My skin turns cold and hot at the same time as all the life tries to flee from my body.

“What nomad market?” Kingston asks on a hoarse, rasp whisper.

Malfus’s eyes widen, as though he’s catching on.

“They arrived just this morning. Arena and the girls went with the first group. But… Frank wouldn’t lie. He wouldn’t risk Arena’s life. Hell, he’s obsessed with her.”

My feet are moving before I know it, and I hear the thunderous footsteps behind me as the others run to keep up. I leap onto Frank’s porch, flying over the steps. I try to push through the door, but the locked thing doesn’t budge.

“Frank, open the damn door!” I bark, beating against it with my fist.

No answer meets me.

“I’ll kill him,” Julius growls.

Instead of bothering knocking again, I kick the door. It takes a few kicks, but it finally crashes two pieces of the wood enough for me to stick my hand inside and undo the lock. Kingston jerks it open, and I enter first.

But I’m not at all prepared for what I see.

“So much for you killing him,” I say in a hushed breath, looking over the bloodstained bed in disbelief.

“Holy fucking shit,” Kingston says on an exhale.

I look around at what looks like a massacre. Frank’s throat is slit, his wrists are slit, and his tongue… I think that’s what’s lying severed on the floor.

“This is… sick and twisted,” Julius says in disbelief.

“So someone killed Frank to keep him from telling anyone who had him deliver that message?” Harrison asks, looking over the blood that is dripping from the body, down the bed, and splattering on the floor.

“Who would he trust enough to even pass something like that along?” I ask, trying to piece the puzzle together.

“What the hell?” Malfus asks as he walks in, looking over everything just as we did.

“The door was locked from the inside, so the killer left through the window,” I point out. The key lock wasn’t used. Only the twist lock.

“We need to find out who told Frank to give that message, then maybe we’ll find out where they’ve taken the girls,” Julius says, his hands shaking.

“It’d have to be someone he trusts,” Malfus says, stepping over to Frank’s body and using his hand to force the lifeless eyes to close.

Then my anger bubbles up as something occurs to me. “Or it could be someone he didn’t trust. Frank has a mother in the Heflin clan. What if someone threatened her and he only did what he had to in order to keep her safe?”

Malfus looks at me with quizzical eyes.

“Who would do such a thing?”

“Where’s Ivan?” I ask, referring to the Kuslan traitor.

“In the underground cellar. He’s tied up, though.”

I start walking, and Malfus catches up with me. “When’s the last time he was checked on?” I growl.

“He gets weekly rations, so no one will go to visit him for at least three more days. But he’s tied—”

“Who was overseeing his rations this week?” I ask him.

Malfus grows quiet for a moment. “Frank took him his rations four days ago, but he couldn’t have been out all this time. Not long enough to instigate this.”

I look over at him while shaking my head, but I don’t bother arguing. Instead, I run toward the banquet hall, storm in, and pull open the latch. We all jog down the stairs, but the second we reach the bottom, the truth begins to weigh on us.

The ropes that bound him are cut and tossed carelessly on the ground.

“No one is even guarding this?” I ask incredulously.

Malfus stares in horror at the vacant spot where Ivan is supposed to be.

“No. I only told a few men where he was kept, and they swore an oath to keep it secret. Frank was among them. Annoying as he might be, he’s always been loyal. This… He wouldn’t have let Ivan go.”

“He’s dead because of Ivan. Ivan wanted me dead. Don’t you think Frank would have loved that, considering I’m now the chief and he hates me?”

Malfus looks at me with burdened eyes. “I trusted him, Kace. Frank has… had his issues, but he could be trusted. There has to be another explanation.”

He’s too prideful to admit he has just royally fucked up. He better pray it hasn’t cost Arena her life.

“Kace,” Malfus says softly, touching my arm, and I jerk away from him.

“I strongly advise against touching me right now, Malfus. I need to go find Arena and the rest of the girls.”

Malfus stands behind as the others turn their backs on him, too. Julius’s jaw ticks with fury as we run through the banquet hall.

“Ivan could have slipped out with any of those groups to the nomad market once he killed Frank,” Kingston says, scrubbing his face with his hands.

Spider runs up, a bag already on his back. “I’ll start looking for tracks.”

“In the dark?” Malfus asks, clearly not getting the hint that we’re pissed at him.

“Not much of a choice,” Spider informs him, only offering him a fleeting gaze before returning his eyes back to me. “I can track at night, it’ll just be slower. I tracked the herders at nighttime.”

And that didn’t seem very slow.

“I know,” I tell him. “Go check the front of the wall where the market would have been.”

“They were at the south side, near the woods,” Malfus interjects just before Spider turns away.

My head tilts to the side. “The woods? The market set up near the woods, and you didn’t think to question it?”

He inhales heavily, as though he’s sucking air through a wet cloth. “The last market was slaughtered in the plains. It made sense they would take a different setup, so no, I didn’t question it. Besides, the market stayed all day. It was legitimate.”

“So someone knew the market would be here and they lay in waiting?” Harrison asks.

“None of these questions are getting us to the girls faster,” I point out. “Spider, go start tracking. I’ll need a team of volunteers, so Malfus, I’ll let you handle that.”

He tightens his lips like he wants to say something about the way I’m handling this, but I really don’t give a fuck right now. Even if he was still the chief, I’d tell him to kiss my ass before trusting him to handle this.

“I’ll start assembling men,” he finally says, and I walk away.

Spider is already near the woods, kneeling as he studies the ground. “There was one hell of a struggle here. And there’s a lot of blood, too.”

I stagger when my knees try to fail, but I quickly straighten up, forcing myself to remain in control. If I fucking lose it, I might just kill someone by mistake.

“Horse was loaded up over here,” he says, walking closer. “Wagon was loaded here.”

He points to both spots. “Then two people walked in that direction while leading a horse,” he says, pointing toward the woods this time. “And then it looks like the horse was doubled back with only one person leading.”

He looks up with a grim expression. “The second set of prints that is absent on the way back belongs to a woman. Too small for a man. And worse, I’ve found a child’s footprints, too. Most likely SaShante. Her mother was panicking as I ran through once she learned Arena was missing. She was told by Frank that SaShante was spending the night with her.”

Oh no. No. No. No.

“There are other prints all over the place, but this is the most obvious struggle. Someone put up one hell of a fight.”

My gut clenches, because I know exactly who would put up this sort of fight.

“There’s only one of the girls who can fight this fiercely,” Keira says from out of nowhere, bending down to investigate the tracks for herself.

“You can track?” Kingston asks her.

“Not anywhere nearly as good as Spider. But I know a fight when I see one. This was Arena,” she says, frowning up at me. “The patterns indicate she fought long and hard, too.”

The more she tells me, the sicker I get. I have to double over when bile rises to my throat.

“If they doubled back from the woods, then that means…” Kingston’s voice trails off, cracking when emotion clogs up.

Julius takes a shaky breath, but then he takes off running. The others follow, and I steady myself enough to start running as well, terrified of what we’re about to find.

“Did you hear that?” Harrison asks, stumbling to a halt.

I stop, too, listening for a minute. Muffled cries from somewhere in the woods… They’re alive?

“Over here!” Harrison shouts, running toward the sounds with me on his heels, hope consuming me. I just pray it’s not false hope.

I see a rustle of movement as the hindered pleas grow louder. That’s when they come into view, illuminated only by a sliver of moonlight. But it’s too dark to see more than the silhouettes from here.

“They’re here!” Harrison shouts again, guiding the others as he drops to his knees in front of a tree. I’m right behind him, stopping in front of a trembling SaShante as I look around for Arena.

After the ropes that bind her fall, she launches herself into my arms, but her hands are tied behind her back, and a handkerchief is tied around her mouth.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper soothingly as she trembles in my arms, and I carefully slice the twines that are restraining her wrists just as Kingston and Julius slide to the tree to start freeing their girls.

She tries to speak, just like they all do, and Harrison tugs down Helena’s gag at the exact same time I remove SaShante’s to ask where Arena is.

“They took Arena!” Helena and SaShante scream in unison the second their lips are free.

“What?” Kingston asks as I sink to the ground, the world around me crashing down.

“She fought them hard, but they took her,” SaShante says, but I’m almost too numb to digest the information.

Then Helena adds, “It was that guy… I can’t remember his name. But he led it. He threatened to hurt me if she fought him, so she quit fighting. If it hadn’t been for him, she could have taken them all on. I was surprised from behind and bound before I could even try to fight.”

“What guy?” Julius demands just as Kendall is freed and in his arms.

The jealousy is almost consuming and painful. I want to rip someone’s head off and then move on to another target.

“Carter,” SaShante says, prompting my anger to surge even more. “They called him Carter. It’s my fault. I went for help, and I got him. I didn’t… I didn’t…”

She starts sobbing, and Helena pulls her to her, soothing her as she strokes her hair and promising that it’s not her fault.

I can’t feel my body. It’s as though I’ve been detached.

Spider yelling from a distance draws my attention, but just barely. Julius helps me to my feet, urging me to move. Time stands still for me, as I look at the shattered pieces of my world. If Misel has Arena…

Oh fuck. He’s going to punish her for things I’ve done to him. He’ll…

“Kace, stop thinking!” Kingston demands. “We can still save her. We will still save her,” he promises, shaking me.

“Two on horseback went this way. A loaded down wagon went a different route.”

“Arena was strapped to a horse,” Raven says immediately. “And Carter probably got a horse after that.”

“They’re not moving fast,” Keira says as though she’s confused. “These tracks look almost lazy instead of hurried.”

“Because they’re trying to throw us off. The wagon is moving faster. That’s the trail they want us to follow,” Spider explains. “Carter is confident that he has fooled us. At this pace, we can catch up to him by midday tomorrow if we ride out soon.”

That has me snapping out of my trance. “Go get the team Malfus has assembled,” I say in a cold tone. “We leave within the next few minutes. Anyone not ready stays behind. I need to talk to Malfus.”

I turn to walk off, my hands fisting and unfurling in rapid repetition.

“What’s the plan?” Julius asks from beside me.

“You mean besides kill every fucker that has so much as ruffled Arena’s hair? I’ll let you know in a minute. Misel is a calculated son of a bitch. There’s a bigger endgame we don’t see yet. He stays ten steps ahead. Taking Arena is a message to me, and he definitely knows I’ll be coming after her.”

“And Misel is ruthless,” Kingston adds, his body tense. “We know what he’s capable of.”

“So how do we play his game if he already knows the next ten moves and we’re just getting started?” Harrison asks, catching up with us.

I cut my eyes toward him as my mind runs through every possible scenario he could muster. Misel’s mind is a disturbing place to access, but if I want to beat the devil, I have to think like him.

“We get eleven steps ahead.”

Chapter 24

ARENA

My head is fricking killing me. It’s not exactly ideal to be hanging upside down on a horse for hours and hours. We’ve already changed horses once, and he set the other two free.

“Who do you have inside the camp?” I ask, though I don’t know why. He’s been ignoring me since we left. I’m surprised he hasn’t reattached the gag.

“I don’t have anyone. Misel does.”

Hearing his name… I don’t even know the man, but chills form over my body with a sickening cling. Only the viewer has ever scared me this badly before.

“Who does Misel have?” I correct, trying and failing to keep the tremble out of my voice.

“I don’t know who it is. I only know they’re handling things back at the tribe. Besides, knowledge after the fact won’t do you any good. And where you’re going, it won’t matter. It’s not like you can warn them. In a few days, everything will go according to plan.”

I struggle once again, but as all the times before, my wrists only get burned by the twine. Fortunately, he hasn’t noticed the old wounds have healed. That would take some explaining.

Before I can come up with some witty, possibly threatening retort, the sound of an approaching horse galloping toward us has me biting back the words as hope fills my veins. That hope falls flat almost just as quickly when Carter speaks.

“What?” he demands, proving this isn’t a hero for me.

“Kaceton and the others returned early. The girls were found already, and they’re on their way. They’ve found your trail. Their tracker is really damn good.”

For the first time, Carter curses.

“Does anyone else know about this?” he asks.

“No,” the man I can’t see answers.

“Good.” With that, Carter throws a knife that I never saw him pull out, and I hear the gasp and gurgling sounds of someone choking on blood before a heavy thump hits the ground.

I look up in disbelief, and Carter carries on as though he didn’t just kill the messenger.

“Believe me,” he says, his eyes still ahead, “it’s better that Misel not know his plan has been upset. We’ll arrive at the normal time, but we’re about to start riding a lot faster and taking a new route.”

I curse as the speed picks up, the reins of my horse tied to his saddle.

“He’ll still catch up. I’m slowing you down. You’ll have better luck going on without me.”

He laughs as though that’s funny. It was worth a shot.

“They won’t find us any time soon. Trust me.”

“You underestimate Spider,” I remind him, and he forces a brittle, almost sad smile.

“You underestimate Misel.”

Chapter 25

KACE

Spider seems to be slowing down as he clutches his side. Then he starts staggering. I run to catch him just as he collapses, catching him. He grabs at his stomach like he’s enduring excruciating pain.

“Spider!” I say, panicked. Right now is the worst possible time for him to collapse. “What’s wrong?” I ask while gently lying him down.

“I don’t know,” he says through clenched teeth as his entire body starts pouring sweat. “My stomach is fucking killing me.”

Ebony walks up before lowering herself beside him.

“Really don’t need you hovering right now,” I growl in warning.

“Do you have any medical knowledge at all? Because I do,” she snaps back.

I lean back as she studies him, lowering her ear to his lips. “What have you had to eat or drink?” she asks him.

“Water. Same food as everyone else,” he bites out, restraining the cry that is probably on the tip of his tongue.

She takes his water and sniffs it, and then a frown forms on her lips. “Antelope berries. Someone poisoned him.”

He shakes his head. “Blueberries. Not antelope berries,” he says. “I always use them in my water.”

She grabs his bag, sifting through the contents, and then she pulls out a cloth that conceals the blueberries. “No. Blueberries smell just a little sweeter. They look alike, but there’s a different scent. And look.” She squeezes one of the berries between her fingers, and I curse when the color turns red.

“Fuckers,” Spider says around a growl.

“Someone knew he always uses blueberries. They swapped them,” Ebony whispers, looking around our large group with suspicious eyes.

I look behind me to see Julius, Kingston, and Harrison hovering, the three of them looking ready to bite through nails. Not only did all their girls insist on going, but now Spider is being poisoned.

“That means we have a traitor,” I say quietly, and the three of them nod.

“What can you do for him?” I ask Ebony.

“I can give him some of the meds we have on hand. It’ll lighten the cramps, but he’ll need three or four days of rest and gallons of water to flush it out of his system. If he pushes himself in this heat, he’ll die of dehydration.”

Spider curses while shaking his head. “No. I’m going,” he growls. “Arena would come for any of us.”

I force him back down when he tries to stand. “In the condition you’re in, you won’t make it very far. If anything, you’ll piss off Arena by risking your life, and you’ll slow us down. I’ll have two people carry you back. They can make a stretcher.”

“Who the hell will track?” he asks through a pained strain.

Reluctantly, I meet Ebony’s eyes, and she nods without hesitation.

“You can’t be serious,” Kingston growls. “Why the hell would she help Arena? She hates her.”

She scowls at him. “Whether Kace likes it or not, I care about him. And he’ll unravel without her. You’re right; I wouldn’t do a damn thing to help Arena. But I will do it for Kace.”

Cursing, I glance back at Keira, and then I stand to walk over to her.

“Can you track?” I whisper. She’s so secretive that I never know what she wants divulged or kept hidden.

“Not good enough. Arena needs the best tracker,” she says with a hesitant whisper of her own.

The best tracker has been poisoned, but I know Ebony is really good.

“Then the choice is made,” I say while turning back around. “The sun is rising, so that should speed things up.”

Ebony nods as Kingston directs two of his men to take Spider back. Spider grabs my hand when I start to pass by, and I kneel to listen to him.

“Watch your back. I’m a secretive bastard, and someone knew I used blueberries in my water. Someone in this group.”

One Kuslan member has already betrayed us for the sake of saving themselves from Misel’s wrath. Who knows how many others shared his opinion?

I turn around, knowing it won’t do a damn bit of good, and address the crowd. “Anyone who doesn’t want to go past this point can return with Spider. You see how dangerous this has gotten. I’m not stopping until I have Arena back, but I can’t ask any of you to risk your lives for the same reason. She’s my fiancée, and chief or not, that doesn’t put the burden of responsibility on your shoulders.”

Several hushed whispers erupt. I wasn’t expecting to announce my chief status now of all times, but I don’t need any weak links right now, and I can’t be a strong link if I’m too afraid to voice the truth about something as simple as that.

“Arena is my family even if she’s not blood,” Julius says, stepping up first. Helena just gives me a look that lets me know she thinks I’m stupid for even expecting a response from her, not that I do.

Our group of friends stand together, including Johnny and Keira. Then others start stepping up behind them.

“Arena destroyed the viewer and fought like a warrior to kill the very man who took Justice Clash away from us by abusing the power of the viewer,” one man says, determination set in his jaw.

“Arena Clash saved the Tempest by being the only one to stand up to Malfus when we believed he was the one who was starving us,” another man says. “I was a coward then. Never again.”

Another steps up. “Arena stood alone against a thousand arrows, and she stared down death. She gave us all the courage to fight for our lives that day. She saved the tribe.”

Then another. “Arena would cross every obstacle and never slow down if any one of us needed her. She wouldn’t turn scared and run to save her own life. And neither will I.”

“Arena isn’t just your fiancée,” another man says. “She’s our hope. Her father’s legacy pales in comparison to hers. She stands beside our chief, and we stand beside you, too. You wouldn’t leave anyone to their own fate. You’d come. Because that’s the man you are. The two of you together will make our children’s futures even better.”

Any other time, I’d be emotionally moved. Pride swells within me as gratitude forms, but I keep searching the eyes of everyone for the traitor amongst the loyal group.

“I may not know Arena that well, but I know Misel,” a Kuslan man says, his eyes trained on me. “And I fight to stop him from every hurting my tribe again.”

I turn around when I find my endeavor to sniff out the traitor to be pointless. Turning around, I follow Ebony to a set of tracks, her eyes lift just as the sun breaks free completely from the horizon, and she sighs.

“They definitely came through here.”

I look over to find a dead man lying in a pool of his own blood that stains the dirt beneath him.

“I think that rider must have warned him we were catching up. The tracks speed up from here. We need to get back on the horses. I have his trail now.”

I nod and saddle up without delay, and Keira rides up beside me. As Ebony leads at a steady pace, following the trail, I speak to Keira about something that has had me in knots.

“You went to find some of Adler’s journals, didn’t you?” I ask.

“Yes. I heard what happened with the earthquake… What Arena did to save you… Kendall trusted me with it.”

I nod, my eyes still on Ebony’s back as she leans over the horse, making sure she doesn’t miss anything.

“She thinks she can’t die,” I say very, very quietly. Only the immediate members of our most trusted group know the details of all that is going on with Arena.

“Right now, she can’t,” she says in a voice just as quiet as mine. “But it’s only temporary. Until the viewer is back in full power.”

My eyes widen as I turn my head to face her.

“Let’s float to the back. I’ve already filled in the others. You’ve been otherwise occupied.”

I crane my neck around to see Julius looking at me with tight lips. I almost dread whatever Keira is going to say.

“Okay.”

We wait until everyone has passed us, and we hang back so that Keira can speak freely.

“What do you mean the viewer is coming back?” I growl. “Arena destroyed it.”

She shakes her head. “I thought the same thing. There were bright lights, loud sounds… But it’s not destroyed. It’s simply being rebooted.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

She frowns as she looks ahead. “That’s hard to explain unless you’ve read a lot about technology the way Johnny has. Before such things started suffering the fade, there was nothing but technology. Adler was a typical genius. By that, I mean he was so logical that he sounded insane. He didn’t value life or death in the way most people do. He saw numbers instead of faces, and he calculated their value based on the impact they could have on the world. It’s how the design for the fades was even created.”

My eyes lift up to make sure no one can hear us, and then I turn my attention back to her. “So Adler designed the fades based on math. Got it. What the hell does it have to do with Arena?”

Sighing, she continues. “It has everything to do with Arena. Adler used an organic matter that was found in space as the main energy source and ‘brain’ for the viewer. But technology he stumbled across was just too advanced for even him. He had no idea that he was creating something as powerful as he did.

“Being organic, it needed substance to link to in order to program itself. Adler hooked the viewer up to his own mind for the initial programming. At one point in time, the machine was a touchable, physical creation. Then all hell broke loose, and now it exists neither here nor there. The day it tore the fabric of space and time to exist in an entirely different paradigm.”

I stop her there. “Keira, I don’t understand a damn word you’re saying. Just explain the part where this has to do with Arena.”

She seems to be searching for the right words. “Because it can’t function on it’s on, it needs an organic object to attach to in the early phases, such as it’s at right now. It’ll detach from her after it can stand on its own again.

“Adler went through the same thing when it first ripped the fabric. The viewer linked to him, made him impossible to kill, stole his memories, and expedited any healing process. The closer the viewer grew to full strength, the more dramatic he found the anomalies around him. Including nature—freak blizzards, torrential rainstorms, massive earthquakes… You get the idea.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. It’s as though the universe really fucking hates us right now.

“So we have to get Arena back and go to war with Misel before the viewer comes back. Any chance it won’t fade anyone from our side?” I ask her, needing just one damn thing to go right.

“I wish I could say yes. It’s not like Arena is reprogramming it. She just made it reset itself due to contradicting variables she made it aware of. There’s no telling what exactly will happen now. The machine learns. That’s what makes it so dangerous. It’s an organism—based on what I read in that journal. I’d only heard rumors of this journal. Only the heads of the guardians were privy to that information, which is why it was hidden. It’s a journal that could instill panic anytime there’s a natural disaster, because the viewer will come back, and it will come back with harsh penalties to be paid. The first fade will be the worst—if history repeats itself.”

Yet another thing kept secret.

“So the viewer is up there but it’s not up there. And it’s somehow fused to Arena. This day just keeps getting better.”

When I get Arena back, I’m never letting her go again. I’m not going to stay chief, because I’ll be too busy being wrapped up in her and nothing else.

“Think of it as a pond that has dried up due to a drought. Now there’s a flood, and soon it’ll be overflowing with more water than it can hold. It won’t steady out until the water stops.”

“So Arena is the pond or the viewer is the pond?”

My mind is already too busy to try putting together shitty analogies.

“No. The pond is the viewer. Arena is the flood.”

That has me cocking my head. “What does that mean? How is Arena the flood?”

“Because it’s getting stronger off her. Her emotions, her thoughts, her everything… The viewer is restoring itself using her as a grounding wire… Um… Yet again a technology term. Anyway, she’s the flood.”

And she’s been kidnapped, meaning her emotions are probably all over the fucking place, even though I can imagine she’s a vision of external calm. She’d never give them the satisfaction of seeing her afraid or panicked.

“The stronger her emotions get,” Keira continues, “the sooner the viewer will reemerge.”

Just one more reason for me to kill Misel as soon as possible. This time, I’ll make sure the bastard stays dead.

Chapter 26

ARENA

“Why are you doing this?” I demand, hoping my voice carries loud enough to find Kace, because that would mean he’s close.

He ignores me, not answering as usual. Then I decide to beg for something that might work out in my favor.

“Just kill me now and spare me Misel’s touch. I’d rather he not have the satisfaction of killing me.”

I’m not sure what will happen if he does try to kill me, but I have a feeling it won’t work out well for him.

“He doesn’t want to kill you,” Carter finally says, riding at a more leisurely pace. We’ve now changed horses five times over the past two and a half days. He’s only slept for an hour or two at the most. I’m not sure if I’ve passed out or slept. Maybe both.

“Then what does he want?”

I give up trying to raise my head. It’s pounding, and my neck is killing me from trying to see him.

“Misel doesn’t do something as merciful as death. He’ll torture you mentally and physically before returning you to your fiancé.”

He says it with no emotion, as though it’s just common knowledge and not at all perverse or sadistic. It’s just a matter-of-fact statement that holds no meaning to him, yet it crushes me. I can’t be killed, but I know I can be touched.

Shudders rack my body, but I fight them off. All the warnings and fear Kace had for the man… I haven’t even met him yet, and already I wish I could run. And I never want to run.

“You honestly think he’s going to return me?” I ask, cursing myself when my voice breaks and gives away the fear nestled deep in my core.

Though I know it’s a fool’s dream, some hope does invade. The possibility of being in Kace’s arms again… I want that more than anything in the world. I’ll never let him out of my sight again.

I finally crane my neck again despite its painful protests when Carter doesn’t answer. Oddly enough, he looks burdened, casting his eyes toward the ground as though he feels shame or possibly guilt. For a fleeting second, he almost seems to have humanity.

“You’ll be returned, but not the way you think. Misel won’t release you until you’re broken in every possible way.”

An eye for an eye… Those words seem to echo around in my mind until they fully resonate. Kace once said them, explaining Misel’s constant frame of mind. He never lets go of a grudge.

“He’s going to burn me to punish Kace, isn’t he?”

“Among other things,” he confirms, but this time there is definitely emotion in his voice. I hear regret, possibly even sympathy.

If a man as cold as him shows me sympathy for what’s to come… I don’t even want to think about it.

That spark of hope that I had suddenly turns to dust, taking with it all the life inside me. I’m shattered before I even reach the place where I’ll begin getting broken, because Kace won’t get here fast enough. He even said Misel was smarter than him, more calculated and cunning. The familiar taste of doubt stings my tongue.

“Arena, don’t let him break you,” he says almost sadly, still not meeting my eyes. “If you do, he wins.”

“As if you care,” I scoff in a strangled whisper.

I look away, unwilling to show him the tears that are falling without pause now. Kace will never forgive himself if he doesn’t reach me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to face him again after Misel is done with me. I’d like to think I’m strong enough, but…

With my hands bound, I can’t even wipe away the tears. This is just the beginning of the degrading things that will be done to me. They’ve only just started stripping me of my dignity, so I can only imagine how hard it’ll be when they actually try.

“We’re almost there,” he says, never commenting on my last remark. Not that I expected him to.

“Thanks for the update,” I mumble numbly. Then a thought occurs to me. “That nomad market wasn’t real, was it? Was it just part of the ruse?”

He nods, seeming grateful for a shift in topic.

“Then why did the woman in the chocolate booth look terrified?”

He frowns, his eyes still trained ahead. “Because you brought the child with you. She was unexpected. And Sylvia has a child. Her daughter is granted sanctuary and safety from Misel as long as Sylvia works for him. Obviously a nomad market would arouse suspicion if it was comprised only of scary strong men.”

Unbelievable. “This is the man you work for? One who uses children as bargaining chips?”

He looks over at me, this time seeming angry. “We all do what we have to do sometimes, Arena.”

“Like somehow provoking the herders to attack the old nomad market so that Misel can insert his new one.”

Again, a shudder passes through me. If Misel is capable of something that dark with people he had no qualms with, I can only imagine what he has in store for the woman loved by the man who burned him alive.

“Misel constructed it shortly after the nomad market was slaughtered by the herders. It was convenient, but not orchestrated.”

“Convenient? Those booths were hand-crafted and carefully built and aged ever so slightly to look authentic. Our tribe has some of the best carpenters known to man, and not even they could have built something that elaborate in less than a month. There’s no way. How many carpenters do you have?”

He shifts as his eyes move to his hands, as though he’s mulling over those facts. “Only five.”

I laugh wildly, though I think it’s mostly because I’ve gone delusional or hysterical. Or maybe I’ve just gone mad. I’ve experienced too many emotions during the three-day trek.

“Yeah,” I say with sarcasm dripping from my tone. “You’re right. Five carpenters can definitely get all that done in less than two weeks despite a freak blizzard that no one could stay out in for longer than a few minutes at a time without freezing to death.”

He stays quiet for a while, and I choke on all the things I wish I could say. But I refuse to break more than I already have. I refuse to offer him that satisfaction.

I hear voices in the distance, and my stomach clenches in dread. Everything on me tingles as the hairs rise on my body. Now I wish I could die, because I’m not sure I want to survive all they’ll do to me.

Carter stops the horses as whistles and catcalls taint the air, haunting me with the foreshadowing of what’s to come. He climbs down as I stare at nothing but the green grass beneath me.

It’s barely a distraction as I watch each blade standing at full attention, not one daring to stray. Carter’s boots come into view, and I stare at them as my new distraction, taking in the worn sides and discolored, brown tips that don’t match the darker brown on the rest.

He finishes untying my hands from the stirrup, but keeps them bound to each other. I contemplate fighting him. But it would just draw unwanted attention. Besides, it’s hard to run when your legs are tied together.

Finally, as he finishes untying my legs from the stirrup, I get to sit up for longer than a few seconds since the day we left.  I decide to brave the unknown and look at my fate.

At first glance, it’s a seemingly innocuous camp. There are cabins and tents, along with people carrying on with mundane tasks and normal training. But if you look closer, you see the depths of depravity that lies in the eyes of the men. You see the crudeness in their lingering, unwanted touches and the grimaces on the faces of the women just trying to walk by.

You see the broken, the damaged, the unrepairable... Devastation settles into the hidden cracks and every feature. This is what my future holds if I don’t figure a way out soon.

Happiness is a gift that is often taken for granted. It’s a rarity to some, and it’s just a fool’s dream to others. I’ve never known that more than I do right now as I look out at all the women that litter the camp.

Worn by time and hardships, their shoulders are slumped to accompany their lowered eyes and crestfallen expressions. The few tendrils of hope they had were plucked and tossed away long ago.

It’s horrifying to know about so many cruel realities that exist outside my safe walls. I’m all the more ashamed at the times I complained, because all of my struggles seem petty and insignificant when put under the light.

Without warning, Carter tosses me over his shoulder, and I close my eyes to hide the tears wavering on my lids. When one falls, I find myself praying for mercy. I’ve just been brought to the devil’s advocate, and I won’t leave the same way I came in.

Chapter 27

ARENA

Tied to a post in the center of an otherwise empty room, I lean back. My hands are bound with the post between my arms and my hands scratching against the splinters. My legs are still bound in front of me, and I’m alone. I much prefer solitude over the alternative.

I’ve only been here for a few hours, but the suspense is starting to kill me. Every time something rustles on the porch outside, I flinch. I hate feeling jumpy.

The shutters are drawn, making seeing in impossible, something Carter did before leaving. I’m not sure if it was a courtesy to keep me from feeling like a caged animal on display, or if it was just a way to keep me from seeing anyone coming. Either way, I’m grateful. I’d rather not see the devil’s toy and his pets until I have to.

The door swings open, and I flinch again, dreading looking up, but it’s only Carter walking in. He comes closer before putting a piece of bread in front of my mouth. Even though I’d like to take a bite and spit it in his face, I need to eat and keep up my strength for when I try to break out, so I take a bite.

“Don’t let him know Kace is on our trail sooner than expected,” he says in a soft whisper.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” I mumble through a mouthful.

He holds up a cup of water for me to drink from, and I gulp it down quickly, too quickly. It starts trickling down my chin in my haste, and Carter frowns again. “I should have been giving you more water.”

He holds the bread out again, and I take another bite, deciding not to comment on his feigned concern.

I lean back, studying him as he takes a bite of the bread for himself while searching my face.

“You had so many chances to take me, but you didn’t. Why now?”

He snorts as though I’ve said something ludicrous.

“Kace is always at your side. And I’m not a fool. A man that loves his woman as much as he loves you… It was an unnecessary risk. The timing had to be exact. Kace and his merry band of warriors couldn’t be around.”

“You’re smart to be scared of him. But you should be scared of me, too.”

If I ever get ahold of a damn bow.

He laughs lightly while winking. “I’m perfectly aware of your skills, Arena. That’s why I made sure you were unarmed before we made our move. If Kace had been suspicious, he would have turned desperate to keep you safe, and a desperate man is the most dangerous kind.”

“Why do this at all?” Blinking back any stupid tears that might fall, I look up at him, staring expectantly.

He tightens his lips. “Misel was going to get you regardless. I just took the chance to get something I want as well. As I said, it’s not personal.”

Again, his voice his cold and flat, no emotion this time. Maybe it’s not personal to him, but it’ll be personal to me when I get my chance to get even.

“Who else does he have behind our walls?” I ask.

He breathes in heavily, eyeing the door for a second, then his eyes meet mine again as he lowers his voice.

“Someone just as twisted and demented as Misel. Someone who knows more about all of you than you can ever imagine. Patience is a virtue most people don’t have. Their patience is what makes them so damn dangerous. Once upon a time, no one knew Misel was a threat. He was just a man with a good heart—disguising his inner devil with a charming smile, or so I’ve been told. He was a passionate man people trusted. He knows how to play a part, and so does the person he has inside your walls.”

Chills spread over me, and I look up to see he’s very, very serious.

“Then why make you do all this? Why not them?”

“Always a bigger game, Arena,” he says, taking another bite of bread. “Misel never does anything fast. He’s a slow burner—no pun intended. Information is his greatest weapon. And he makes sure his arsenal is stocked before he makes any decision. Not to mention the sick bastard enjoys drawing things out, treating people like experiments. He feels powerful when he destroys lives. You can hurt someone quickly, but it takes a while to fully leave a person in shambles.”

I swallow hard against the knot in my throat.

“And there’s someone else just like him?”

He nods only once, as though speaking of this is dangerous.

“Who?” I ask, but I realize immediately that I’m not prepared for the answer he gives.

“His son.”

I start to speak, to tell him there’s no way Kingston would do this, but the door opens again. My head turns before I can stop it, and all the life drains from my face as I stare in horror at the man in front of me, and choke on the stench of death in the air.

“Most people scream or at least gasp upon seeing me,” the gravelly, almost rasp voice says.

A scream won’t even escape my lips, and it’s hard to gasp when you can’t even breathe.

In front of me, wearing nothing more than a pair of leather pants, is a man with skin so scarred that he doesn’t even look human. Red, angry marks line his body, leaving no flesh untouched. The skin is crinkled, like a wrinkled shirt that never gets pressed.

Even though his chest and arms look bad, his face is the worst. His ears don’t exist other than the small holes on either side of his head. They look as though they were melted off. His lips are distorted and angled as though his mouth has been moved into that position permanently.

His fingers lace together in front of his waist, and I take in the fact that they’re nubby, and all of his fingers are without fingernails. His head is bald save for the long patch of hair that grows from one side. It grows in a circular formation, one no bigger than the end of a hatchet handle.

“When you’re finished with your survey,” he says in that gravelly tone of his, “I’d like your attention.”

My eyes flick up to meet his, and I try to hold back the tremble that racks my body, but it’s useless. It’s like staring into two black pits of oblivion. They say the eyes are the windows to our souls… If that’s true, Misel is soulless.

He looks me over before his tongue darts out to lick his lips—if that’s what you can call them.

“Kaceton certainly has good taste. Before he did this to me, I had no problems getting pretty things like you into my bed. Hell, women like you begged to feel me inside them. They enjoy it a little less now, and they’re usually crying instead of screaming in pleasure when I’m done these days,” he says with a proud tone, taunting me and scarring my mind with images I don’t want. “Fortunately Kaceton didn’t ruin everything on my body, if you know what I mean.”

My stomach lurches as bile rises to my throat, and I hold back the urge to vomit. Then he claps his hands once before circling me and speaking, walking with just a slight limp.

“A man like Kaceton is easy enough to break. Men like him always are. So invested in their morals, values… loves.” His eyes scroll over me one again. “It makes them weak.”

“Kace isn’t weak,” I hiss. “And I can’t wait until he finds me. If I don’t kill you first, he will.”

My false bravado seems to only make him laugh. “Feisty. I heard you have spunk.”

He continues to look me, still smiling—I think.

“So small, almost too thin for my taste. But this isn’t really about tastes. You’re not at all what I was expecting. You’re legendary status as a competition champion and the all-powerful destroyer of the viewer made you sound so much more… intimidating. Yet you’re just a fragile girl with a big rep and a lot of luck. It almost disgusts me to know how weak the warriors have become in those things if they allowed you to beat them.”

Carter snorts while pushing off the wall and walking over to lean up against the door, staying in my line of view.

“She took down five of your men. Three of them were taken down with her arms literally tied behind her back.”

I’d be proud if it wasn’t for the leering Misel is giving me.

“What are you still doing in here, Carter?” Misel asks with his back to him, his creepy eyes still on me with unmasked intrigue.

“Waiting for my payment. In full,” Carter drawls.

Payment? All of this for something materialistic?

Misel laughs—well, I think it’s a laugh. It sounds a little too wicked to be a laugh, but there’s no other way to describe the sound exuding from him.

“Not yet, Carter. I still have a need for you. But I do enjoy your persistence.”

Carter pushes away from the door, stalking toward Misel like he’s not the scariest man in the world. “No,” he growls. “Our deal was for me to deliver the Shaylan’s biggest weakness. There she sits. Now give me—”

“Watch yourself, Carter,” Misel warns, his voice low but still carrying menace. “You know better than to test me. You’ll get your payment when my plan is a success.”

Carter doesn’t back down or back away. His jaw clenches as his eyes narrow. “That wasn’t the deal we made, Misel. I bring you her, and you give me mine. I’m getting sick of getting jerked around.”

When Misel’s lips twitch, I almost picture them trying to curl into a sinister grin. “Don’t forget who has the power here.”

He hands Carter a piece of paper, one that he quickly snatches out of Misel’s hands. He doesn’t take his eyes off Misel, both of them seeming to exchange some silent conversation. I’m sure there are a lot of threats in there, even though not one word passes.

Carter is the one to break the eye contact, running a hand through his shaggy hair, and he storms out, slamming the cabin door behind him.

Then the devil’s eyes turn back toward me, and I start plotting the numerous ways I’m going to kill him in order to make sure he never survives.

“I want you to know,” he says, kneeling, “when Kaceton gets you back, you’ll be a shell of yourself. Everything he loves about you will be gone. Everything he knows about you will cease to exist. You’ll be damaged goods, and he’ll smell me all over you. He’ll see me inside you, which means he won’t ever be able to touch you again. He’ll taste me on you. Everything about you will remind him of me. Just as everything about him will do the same for you.”

That same gross taste of bile invades my mouth again, and my head throbs as I envision the darkest place a mind can go—a sane mind. My tears stay back, refusing to fall and give him anything he craves. He wants to see fear. He wants me to feel terrorized before he even touches me. Well, he can go back to hell.

He bends low, seeming very agile for a man who looks like he shouldn’t be able to move, and he stops once he’s crouched beside me. Those black eyes bore into mine, trying to give me a glimpse of the darkness he carries within, and he leans over too close. His putrid breath fans my cheek, and I gag involuntarily.

“This is going to be fun,” he says in that same, dark tone. Then he licks the side of my jaw.

My hands and feet might be restrained, but my head sure as hell isn’t. Just as he laughs and starts to pull back, I slam my forehead into his nose, catching him off guard.

The brutal collision forces my head to throb and my vision to speckle, but it dissipates quickly, and I smirk as he lands on the ground, blood spewing from the burned nose that barely exists.

“Bitch,” he says, but then he starts laughing wildly while climbing up, twitching a finger at me. “I love it when they fight. And you are sure as hell a fighter.”

My stomach lurches once again, and he comes back toward me. Stupid as it might be, I stare up at him with nothing but feigned fearlessness and genuine defiance.

“You certainly taste good. I’ll explore that further when I have a moment. I have some things to tend to first.”

He turns like he’s going to leave, but then he turns back around. His hand moves so quick that I never feel the back of it strike my cheek until after my head is abruptly slung to the side. The sting takes a moment to resonate, and I wince when I feel the cut on my lip and taste the blood in my mouth.

He wipes his bleeding nose on his arm, and he winks at me.

“Just remember I hit harder the next time you want to do something stupid.”

“Kace will come for me, and then you’ll know what a fighter we both are. You won’t ruin us, no matter what you do. I won’t let you. Neither will he.”

A challenge brews in the dark depths of his eyes. I’m stupidly provoking a sadistic son of a bitch.

“Kace won’t get here before I destroy you. I can promise you that. And he won’t touch you once I’m finished.”

I narrow my eyes, staring him down as my hands twist and burn against the tight binds and unforgiving wood. Turning my head away, I spit out my blood before laughing humorlessly and turning back to face the devil’s advocate.

“If you believe that, you’ll die first. And I’ll help him drive an arrow through your black heart.”

He just holds my gaze, never once showing any flicker of emotion or fear. “I welcome the challenge, Arena. You just made this all the more fun. Breaking you will be one of my greatest feats.”

With that, he walks away, leaving me to grow sicker with every second, and I finally retch, expelling the feeble contents of bread on the floor right beside me. I hear the door open and shut, but I can’t turn off my stomach’s need to purge. The stench of Misel’s breath, and the disgusting feel of his tongue both linger, making it impossible to breathe without smelling him.

“Here.” Carter’s voice is unexpected and surprisingly gentle, but I’m too busy puking my damn guts up to give a damn.

Then I feel a wet cloth cleaning the entire side of my face where Misel licked me. It moves down to my neck, as though he’s washing the touch away.

“Where all did he touch you?” he asks, as though he knows exactly what’s going on.

“Just my cheek,” I mumble, leaning back as my stomach settles.

He tosses away that rag, and moves a bowl of water beside me. Then he wets a fresh rag and starts cleaning my lips, washing away the foul remnants.

“I’ll bring you something to brush your teeth with soon.”

I shake my head vehemently. “Don’t leave right now.”

He tightens his lips before nodding, and then he wipes my lips again.

“Why do you act like you feel bad about me being here? You’re the one that handed me over.”

With sad and regretful eyes, he looks at me. “Desperate men do desperate things. And I’m a desperate man.”

All the pieces click together. “He has someone you care about.”

“My wife.”

He sighs as he pulls out a knife, and I tilt my head as he cuts the restraints on my feet just barely.

“As long as I help him, he doesn’t touch her. He gives me proof of life—letters from her with something about the day outside. The letters have to be in her handwriting, and in each one, she has to tell me something only she and I would know. That list is growing slimmer, since he’s had her for over six months now. Bringing you here was supposed to get her back.”

I hate him but understand him at the same time. “And you think she’d be okay with her rescue stipulations? Giving Misel the fiancée of the man he hates the most?”

“You’re kidding, right?” he asks, giving me an incredulous look. “What do you think Kace will do to get you back? What would he do after six months? Do you think you’re the only two people who would live and die for each other?”

He continues messing with the binds at my feet, weakening them, but not cutting through the strands all the way.

“No,” I say softly. “I know we’re not the only ones who can love the way we do. I’ve seen that love in my sister, in Julius and Kendall… But I know for a fact Kace would never toss someone innocent into the fire just to pull me out. He might think about, possibly even consider it, but he’d never do it, because he knows I’d never forgive him. Just like he’d never forgive himself. But he’d sure as hell find another way to save me, just as I would him.”

Pain shows in his eyes this time, an emotion so raw and pure, and the torture he’s endured weighs in on him.

“You want to think that, Arena. But Kace would kill anyone—guilty or innocent—to save your life.”

My mind flashes back to a very recent memory, one of many instances that would contradict that.

“When we were fighting the herders,” I say, looking over at him. “You saved me. The only reason you saved my life instead of Kace was because he was busy hovering over a child, making sure she didn’t get caught in the crossfire. It was instinctual. Say what you want to, but you’re wrong about that.”

Everything in his face changes, as though he really needed that to justify his actions to his own self. He starts to speak, but doesn’t. Instead, he resumes his duties of messing with the binds. Finally, he stops.

“They’re weakened now. Don’t break them unless you have to, or someone will just tie you back up. But now you’ll at least have some defense. I’ll see if I can go find you some more food. You need to eat and keep up your strength. I’ll also bring something back to clean that up.”

He points to the disgusting pile beside me, and I nod in appreciation. I’m already identifying with my captors. My mental state is nowhere nearly as strong as it needs to be. But for some reason, I almost pity him.

“When you get back,” I say before he walks out, “you can finish telling me what you were saying about Misel’s son being as bad as he is.”

I refuse to believe Kingston has duped us all into believing that he’s a good man. I’ve seen it myself. I’m not that gullible, am I?

Chapter 28

KACE

“If we go that way, we could get ourselves killed,” Ebony argues, glaring at Kingston.

“It’s the way they went. We’re already behind Spider’s projected timeframe of catching up. That’s the way they went. Hell, even I can see those tracks. It’s not going to be any more dangerous than going around the cave.”

The tracks very clearly lead into the cave on the side of the mountain, and though it looks harmless enough, Ebony keeps swearing it’s too treacherous to go through. Arena would go through it without hesitation.

“I trust Kingston,” I say without needing a moment to argue further.

“Kace,” Ebony groans, putting her hand on my chest before I walk inside. “You don’t understand. This area is known for flooding. There’s an underground spring inside the cave. It rises regularly. Unless you’re familiar with the schedules, it’s too dangerous to go in, because once we drop down, you’re in the pit and there’s no getting out when the water starts to rise.”

“And how do you know about this?” Keira asks her.

“Because I’ve been through this way twice during hunting trips with my father. Once I barely made it out alive. We didn’t know about the spring rising. The second time we had someone familiar with the area—which I’m not.” She turns her angry eyes on Kingston. “Are you?”

“Anyone that wants to go around can do so,” I tell our group, interrupting whatever Kingston was about to growl at her. “You can catch up to us the safe route. I’d prefer you do that. Follow Ebony,” I say.

Her eyes turn to me with shock and confusion, but before she can speak, motion off to the side catches my attention, and I turn around like I need to get something from my horse. I pretend like I don’t notice the bushes that still immediately. The rock wall of the mountain is beside us on the right, moving in front of us and stretching on for a while. The woods are to our left.

“They went through on horse,” Harrison says. “Which means we can ride the horses through this ‘pit’ she’s referring to.”

I nod, even though my attention is mostly trained on the side, watching and waiting for the movement to stir again. It could be a wanderer hiding from a group. It could be a child for all I know, so I don’t want to attack without having certainty.

The brush over there is thick, making it impossible to see through, but it’s only five feet tall at most. They’d have to be squatting.

“Are you listening, Kace?” Ebony’s panicked voice breaks through my thoughts, and I turn around to see her with her hands on her hips as though that’s supposed to mean a damn thing to me. She’s not Arena, so I couldn’t give a damn if she’s irritated.

“No,” I say flatly, walking away even as she huffs in irritation.

I act as though I’m walking toward the cave to inspect it, even turn my back on the brush while backing up and looking solely at our entry. Then, without any warning, I spin and dive, crashing into the brush right where the motion was.

A searing hot pain shoots through my side just as I tackle a body to the ground. Limbs and leaves slap my face as several shouts and gasps ring out. Blindly, I struggle to pin the person beneath me, finally getting my face away from the thick foliage, and glare down at a man with a Mohawk and a snarl.

“Who the fuck are you?” I demand, ignoring the trickle of blood I feel running down my side.

His knife that is stained with my blood lies beside him as I keep his arms pinned.

I start to repeat the question, when suddenly I’m holding back a gag and trying not to instinctually wipe the wet stuff off my cheek.

Did he seriously just spit on me?

Cursing, I stand and jerk him up from the ground before kicking him out into the mob of my people.

“Who the fuck are you?” I ask him again, moving my body through the brush and ignoring the numerous scratches the bushes deal out.

The dick snarls at me again, and I think he’s growling. Rabid fucker.

“Doesn’t matter who I am. I know who you are. Dead man,” he says without the fear he should have.

“Where are they?” I growl, leaning down and looking for an excuse to slit his throat.

He grins, mocking me with just the slightest tilt of his lips. “You mean where is she?” he asks, enjoying the murderous glare he receives as my nostrils flare. “She’s probably in his bed by now. Or maybe he’s taking her in front of the camp. He loves to put on a good show.”

Something inside me just snaps. It’s as though everything I’ve held back comes crashing down on me without mercy, and I drop the restraint and composure I’ve forced since I found out Arena was taken.

Noise and voices turn to echoes, growing duller and duller as my vision dims. Soon all I can see is images—scarring, dark images of things no one can endure. All I can hear is the angry thud of my heartbeat as it pumps more fury through me. My blood boils, my skin heats, my sanity escapes… I. Fucking. Lose. It.

I don’t know how he’s suddenly beneath me as my fists crunch down in rapid succession, but I know I plan to break all fourteen bones in his face before I get up. My rage is blinding, and I can’t stop. I don’t want to stop. It’s the first time I’ve felt as though I’ve had any control since Misel invaded my home.

Visions of him touching Arena invade, and nausea strikes. Things he’ll do to her to punish me… It’s too much. It’s all just too damn much.

“Kace!” Julius shouts, his voice almost deafening as the sounds around me return and the sight before me registers in full.

Kingston and Harrison help him pull me off the son of a bitch who isn’t smiling so damn big anymore. Especially since it looks like I succeeded in my quest to break all fourteen bones.

His face is a bloody and mangled mess, and I shrug off the hold they have on me as Johnny kneels beside the man in a futile attempt to check for a pulse.

“Christ,” Johnny says on an exhale, looking up at me with a scrunched brow. “He’s dead.”

“That’s nothing compared to what I plan to do to Carter. And Misel… No one will want to be there after we capture him. Alive. I want to kill him as slowly as possible. I’ll drag it out for days if I can.”

Julius swallows hard, looking at me as though I’m not me, but I don’t care. If he knew the true depths of depravity that we were going toward, he’d completely understand. Hearing the tales and living amongst the real thing are very different.

“Let’s go,” I say, motioning toward the cave. “Everyone else follow Ebony.”

I hear her cursing as soon as I say her name, and she’s suddenly right back in front of me, pulling me off to the side. I let her guide me away, but only so she can get her shit out and we can go.

“What?” I bark.

She takes a step back, looking contrite all of the sudden. “I get that you’re in a hurry. I understand that you’re mad. But I don’t understand you risking your life. Dying in there won’t get you to Arena any faster, will it?”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’m not asking anyone else to take it with me.”

She glances over her shoulder at Kingston, and then she looks back at me. “Kingston knows this is dangerous. We came here on a hunting trip before, yet for some reason he’s not acknowledging that. Think about that, Kace. He’s Misel’s son, and he’s willing to lead you right to your death, yet you’re willing to follow him blindly. Ever consider that maybe he’s not the great guy you think he is? I know for a fact he’s not. You weren’t there. You didn’t see him change. And I know he’s taking advantage of your passion to save Arena. This is a trap. You will most likely drown down there.”

I shrug her off. My patience is gone. Blood stains my hands, and I want more of it to spill.

“I’m not spending another second arguing with you. I trust Kingston more than I’ll ever trust you, so lead them around. I’m following him.”

She laughs bitterly. “Trust the son of the man who stole your girl, but don’t trust the girl you know would die for you. Makes a lot of sense.”

She stares at me as though that’s supposed to make me change my mind. I walk toward Kingston, ignoring her last pleading words as she calls out to my back that I’m making a mistake.

Kingston shakes his head while ducking into the cave.

“What’s she bitching about now?” he asks while saddling up on his horse.

I do the same, looking behind me as the rest of our friends prepare to take the dangerous route with us. Keira whispers something to a few of our members, and all of them nod at her as though she has just made a request. Or maybe a demand. Either way, they seem to agree with whatever it is.

“She said you’ve been through here before,” I tell Kingston as we ride inside.

He looks at me and arches a brow. “I’ve never seen this place. It’s too far west for the Kuslan.”

I don’t know if she’s lying or if he is, but I don’t give a damn either. This is only about one person.

Keira rides up beside me as Kingston takes the lead, and she keeps stride beside me in the enormous cavern inside. As Kingston lights a torch, Keira says something that has me asking even more questions.

Chapter 29

ARENA

The door opens, and I look up, expecting it to be Carter with the food he promised, but instead it’s that creep in a sling. Jasper? Or was the other one named Jasper?

“Well, well, well,” he drawls, licking his lips. “Look who’s all tied up. Let’s see how badass you are now.”

He moves closer, working his pants open with one hand, and I hold my head up high… waiting. With his pants undone but still up, he dips to one knee. No fear or panic claim me as they did earlier when Misel taunted me. And I don’t hesitate to react.

I lift my tied feet quickly, and without even breaking the ropes, I kick him as hard as I can right in his crotch. A grunt and squeal mingle and fall out of his lips as he crashes to the ground on his bad arm, causing him to cry out again, and he cradles his injured crotch with his other hand.

“Still pretty badass,” I say dryly.

He curses me, and I think he calls me a bitch, but it’s a little hard to tell between the breathy and girly pitch he has. Bastard.

He growls before finally standing up, staggering and wincing, and I ready myself for another hit like Misel delivered. But instead of drawing back an open hand, he pulls out a knife.

“I don’t give a damn if Misel does want you alive,” he hisses, lunging at me with the knife in hand.

I wince and close my eyes just as he nears, but then I hear a yelp and a crash, drawing my eyes back open. Shock and disbelief rack me when I see him on his back. I watch him writhe and shake on the floor, foam falling out of his mouth as his body jerks uncontrollably. The knife still gripped in his hand finally falls to the ground, clattering as he loses control of his body completely.

Fascinated horror washes over me. Suddenly, all the violent movement stops, and his head slowly falls to the side so that his vacant eyes can stare into mine. The foam continues bubbling out, slithering down the side of his face, and I turn away.

Maybe I can piss Misel off enough to make him try to kill me. Groin shots seem to work.

Never thought I’d be hoping a sadistic, narcissistic psycho would try to kill me. What a fucked up day.

The door opens, and I jump, but this time it’s only Carter, and he’s carrying a canteen and a cloth that looks to be hiding something. His footsteps pause as the door shuts behind him, and he stares down at the man who is still foaming at the mouth.

“The hell?” he asks, his eyes shifting back and forth between me and the corpse.

“Weirder shit has happened,” I say mildly, trying not to divulge too much. “Must be the heat.”

His eyebrows rise to his hairline, and he sets the food and drink down beside me before going to the door to drag the body out.

“I told them all they weren’t allowed in here. I’ll just make it look like I did it. It’ll create fear.”

As he finishes up and shuts the door, I say, “Most people don’t fear the pet. They fear the master that controls it.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “I’m trying to keep you safe, I brought food, I’m helping stall Misel until Kace can come sooner, and that’s something you feel like saying?”

He’s stalling Misel?

“You’re also the one that invaded our walls, pretended to be our friend, and dragged me out here to serve me up on Misel’s dish. Also, Kace is only coming early because he saw through your plan, not because you helped him.”

He tilts his head from side to side. “Touché.”

He comes over, picking up the cloth, and he unveils a sandwich with cooked meat in the middle. I don’t care what kind of meat it is either. Though food should be the last thing on my mind, I’m starving.

He holds it up for me to eat, but my lips pause just in front of the sandwich.

“You were going to tell me about Kingston. I don’t believe he’s anything like Misel.”

He laughs as though I’ve said something funny as I start eating the sandwich from his hand.

“You’re right. Kingston isn’t anything like Misel. Because Kingston isn’t Misel’s son.”

I choke on my bite as I try to grasp his words.

“No. Kingston is really his son. I know he is. He hates him. And after what Misel did to Abigail... He endured brutal retaliation from Kace for that. Hell, Misel even killed Kingston’s mother. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t lie and claim relation to that monster for no reason.”

“Kingston doesn’t know,” Carter explains. “Misel is the kind of man to hide the things he wants kept safe, and he displays the things he doesn’t give a damn about. The thing is, he hides things in plain sight.”

He stops as I continue eating, and he pulls the sandwich away as he studies me. “Your lip… Your cheek… they’re both healed. Your lip was bleeding when I came in before the heat killed your attacker, your cheek was swollen, and you had a purplish red mark on you. Now… nothing.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Fast healer,” I somewhat lie, then I go with deflection. “So why did Misel claim Kingston as his son?”

He studies me for a moment, still taking in my face as though he finds it hard to believe, but he finally answers. I’m thankful he lifts the sandwich back up to my lips as he speaks.

“Because Misel needed a son to ever be in the running for chief. He planned ahead. Very far ahead. That’s what he does, as you’ve learned. Kingston’s mother was already pregnant, so he claimed him as his. But he wouldn’t want people knowing his true son. That again, is just how he is.”

“Who is his real son?” I ask as I finish the last bite of the sandwich. He pulls up the canteen for me to drink from.

“No idea. But Misel only trusts a very small circle of people that he doesn’t have leverage on. But his kid is definitely one of those people, because he keeps his identity a secret so that he can use him all the time.”

“If it’s such a secret, then how do you know about it?”

His lips twitch as he twists the cap back onto the canteen.

“One of the women in camp overheard him having a conversation with his kid. She said Kingston wasn’t really Misel’s heir, and the sick psycho that was needed to be killed before the world became an even darker place. Then Misel walked up, she ran off, and she’s avoided me ever since. I think she thought I was a better person than I am, and once she realized I was the bad guy, she didn’t want to answer any of my questions.”

A thought occurs to me as he speaks, but I only mull it over in my mind. Misel hides what he wants to keep a secret, but he hides it in plain sight. Those were essentially Carter’s words.

Misel is a man of control. If he wanted to have someone under his thumb, he would keep the leverage close by. Which means…

“Where do you think Misel is keeping your…”

“Wife,” he says to finish my sentence that has trailed off. “If I had any clue, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you. No offense.”

I laugh humorlessly while leaning my head back. “None tak—”

The door swings open, and Misel walks in once again, his lips moving like he’s trying to smile.

“Carter, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to move on. Little close to the finish line to be starting at the beginning again, don’t you think?”

Carter’s jaw tenses, and he slowly stands up. “Guess you saw that one of your men tried to kill her. You’re lucky I came in to give her some more water.”

Misel’s eyes turn to slits. “He tried to kill her? After I made it clear that I was the one who was to touch her first?”

First? No. No. No. None of them can touch me.

“I’m sure he’s not the only one. And Hans hasn’t checked in either. Ellis wouldn’t tell me what was going on. Says he can only talk to you about that.”

Misel growls low in his throat, and he looks me up and down. “I guess I’ll let you stew in suspense for a little while longer. Apparently I need to make a few things clear and find a missing scout.”

His eyes move up to meet Carter’s. “It’s really a shame that you’re not on the right team. You could be handling all this for me if you were.”

“Our agreement is death and extraction. Not management. I think we’ve both figured out that I prefer your barbarians dead. You’d be down half an army by the time I was through… managing.”

Misel actually laughs while walking over to Carter. “Out of here. No man comes in here until after I’ve had my fill of her. Which will be soon. Very, very soon.”

Carter’s eyes meet mine briefly before he ducks out the door, and Misel walks out behind him, fortunately not noticing the fact my face has healed quickly. I hear a lot of loud talking outside. Feet start shuffling, a few slapping sounds emerge… I wish I wasn’t bound and tied to a post.

The knife that was with the psycho from earlier lies across the room from me, taunting me with the fact it’s so close yet so far away.

After forty minutes or so, the door opens again, and my body tenses. With dread filling everything in me, I look up to see… A woman?

“You smell too good,” she says, shaking her graying hair out of her face as she walks over and looks at me. “It’s best to smell bad around the men.”

I reek. I’ve gone days without bathing since I was abducted. I have to smell like a disgusting cocktail of rancid scents.

Then I get a whiff of her, and I realize why she thinks I smell good. Oh my damn. That’s potent stuff.

Resisting the urge to gag on her stench, I look over at her as she flings open a trap door while muttering ramblings under her breath. The door moves along perfectly with the lines of the floor, making it possible to completely overlook it.

Then she walks back over to the wall where the knife is, and she kicks it to me. “Get it and come on.”

She disappears into the trap door, and I look at the knife that is just past my feet.

“Couldn’t kick it a little closer?” I mumble.

With a hard jerk, I break the binds Carter weakened on my feet, and I curve my foot until I have the knife under it. Stretching out, I start pulling it closer until it’s close enough for me to get it with my hands and free them.

I almost do a stupid dance when my hands are free for the first time in days, and I rub my wrists to massage feeling back into them.

“Stop dallying unless you want that sick bastard coming back and catching you,” the woman calls from below.

Right. Escape.

I tuck the knife into my boot, and then I quickly start climbing into the opening, finding a ladder to guide me down into the dark underbelly of the earth. I close the hatch behind me, making sure it’s secure, and feel my way against the dirt wall.

“Where are you?” I whisper into the darkness.

“Stay straight. You can escape when they all go off looking for you,” the woman says flatly, no emotion. “Misel will assume you’ve escaped, because he doesn’t know about the tunnels. They don’t lead outside though. No. No. Just under the camp.”

All of her deliveries are clipped. She mumbles to herself when she’s not speaking to me, and I swear sometimes she talks to the dirt.

“Why are you helping me?” I ask, still keeping my hand on the wall to guide me as I stumble around in the darkness.

“Because you’re Justice’s daughter. I owe him a debt. He’s dead. You’re here. You get the payment in full.”

Payment in full. People use that a lot around here.

“Do you know if there’s another woman here?”

“Lots of women here,” she says quickly. “Lots of women.”

She sounds a little… crazy?

“I mean… Is there another woman like me? One they have tied up?”

“Just the one,” the woman answers, still guiding me down the tunnel. “But she’s not Justice’s daughter. I don’t owe her.”

Carter’s wife.

“Tell me where she is.”

Something sparks, and suddenly there’s a small candle held up between us with a smaller flame. But it’s enough to cast some illumination on her dirty face. The years have not been kind to her, and her age shows in the numerous wrinkles that shine under the candle’s glow.

“I don’t owe her anything,” she says again. “Why do you want to know?”

She’s very… matter-of-fact, as though she lives on a line where doing the right thing is only necessary in case of a debt. She’s not exactly a touchy-feely person, but she knew and apparently respected my father. So that’s the only way to explain it to her.

“Because I’m Justice’s daughter. I owe him a debt, and this is what he would do.”

She purses her lips as she thinks that over. “Fine. I’ll tell you. But I don’t owe her a debt,” she repeats. “So you’re on your own with her. Follow this line. In twenty feet, you’ll turn left. Follow the walls with two grooves on the side. They’ll lead you to a wooden wall. Unlock it and it opens like a door. The other girl is in there, but I don’t owe her a debt. You’ll have to get her out on your own. My debt is paid. Yes. My debt is paid.”

She starts to walk off, and I call to her. “Just tell me how to get us out.”

“Follow this way back out. Lead her through the two grooves and come back to the three grooves. This leads all the way to the side of the camp. Push up on the ground hatch when you hear the horns. The boy is coming early for you. The horns will blow soon.”

Kace. She’s talking about Kace. “What horns? How do you know he’s coming?”

She doesn’t have a single facial expression. “The girl rode in like the wind to tell him while he was talking to another. The horns are to notify the kill group that will stay behind while the others leave in haste to take over your tribe. They’ve messed up the schedule. Misel won’t be happy. I hear everything in these tunnels.”

With that, the candlelight expires under a blown breath from her lips, and the darkness swallows her once again.

“What girl?” I ask, only to be met by silence.

Taking a deep breath, I start searching the walls, feeling the three grooves that stretch down the wall just like she spoke of, and I count the approximate twenty feet distance. Finally, I find where the wall breaks open to a new hallway, and I feel it. Sure enough, I find the two grooves and I feel them all the way down until I finally reach the wooden panel.

I push it really hard, but the damn thing is stubborn. Taking a few steps back, I gain a burst of strength by running, and lowering my shoulder. As I collide, my shoulder pops, forcing me to hold back a cry of pain, but the door flies open.

Something makes a sound in the darkness as though it has been startled, and I turn my head to follow the direction from which it came.

“Are you Carter’s wife?” I ask, walking in farther.

“Carter? You know him? He’s okay?” she asks rapidly, her voice trembling.

“Yeah,” I say while pulling my knife out.

As I get closer, I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to find where she’s bound. She doesn’t jump, which means they most likely haven’t touched her in any way.

“Did he send you?” she asks.

No. He kidnapped me and wanted to trade me for you. Probably shouldn’t tell her that. It’ll sour their reunion, and after six months of ugly deals with the devil, they both need a happy reunion.

“Sort of. I’m getting you out of here.” I finally find her hands, and I realize she’s tied to the wall. Since I can’t see a damn thing, it’s a careful process to cut away the binds. Then I move to her feet, showing the same care.

“Who are you?” she whispers.

“I’m from the Shaylan. They’re on their way, and we’ll make our escape when they get here.”

She gasps as though I’ve said something she wasn’t expecting. Then again, she has been down here for over six months, so just hearing she’s being rescued would be gasp worthy.

“Is Kaceton Brice with them?” she asks, which has me stumbling into the wall. Really? Another one?

“He’s probably leading them,” I say vaguely, not wanting to deal with another Ebony right now.

“He can’t. Misel will go after the Shaylan if Kaceton isn’t there to protect them.”

I can’t freak out just yet. The woman who freed me already freaked me out a little, so I work extra hard to maintain my composure upon hearing that fear confirmed a second time.

“How do you know that?”

She laughs bitterly as we near the back side where I was instructed to go, finally reaching the end. Nothing but a waiting game now. The hatch should be right above us.

“Because Misel brags about things like that as a way to torture me since he can’t touch me. I refuse to write his fucking notes to Carter if he touches me. It’s my only insurance.”

“How did he ever even find you?”

She blows out a breath, and for a minute, I think she’s not going to answer. But then, burdened and tired, she does.

“Carter and I were in a market. He does… did… show fights to make extra income. It was how we survived on the road. He liked us being nomads because, with the exception of me, he’s a bit of a loner, and I just wanted to be with him no matter where it was.

“Considering I used to be a Kuslan tribe member, I had no problem being detached from a tribe. Misel was once my chief, and I was once involved with a man there, though we were just kids at the time. Misel took me because of what I knew. He kept me because of Carter.”

I listen, wishing I could see her face. Barely the outline of her body is noticeable as she shifts in the darkness.

“What did you know? Who was the guy?” I ask curiously, wondering why she mentioned it at all.

“The guy was someone who told me too much about Misel and his secret daughter.”

A horn blows just as she drops that earthquake on me, and my jaw falls slack. What’s that horn?

“That’s them thinking you escaped,” my rescuing woman’s voice says, startling me when I hear it. “They’re not running off looking for you though. Misel’s having to scramble around and get his men on the move to go to your tribe. Your boy must be real close if he’s hurrying. Misel don’t go nowhere fast. You’ll have to wait on him to get here now. Them kill squad boys will be all over the place to detain them. Misel had scouts all along the way to report information to the next checkpoint ahead of them, but your boy must have been killing ‘em all along the way.”

I turn, squinting uselessly to see, and then I ask, “How many of the kill squad is out there?”

Nothing. No answer.

“Good talk,” I mumble sarcastically to myself.

“Be thankful she bothered to speak to you. She usually just brings me food and walks away. How anyone can just leave someone a captive… I don’t understand people.”

Again, the thought of her husband kidnapping me and turning me over to be a captive… No. I won’t be the one to expose him. He kept me safe while here, and I don’t know what I’d do if I was in his position.

Then, I get metaphorically slapped in the face as a reminder. “Misel’s daughter?” I prompt. “Carter said he had a son.”

“I never got the chance to warn him before they took me that day in the market—during his fight. But yes, Misel has a daughter. Not a son—unless you count the one he raised. Kingston’s father died from a fade early in the pregnancy. Misel’s true spawn is just as evil as him. She’s a crazy, ruthless, deadly bitch, to be exact,” she says softly.

“Why doesn’t anyone know about her?”

“Because she lived in the Kuslan as well, but Misel forced himself on her mother. It was the one and only time he was able to reproduce. Apparently this world doesn’t let evil procreate as often as it would like. The mother raised the child as though her husband had fathered her. The man never knew the truth until Misel walked in one day and told them. I was close with her half-brother—her mother’s child with her true husband. He was a year older, like me.

“He told everyone in the house that he’d be coming over, seeing his daughter, training her, and raising her to be strong and fearless like him. But I don’t think cold and merciless is the same as strong. Anyway, her brother told me because he was scared, and he swore me to secrecy. Out of fear for his life, I kept my mouth shut until…”

Her voice trails off and she sniffles.

“Until what?” I prompt.

It takes her a minute to resume, but she finally does. “Until one day I did. I told my parents just before Kace set Misel on fire. Misel had been paying too much attention to me. I was young at that time—too young for an older man to leer at the way he was. Then the thing with Abigail… what he did to her… It was too much. My family decided we had to get out of there, and we tried to take my friend with us, but he wouldn’t leave his parents, and they wouldn’t leave at all.”

She stops speaking, and we both listen to the surface, waiting on something to happen. But nothing.

“So you left?”

“After the fire. We were too scared to try it until then. But I should have known better. Misel pushes people around like chess pieces, each move strategically done to benefit him the most later on. And the information I had made me a liability to any plan he had. It cost me my family. Misel and his daughter caught up to us after they found out we knew. I barely escaped, but his daughter slit the throats and wrists of both my parents.”

She takes a steadying breath as though it’s painful to speak about, but then she continues. “For a while, I bounced around with some of the traveling merchants who took pity on me. It helped me stay under Misel’s radar. After a year, I found Carter. He became my love, my life, and my salvation. I always felt safe with him. But I became his weakness. After my parents’ deaths, I never uttered a word about Misel’s daughter’s identity. Being oblivious to the truth kept Carter safe.”

My mind bounces back to the competition, a time when Kace alluded to the fact I was his only weakness. Misel extorts those weaknesses.

“So his daughter is from the Kuslan? We have a lot of Kuslan members at our tribe right now. Any chance she’s there?” I really hope the hell not.

She sucks in a sharp breath. “How did the Kuslan end up there?”

“Misel attacked them, and they came for the protection of our walls.”

“Then yes. If Misel drove them there, then she would have definitely been among them.”

“What’s her name?” I prompt.

With a tremor in her voice, she utters the name that probably hasn’t left her lips for years. “Ebony.”

Chapter 30

ARENA

All the color drains from my face, and chills wash over me as a sickness invades. All this time, it was Ebony?

“That can’t be right,” I say, still trying to wrap my mind around her claim. “Ebony is weak, cowardly, and… well, she’s annoying, but she’s in no way a true threat.”

She snorts derisively. “That’s what she’d like for you to think. She plays a part. She drives a wedge between people. By now, she has already probably talked some of your men into doing things they normally wouldn’t, because she knows how to work her body to her advantage. And she has driven a wedge between your leader and his followers, I’m sure. Misel bragged about the fact she and he convinced the herders to attack the nomad market.”

“How can she get people to do things like that? And I knew Misel was behind that attack.”

“She’s the master of manipulation. Whatever she wants you to believe, she sets it up, plays the part, and lays out the perfect props. She once made an entire village turn on each other with three strategic murders and one alleged escaped prisoner. Said prisoner was later found with his throat and wrists slit inside of a vacant hut. Fifteen men slaughtered each other for crimes she committed. That’s how cold and cunning she is.”

My mouth flops open a few times, still trying to wrap my mind around things.

“I kicked her ass with one punch.”

Another chill seems to gather in the air, and I swear her teeth chatter.

“If she provoked you into hitting her, she did so intentionally. She’s playing a game, Arena. Toying with you the way Misel does… It’s like they share this sick bonding ritual over shit like that. If she’s making herself appear weak, then she wants to hide her strength. That’s their motto—hide the things you care about, expose the lies you want displayed.”

It’s almost exactly what Carter said. Shit. Shit. Shit.

“We’ve been harboring a murdering, sadistic sociopath.” And she’s had sex with my fiancé.

“Death alone isn’t good enough. Misel wants you to know all of the times he could have killed you. He draws it out. It’s like foreplay before an orgasm for him. Ebony too. It looks like they’re ready to rush the climax if they’re hurrying, though. They’d have to start all over if Kaceton botches his plan.”

“So Kingston has lived with the burden of his father’s sins, and he wasn’t really his father. While Ebony played the victim, the bullied, the misunderstood… I can’t believe this. She has duped so many people. Well, men. Not so many women. I don’t think any woman at the Shaylan ever actually liked her.”

I can almost hear her nodding in agreement. “She toyed with Kingston, I heard. She played with his head, made him fall in love, and then she slept with his arch enemy. That’s how she does. She probably manipulated the hell out of both of them, most likely even made them feel guilty.”

So she does know Ebony slept with Kace. And she has no idea how right she is.

“My head hurts,” I groan as all the information swarms me and wraps me up in a choking hold, and I massage my temples.

“That’s a Misel and Ebony mind-fuck for you. You walk away scared, confused, and completely disturbed… If you survive at all.”

Another horn blows, and I hear harsh rustling going on above us.

“That’s your cue. Your boy just got here,” the rescue woman’s voice says suddenly, causing me to jerk and jump, pulling back my fist as though I’m on high alert.

Where the hell does that woman keep coming from? She’s like a damn phantom.

“Push up on the door above you. Hope you’re a good climber.”

I don’t know if she’s gone or still standing in the pitch black, but I do push up on the door to see the darkness is trying to come. The sun is setting, dimming the land but not casting a full shadow just yet.

Digging my feet into the dirt and gripping the ledge above me, I hoist myself out as I hear the yells and roars of war rage from south side of the camp.

“I have to go find Kace,” I tell the girl as I help her out.

“And I need to find Carter. If we work together, we can probably fare better.”

Matted red hair, dirty skin, tattered, filthy dress… She embodies the word ragged right now.

I start to speak just as she grabs a sword from a porch nearby, and she tosses another to my feet.

“Hope you know how to handle that,” she says, looking apprehensive.

I hear the clamber of feet behind me seconds before I smell the stench, and I turn, slicing my sword through the air, feeling the blade meet resistance before my eyes fall on the man who tried to attack me from behind.

He gasps for air as he bleeds out from his throat, and my eyes come up to meet her face. Her brow arches as a slow smile spreads on her face. “That’ll do.”

Chapter 31

KACE

“It’d be really fucking nice if Ebony showed up with the Calvary right about now,” Julius bitches while slicing through the oncoming fleet of dirty mongrels.

Raven flips through the air, tossing daggers into the chests of men before they can breach our line. Keira… Well, I don’t know what the hell she’s doing, but I’m glad I’m not the bloody heaps of men around her.

She grabs the neck of one man with only two fingers, and he drops to the ground. Dead or just asleep? I don’t know. But she’s doing the most dangerous task right now by laying out the flammable material we soaked in oil, while she effortlessly inflicts more damage than any of us.

“Would it be emasculating if I asked her to start training our guys instead of me?” Julius asks, fighting and talking as though this is the most normal fucking day in the world.

“Not any more emasculating than it’s going to be when I ask her to train me,” Harrison chimes in, grabbing Helena by the waist and jerking her out of the path of a flying spear just in time.

Death knocks once when they almost breach our line with their archers, but Helena fires rapidly, taking the archers down as she reloads faster than they can think. Death knocks twice when spears soar through the air, but Keira stops them with some weird chain and balls, tossing it through the air, and we watch as it attacks the spears from the side, knocking them all off target. On the third knock, we finally decide it’s time for a real answer.

“Now!” I shout.

Johnny steps up with Kingston and Kendall, and fire lit arrows fly through the air, striking the ground just as Keira rolls out of the way. In an instant, the oiled sheets Keira has been tossing down ignite, and everyone standing on them endures the hot, rapid blaze.

Their numbers suffer as more and more fire arrows soar, striking all the sheets Keira has oiled down—all the sheets she had us pack before leaving. Her guardian tricks prove useful, because the flames continue to ignite, bodies continue to fall, and the fire continues to consume the camp.

Then we charge. Swords drawn, knives out… We rush into the thick of the burning bodies, and we strike anyone who is coming at us. My eyes continue searching through what little light is left. I see the fight taking place on the south side, and I try to squint through the veil of haze to see who has strayed that far.

It seems to go on and on, and my heart thumps in my chest as the night seizes the day and cloaks the air with darkness, making it harder to see at all. I keep working my way through the masses, trying to find out what’s going on in the south side of the camp, as though I’m drawn there.

There’s only one thing I’m drawn to.

“Arena!” I yell, but my voice is swallowed amongst the clinking of metal, cries of pain, and roars of the fight.

I keep slicing my way on, moving and digging my feet into the ground to make each strike more powerful. I cough on some of the smoke that has followed, and I shift to get out of its path.

Just as I find clear air again, my eyes see the thin figure running toward me, the silhouette familiar enough to give me hope.

“Kace!” I’m not sure if I’m hallucinating or if I really just heard her shout my name, but I run toward her as she slams a sword into the chest of a man, leaving it embedded there as she starts running again.

Then the light of the fire catches her just right, and my knees almost give out before I can reach her as relief floods me. Tears fill my eyes just as she screams my name again, but my words hang in my throat, dying amongst the emotion that is lodged there.

Suddenly, she dives into my arms, and her legs tightly wrap around my waist as she locks her arms around my neck and hugs me like she’s never letting go. It takes a moment for me to react, mostly because I’m still worried I’m dreaming, but then my arms clamp around her, holding her as close as I can get her.

“You’re here,” she whispers hoarsely, burying her face into the crook of my neck as her whole body shakes with relief.

“Where you go, I go,” I whisper back.

She laughs and cries at the same time before pulling back and kissing me hard. I taste the desperation and hope that spills out of her, as I kiss her back just as hard. My hands go to her hair as the world around me fades, taking all the chaos with it.

“Kace!” I hear someone shout, abruptly jerking me out of my moment.

With Arena in my arms, I turn my back to catch the blade of a sword coming down on us, but then I hear the unmistakable clink of another sword as it collides with it. Arena shimmies down me, taking the whip from my side, and she starts lashing out at the four men that have surrounded us.

But that’s not what I’m looking at. My fury boils over as I see the son of a bitch who just saved my life. The problem is, he stole my reason for living.

Carter.

He stares me down, as though he’s waiting for me to strike. The whip crackles through the air as cries of pain ring out, letting me know Arena is taming the beasts at my back.

“Go ahead,” Carter says. “You deserve to.”

He drops his sword, and he puts his hands down, making no effort to defend himself. But I don’t give a damn.

I charge him, tackling him to the ground, and my fists start connecting with his face. I only get in three good punches before the whip is suddenly gripping my wrist and ripping me backwards.

“Stop!” Arena yells, coming to get in between me and her captor.

I look at her like she’s lost her mind as the fires grow brighter, spreading around the land slowly but steadily and illuminating the girl who has seriously gone crazy.

I open my mouth to tell her to move out of my damn way, but before I can spit the words out, someone else speaks.

“Carter!” a woman’s voice says, a tremble in her tone as though she doesn’t believe what she sees.

Carter stands, staggering as he stares at her, treating her like she’s an apparition. “Sabrina?” he whispers hoarsely.

He practically flies away from us, and she launches herself into his arms while dropping a bloody sword. Arena tugs me away, forcing my attention back to the fight around us. But it’s gone.

“Leave Carter be. He’s been through more hell than you have. Misel has had his wife in a cellar for six months. Locked underground, Kace. He kept her right under his nose to probably mock him later. If not for a crazy lady with a debt, a few underground tunnels, and a secret door, she’d still be locked away.

Six months… I still want to kill the son of a bitch, but holding Arena means more to me than he does right now. And so does our people.

“Harrison!” I yell, picking Arena up and cradling her against me as I start rushing toward our people to check on them.

“We’re good!” he calls back. “Johnny has a nasty cut on his arm, Kendall as a slice on her side, but both are superficial wounds,” he adds just as he comes into view.

“Keira and Julius?” I ask, not bothering inquiring about Helena, considering he wouldn’t be upright if she was down.

Thunder roars through the air and lightning crackles in the sky just as the rain starts to fall. It’s just as random and unpredictable as all the other weather we’ve had lately.

“Both fine. So is Raven and Kingston. They’re seeing if they can shake information out of the few we kept alive.”

Arena kisses my cheek, trying to squirm out of my arms, but I can’t let her go.

“Kace, we have to go now!” Arena says, panicking as though she just remembered something.

Johnny comes to wrap her up in a hug, pulling her out of my arms, but she shrugs him off, apologizing. “We have to go now,” she repeats. “Misel wanted you here. He’s going after the tribe.”

I fucking knew it.

“I prepared for that. Malfus has the men lined up. We’re staying a step ahead.”

“He knows about our tunnels,” she growls.

“I know,” I soothe. “Misel doesn’t expect me to remember Carter. He was probably supposed to lie low, like he did most of the time. But I know he was in the tunnels. We’ve prepared for that. The tunnels are locked. They can’t come up through that hatch.”

She visibly relaxes before launching herself into my arms again, and I kiss her head, her cheek, her wet hair… anything I can get my lips on.

“One chance to stay alive,” I say to Carter as he carries his wife in his arms toward us.

“If you’re asking his plan, I only know the outline. I wasn’t his main person on the inside. He wanted the location of the tunnels, and I was the one to give him this information because I was the expendable one. He needed you and the strongest warriors out of his way, because he plans to take over.”

“Good thing I locked the fucking tunnels.”

Carter’s lips draw up, as though he’s torn about whether or not he should say anything. His eyes flit down to the curious gaze his wife is giving him.

“Misel never goes after something without having an entry and exit plan. And as I said, he has another man on the inside.”

Arena starts to speak, but I beat her to it, still crushing her to my body in an embrace I can’t release.

“Ivan is gone. He fled. Doesn’t matter what he tells Misel now.”

“He’s not the other guy,” Carter says, and my whole body tenses.

“Ebony is,” Arena says quickly, again shocking the hell out of me. “Ivan is probably the scapegoat she set up for the fall.”

“I doubt he escaped,” Carter’s wife says. “He’s probably dead somewhere in your tribe.”

More tension forms as I stand in disbelief.

“Ebony can’t be the inside man,” Kingston says, shaking his head. “Misel… Well, I’ll just say he’s not her favorite person. She’d never do this.”

Arena and Sabrina exchange a look, and Arena turns in my arms to face everyone who still can’t appreciate she’s back, because Misel still presses for our attention.

“Whatever she told you about her and Misel, it was a lie. Because Ebony is Misel’s daughter.”

Chapter 32

ARENA

Kingston starts retching before I can finish explaining, and he heaves off to the side, vomiting violently as though he can’t stop.

“She’s not—”

“Are you sure?” Harrison interrupts, as Helena tackles me in a hug, coming out of nowhere.

She softly sobs against my hair, and I hold her to me, hugging her as tightly as she’s hugging me.

“I’m sure,” Sabrina tells him. “My parents were killed because of that knowledge, and I was hunted because of it. It’s why I was taken.”

Kingston’s violent upheaval only grows worse upon hearing that confirmation. Damn it.

She looks regretfully at Carter whose eyes widen. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

As she starts speaking privately with him, I try to calm Kingston down.

“She’s not your sister, though,” I say quickly, but he waves me off as though that’s the dirtiest word in the world right now, and he pukes that much harder.

“What do you mean?” Raven asks, rubbing Kingston’s back while holding back a gag of her own.

Helena slowly untangles from me so I can move better, and I taste bile as Kingston stays bent over and making nauseating sounds.

“Kingston’s birth father was faded. Misel didn’t even meet his mother until she was already pregnant. I guess you can figure he never wanted her telling anyone, and out of fear, she probably complied.”

Kingston wipes his mouth before staggering. “So Kingston didn’t love and fuck his sister, right?” Julius asks.

That provokes Kingston’s riotous stomach again, and he has to turn away as he starts the process all over again.

“Right,” I confirm.

“We need to hurry up and get to the cave,” Keira says. “This storm is going to get worse, and we’ll need shelter. Misel’s men will have to take up shelter as well.”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and find him there,” Raven says, as poor Kingston continues to unload his pitiful stomach. I really should have started with the fact he’s not Misel’s son. He would have enjoyed that news and he wouldn’t have gotten so sick when I unveiled the bigger secret.

Is Keira talking about the same cave Carter and I rode through?

“Any innocent ones here?” Kace asks, looking over me.

“The women,” I tell him. “I think Misel invaded this camp, killed the men, and kept the women. He didn’t know about the tunnels, but they did.”

I keep my voice low enough to escape Carter’s ears. I’m afraid he’ll kill them all for not telling him they knew where his wife was.

“They’ll stay in the storm shelter they have underground,” Carter says, unware of what all else lies under the earth.

Kace’s jaw tenses, and I can tell he’s looking for any excuse to kill Carter.

“He’s a better ally than enemy,” I whisper, stroking his cheek with my hand and forcing him to look at me.

“We’ll come back for them if they’re still here after we get our tribe situation sorted out,” he says before kissing my lips gently, intentionally avoiding my comment as though it wasn’t said at all.

“We have to go now!” Keira urges.

I see Carter carrying Sabrina toward the stable off to the side, and Kace laces our fingers together before kissing the back of my hand and pulling me with him.

“I knew you’d get here in time,” I say as we run toward an opening where they apparently tied the horses to the lone tree.

His grip on my hand tightens, and he turns me to face him as everyone starts saddling up. “He… Did he…” The words can’t seem to form, and I pull him to me, brushing his lips against mine.

“No. Never. You got here too soon. Carter took much longer than necessary to get here, and then he stalled Misel, giving you time to find me. Then a woman showed up and opened a hatch for me. Then you rode in.”

He looks me over, thumbing my bottom lip as though he knows something happened to it.

“You heal fast, and you act tough. It’s hard to know what’s true right now, or what you’re saying to keep me reined in.”

“I’m not lying, Kace. I’d have found a way to kill him if he tried to touch me. But it never made it that far. Hell, I barely got to meet him, fortunately.”

His lips crush down on mine, drinking me in as though he can’t get enough.

“Let’s get out of here,” Julius urges as the lightning strikes down in larger strokes, getting closer and closer.

Kace lifts me up as though I can’t climb onto a horse myself. If it wouldn’t wear the horse down, I’d be on the same one as him so that I wouldn’t have to stop touching him… Because who knows how much longer that will last?

“When we get to the cave, I have a lot to tell you,” Keira says sadly, but even larger streaks of lightning crash down, and this time they’re purple in color, growing brighter and brighter with each hit.

“The viewer’s coming back, isn’t it?” I ask with dread.

“Yes,” she says without hesitation.

“Then we better hurry up and end this war before it’s in the sky.”

I didn’t just get Kace back so that we could both get faded.

Chapter 33

ARENA

“Should have known that spring thing was a lie,” Kingston says more to himself than us, looking around inside the massive cave that is offering us shelter. “No big pit either. I guess we were too much in a hurry to ask questions the first time we came through here.”

I have no idea what they’re talking about.

“You okay?” I ask him, watching him warily.

“Am I okay with the fact Misel is not my father? Very. Am I okay that Ebony played me like a cheap whistle? No. Am I okay that she and Misel plotted this shit storm a long time ago? Hell no. But it’ll make it all the better when I rip his throat out.”

“After I rip his heart out,” Kace reminds him, throwing a brittle rock hard across the room and shattering it into a million pieces.

“I had my suspicions that she was the traitor,” Keira says. “She was too quick to point out the fact Spider was poisoned. It was an attempt to throw suspicion off herself. I told a few of the others to watch her.”

Kace looks over at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were a little one-track minded, and I was more interested in filling you in on the viewer the last time we passed through this cave,” Keira points out.

My head is killing me from that information overload. We took turns filling each other in on everything that has occurred, including new details learned. Harrison walks in, his body soaked, and he shakes some of the rain out of his hair.

“The rest of our people are on the other side. There’s a huge gap in the center the storm can pour through. We’re divided unless you guys want to wade through that thing right now. It’ll take me forever to warm up.”

Kendall finishes lighting the fire as if on cue, and Harrison strips out of his wet pants, revealing his underwear. Men really have no modesty.

“What are they doing over there?” Kendall asks, looking up from her fire making process.

“Ebony ditched them and ran off the horses a few minutes after we split up. They said she rode off on her horse like she had the devil on her heels,” Harrison explains. “She called a break, waited until everyone unloaded, and then scared off the horses. They just got back after walking in this shit trying to find us, and they came back here.”

Helena pulls out a thin blanket from her bag, and Harrison wraps up in it while tugging her closer.

“She went to go warn Misel you were close,” I say quietly, remembering what the woman said about a girl riding in like the wind. “Carter took us the long way around, but you were early. She was probably trying to stall you, and she knew Kace killed the scout that would have warned Misel instead.”

Kace would have gotten there while Misel was still there if not for Ebony. Now we’re once again behind them.

“By the way,” Helena says, keeping her voice too low for Kace to hear. “I never gave Kace your message. The next time you want to say goodbye, I’ll kick your ass. Especially if I’m gagged and can’t curse you.”

My lips twitch, but the thought of the viewer weighs heavily on me right now. Everything is weighing heavily on me. We have to hurry.

“What’s the plan when we catch them?” I ask, raising my voice for Kace to hear me.

“Kill everyone except Misel,” he says with his back turned. “He dies last. He dies slow. And he dies painfully.”

I shudder, but I stand up from my spot by the fire and move over to run my hands over his back, kissing his skin lightly. He turns abruptly to push his lips against mine and kiss me.

“We’re stuck in here until this storm stops,” Harrison says to Helena. “You need to get your clothes dry.”

Kace withdraws from the kiss, his eyes going over me.

“We need to get our clothes dry, too.”

He pulls me with him deeper into the mountainside cavern, and he guides me away from the group. I gasp when we reach a spot that is private, because it has rocks all inside that are glowing, lighting up the room.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, running my hands along one of the brightly glowing rocks.

“So are you,” he says against my ear, spinning me before finding my lips again.

I smile at the somewhat cheesy but heartwarming endearment.

But then he starts stripping my shirt off me, slowly lifting it over my head. The wet fabric clings to me little by little all the way up, until it’s finally past my head, and Kace’s lips come down on mine.

Clothes get shed much, much quicker. Reality pushes us into a frenzy. Everything could start or end tomorrow, because the outcome can’t be predicted. Maybe that’s a good thing. The viewer warned me of their certain deaths the last time.

As soon as I’m bare, Kace lifts me up, and my legs wrap around his waist as he pushes me against the stone wall. He nips and sucks my bottom lip into his mouth before moving down and doing the same thing to my neck.

He grabs my hips sliding me down closer to his waist as he kicks out of his pants the rest of the way. With a deep thrust, he buries himself inside me, and some guttural noise escapes his throat as I moan.

But something happens. Kace goes from the cool and composed man he usually is to a wildly thrashing, out of control, desperate man, as though he’s panicking. His grip becomes almost painful, and I grab his hair roughly, forcing his head back to find the tears in his eyes.

“Shh,” I soothe, running my hand down his face. “I’m here, Kace. I’m fine. You found me in time.”

He breaks against me, losing it like I’ve never seen him lose it before, and he pushes against me, burying his face in my neck. I hold him to me as he tries to calm down, just standing still as the tears fall from his eyes.

“I should have taken you with me,” he says in a hoarse breath against my neck. You wanted to go, and I said no.”

I tilt his head back, and I shift against the wall while trying to rock my hips. “You couldn’t have known. Given the information, you made the best decision. And now I won’t ever get left behind again.”

I smile to lighten the heaviness of the situation, and he puffs out a laugh while shaking his head.

“Never again,” he says, kissing me again.

This time when he starts thrusting, it’s a divine rhythm that has me dropping my head back as he commands my body. My legs tighten around his waist, and I feel the muscles on his back as he swirls his hips and drives in. My hands tangle in his hair, clinging to him as that powerful feeling buds in my stomach, threatening to tip me over the edge at any moment.

Kace kisses down the side of my neck, whispering all the things our futures hold. All the things I hope they hold.

That build erupts inside me, dragging me into a bone-shattering tremble. Kace swallows my scream when he takes my lips, but his rhythm never slows until I feel all his muscles tense against me.

When he stills deep inside me, I kiss him harder.

“Kace! Arena! The rain storm is letting up. We can travel!” Harrison calls from somewhere else. “Carter says he can show us the quickest way back—the way Misel will go. Sounds like he wants some revenge, too!”

Kace sighs while pushing his forehead against mine, refusing to disjoin our bodies. We’re about to take on the devil’s advocate, while the devil in the sky tries to come back to life. Either way, we’re about to walk through hell.

Chapter 34

ARENA

Kace holds up his fist as a sign to stop. We’re close to the walls right now, but we can’t see inside them. The problem is, we never ran into Misel either.

“I don’t like this,” Kace says under his breath as I climb off my horse and join him at his side.

“Like what?” I ask softly.

“The silence. We should be hearing our tribe chatter and go on with their lives if everything is okay. I can always hear them for miles in this direction, because the sound carries so well. Plus we have the wind today. And where is Misel? We should have run into him.”

We had to leave the bulk of our group behind for them to catch up on foot, since their horses were swiped. We’re too small of a group to fight Misel like this.

Kace hands me my bow that he brought, and I take it as I follow him along the woods. Just as we emerge, that’s when our world stops spinning.

On the ground lies five Kuslan men and two of our own. Their blood is still spilling, and one word of a message is carved into all of their bare backs, making a note.

Kaceton and Kingston surrender or more die.

“Kace,” I gasp, realizing our two men were from opposite sides of the tribe—one Tempest, one Heflin. They never leave the tribe. “He’s inside.”

Kace pushes me back into the woods, guiding us back to the group with quick but quiet footsteps, and he meets our assembly with large, wide eyes as he explains what we just saw.

“Giving over you two is out of the question,” Keira says firmly. “Misel isn’t going to just hand the tribe back over. He just doesn’t want two of the strongest surviving.”

“They’ve breached the walls,” Kace says in a cursing breath. “How the fuck did they breach the walls?”

Carter, surprisingly, is the one to answer. He left Sabrina with the other group, and gave a warrior her horse. He didn’t want her anywhere around this.

“Ebony has had free access to those tunnels. For all we know, she built an extra entrance. A month is a long time to dig, especially if she’s only digging a few feet over a tunnel she knows exists.”

Kace curses again, as though he should have thought of that.

“Misel… How did we fucking underestimate him again?” Kingston asks, paling as he shakes his head.

“Now’s the time to make a new plan,” Keira interjects.

“We have a backup plan, but we don’t have enough people,” Julius says, piquing my interest.

“We don’t have a choice,” Harrison says. “We can’t just leave our people in there without doing anything. Misel could be slitting throats even as we speak. We have to use our new tunnel.”

“New tunnel?” I ask, curious.

“Yeah,” Kace says distractedly, seeming lost inside his own plotting mind. “We built it during the month you were out of commission. Only Malfus and the chief advisors were in on the secret. It takes us through the woods of the tribe. We spent weeks working on it. It’s just an entry tunnel with a lock on the other side though. But Malfus would have unlocked it for us.”

“Any chance that’s how they got in?” Helena asks.

“No,” Harrison says confidently. “We made sure the information didn’t leak. Me, Julius, Kingston, Malfus, and Johnny are the advisory staff to the chief. Kingston is the only outsider who helped.”

I start to point out that’s not the advisory staff, that Malfus is the chief, but then it all falls together. I knew Kace was acting like the chief. It’s because he is the chief.

“Any reason you didn’t tell me you’re the new chief?” I ask him, narrowing my eyes.

Kace tightens his lips before saying, “No reason that matters in this moment. Right now we need to go save our people.”

I hate it when he’s right.

“Then let’s go through that secret tunnel,” I say while grabbing an extra quiver from the horses.

“They have an army,” Julius points out.

We’ve faced armies with just a few before. Harrison’s eyes flick to mine before returning his gaze to Kace. “We’re a third of their numbers right now.”

Helena looks between the men before asking, “So what are we going to do?”

Without hesitation, Kace answers, “What we always do. We fight.”

“Then let’s give them the fight of their fucking lives,” Kingston seconds, grabbing his swords.

“And backup?” Raven asks. “When will they get here? And how will they find our tunnel?”

“I’ll leave a note,” Johnny says. “They’ll find those bodies, too.”

As he runs off to do that, I glance up to the sky.

“We don’t fight,” I say in a breath.

“What?” Kingston asks, confused. “What do you mean?”

I frown as I look over at him. “I fight. I’m not able to be killed. I can take down most of their people without them getting a shot off. The last guy who tried to kill me ended up seizing and dying right in front of my eyes. I could take out an army.”

Everyone exchanges glances, and Keira looks over at me. “We don’t know that.”

“Ask Carter. He dragged the body out of the room with me.”

Carter looks utterly confused, considering he’s out of the loop as far as the viewer is concerned.

“I did… what?”

I shake my head, turning back to Kace. “You have to trust me. You’ve seen it with your own eyes. Hell, a damn bridge formed under my feet. Please let me do this.”

He starts to speak just as a boom erupts in the sky, but my head is the only one to jerk up to see what it was. My heart and hopes crash at once as I see the purplish blue proof of my plan failing. Not only that… Our lives are over whether we win or lose.

“You see it, don’t you?” Keira asks. “Your emotions must have launched it. You’re thinking of war, which means it has been fueling for a fight. Now it’s up there.”

“You can’t see it?” I ask, looking at her with a frown.

“No. Only you can see it until the first fade starts. It worked like that for Adler after it ripped the fabric of space and time. He didn’t know what it was at the time. Everyone thought he was crazy for seeing a purple light in the sky.”

I should have kept my mouth shut. I would have been the only one to know, and they would have let me go fight.

“Why the hell didn’t you warn me about that part?” I ask her.

She gives me a grim smile. “Because you’re too brave for your own good. You would have let us continue thinking you’re invincible. With the viewer back, your protection is gone.”

Another piece of my heart breaks.

“So we can be faded now?” Julius asks, trying to clear his throat from emotion.

A fate far worse than death is being erased.

“Kace can’t lead,” Kingston says with burdened eyes. “It’ll reset to the point of the initial conflict that sparked his need to fight. All our memories since he was fourteen will be erased.”

Kace’s face is a mixture of fury and determination, but he shakes his head. “We don’t know that. It could work differently now. I can’t sentence anyone else to a fucking fade.”

The emotion catches in my throat as the fears that once died resurface with a vengeance.

“That’s doubtful,” Keira says. “Kingston’s right. You can’t lead. Neither can he. For all we know, the fade could wipe out our memories to the point his initial conflict happened, and it’s possible we won’t remember our lives, considering he has always hated the man that forced him into believing he was his father.”

No one says anything for a minute. Julius finally announces it’ll be him to lead, and Johnny offers to go second. The fade will kill the initial attackers. Not the whole army. Keira is doing math, refusing to allow Johnny to be the one to fade.

“The competition Misel was kicked out of sparked your initial conflict with him,” Kendall says to Julius.

Every time one of them speaks, a new point of conflict is brought to light, all of them being years ago. Except for Johnny.

“It has to be me,” he says. “We’ll wait on backup—people who don’t have ties to Misel before this moment. It’ll be night soon. If we fight now, the fade could target any one of you,” he says, motioning to all the men, including Carter who has also volunteered. “The fewer memories lost, the better.”

Keira starts to cry, and Kace shakes his head in protest.

“You have to stay behind,” Johnny says adamantly, being the hero I always knew him to be. “You’re the chief. You’re the man who will lead our people against men like this. You’re the hope they’ll need. I’m just a runner.”

“Then we’ll wait for the others to catch up,” Kingston says in a quiet, regretful voice. “They should reach us just after nightfall.”

Kace gives me an encouraging grin even as tears fill up in his eyes, and I choke back a sob. This can’t be happening. Not now. My own fears of war has brought back the devil I fear the most. Me. This is my fault.

I’ll be damned if anyone dies because of me.

Chapter 35

ARENA

Kace is talking things over, looking over a map under the glow of a single candle. A fire is too risky.

Keira is off to the side, and I walk toward her, ready to ask her to do something that will save everyone in our group.

“How long do people pass out when you do that pressure point trick?” I ask her.

She tilts her head. “Usually no more than twenty or thirty minutes. Why?”

That’s plenty of time to plant myself as the only initiator of the war.

“I need you to do it to everyone here, and I need you to stay here with them until they all wake up. Please.”

She shakes her head. “Hell no. You’re not going in there alone, Arena. You’ll be killed right away.”

“And that can be the initial point of conflict—me. My beef with Misel personally doesn’t go back very far at all. And if I go in alone, I initiate the war alone.”

“It doesn’t work like that.”

Taking a deep breath, I nod once. “It worked with my father. He was the only one faded from our side, but the Mostiles lost so, so many. It’ll work with me. He made this sacrifice, and now it’s my turn. That’s our legacy—to save this tribe. Johnny will be faded, but so will many others who ride with him. Johnny isn’t a leader. I am. The viewer will know that.”

It’s hard to keep my voice steady as I face my worst fear, but I manage to do it.

Keira wants to argue, but she doesn’t. She can’t.

“Shit,” she says under her breath. “Kace will kill me for this.”

I smile sadly as the tears start falling down my cheeks. “He won’t remember it.”

Her eyes sadden all the more, and she starts brushing away her own tears. Kace will read my journal for sure now, so there’s no need to worry about that. He’ll read it. And he’ll live for me.

She runs her hand through her hair.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

She hugs me tightly, and I hug her back. “You saved my life,” she whispers softly. “In so many ways.”

My tears just fall harder. “And now you’ll help me save the lives of our people.”

I pull back, and she walks away to go dry her eyes. Kace is knelt down with his back to me, and all the men look over a map they’ve drawn of the tribe. Their plan sounds good, but mine is the only one that will work.

I wipe my face quickly, drying it. I’m thankful that we’re now shrouded in the first fall of night. The sun has just set, and the moon can’t expose my tear-streaked cheeks.

My hand goes to Kace’s shoulder, and he turns to face me. He stands as though he can’t help himself, and in a breath, he’s kissing me, his tongue flicking against mine. I make the kiss last, letting him imprint himself on me, but I almost whimper when he pulls back.

“I’m sorry it has to be Johnny,” he whispers. “I hate it, but no one wants their memories to be faded back the years they would be if it was tied to anyone else.”

“I know,” I lie.

He brushes his lips against mine again, and I stroke his cheek.

“I need to get back to planning our secondary attack. Johnny wants us all to have a drink before we start.”

I nod solemnly, but I hold myself together. I’d love nothing more than to share one last drink with my family—and they’re all my family. But that won’t be possible. I need to strike now.

“I love you,” I say to him, and he tilts his head.

“I love you,” he says back, kissing me again.

When I feel another tear slip out of my death grip, I pull back to keep him from feeling it.

“You want to help us strategize?” he asks.

“In a minute. I just need a second to myself.”

He nods, but he seems wary. I can’t go around hugging everyone, or that will rouse suspicion. I don’t even get to tell them goodbye. Not that they’d remember it. The notion would be selfish, because it’d be for me, not them.

With a heavy load on my shoulders, I walk away, nodding toward Keira as she emerges from the woods. Her lips tighten, the moonlight displaying her with ease, and I turn away as she walks toward the men.

She’s so fast, she’ll have them all unconscious before they see the first one drop.

Helena, Kendall, Raven, and Carter are sitting off to the side. Carter is not exactly sitting with them. Instead, he’s watching me as though he’s suspicious.

I turn away as I duck into the woods, and I sprint to where they said the tunnel was. It takes a few minutes, but I finally find the hidden hatch, and I swing it back. As long as the fade takes Misel and Ebony with me, it’ll all be worth it.

I mourned my father’s loss, hated Malfus for his demise. Now I’m making the same choice he did so long ago, and I’m leaving behind the tribe that will grow stronger under Kace.

I slide down the slant of the tunnel, letting it carry me deep. Our wall runs under the ground, making it hard for someone else to tunnel in or out without our knowledge. But I finally hit the bottom and run the short distance to the other side to start climbing up the slope.

I push the door open, quickly recognizing that I’m not far from the Shaylan hill from right here. As I walk through the woods, a rustle of motion behind me stops me in my tracks.

I whirl around, sword drawn, but I lower it when I see Keira standing behind me with Helena, Raven, Kendall, and Carter.

“Seriously?” I hiss.

Keira shrugs. “I took down the men, but they saw me. I planned on coming all along.”

Tears invade my cheeks as Carter bristles.

“Technically I’m still a man,” he says, sulking. “And I’m badass.”

“You can’t be here,” I tell Helena, moving my eyes to all of them.

“If you’re right,” Helena says, choking back her emotion, “then we’ll be safe. Dad was the only one faded. But I’ll be damned if I don’t get to fight by your side. You don’t get to do this alone.”

Before I can argue, I turn around at the sound of a twig cracking. My eyes widen when I see the soft blonde curls.

“SaShante!” I yell in a whisper.

She runs toward me, throwing her small arms around my waist in a clinging hug, and I hold her to me before kissing the top of her head.

“What are you doing out here?”

She looks up with tears wavering on her lids.

“They attacked.”

I nod. “I know. That’s why we’re here. What are you doing out here?”

“The men came up from the Tempest out of a secret hole. They started killing, and the Tempest ran. A bunch of them made it to the Shaylan hill, and the warriors went to fight against them. But there were just too many.

“A bunch of people escaped through the gates to go get help. But then those warriors came up and sealed it off. They have everyone corralled in the main Shaylan camp now. Most of them are being held in the banquet hall. The warriors that survived have been tied up and left facedown in front of the banquet hall. If they try to escape, the mean people say they’ll kill a child in front of them.

“Malfus was going to go to the woods. He told Meredith he needed to unlock the hatch to a secret tunnel so that you all could come in. But the mean men showed up in the camp, and he had to go fight them off. Meredith started getting people out of the camp, but she was captured and locked in the banquet hall. I stabbed a guy in the leg when he got me, and I ran out here to unlatch the hatch where Malfus had said it was. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Brave, foolish girl.

“You need to stay in the woods,” I tell her softly. “Don’t try to run out. They may see you. I knew how to avoid their eyes, because I know the blind spots of the walls. If they come into the woods, hide in that tunnel. Okay?”

Her brow wrinkles in confusion. “Where is everyone else?”

“They’re coming. Now go hide.”

I kiss her head, and she runs off into the darkness, her bow safely tucked on her back.

“New plan. You have to help the others out of the banquet hall,” I tell everyone. Take them out through that tunnel. Take SaShante with you.”

“No,” Helena growls. “I’m fighting with you.”

I shake my head. “One has to sacrifice, one has to save. I’m the only one who can sacrifice.”

Her eyes water harder, and her jaw ticks with anger, but she knows I’m right.

“Well, I’m fighting with you. I’m badass, and you need to stay alive if you’re to be faded,” Carter says, trying and failing to sound as though he doesn’t really care.

“I’m more badass than him, so I’m coming, too,” Keira says. “The rest can get everyone out. Let’s do this.”

The fade should happen within minutes of the battle starting, before too many lives can be lost.

“I have to deliver the first strike,” I say, reminding everyone this is the only way it works.

“Then have your bow ready, because we’re almost there,” Carter says from behind me.

I look up just as Helena leads the others through the camp, moving in between cabins, and avoiding the men walking around the big fire they’ve made. They laugh and talk as though they’re not holding an entire tribe hostage.

“Where would Misel be?” I whisper to Carter.

“Somewhere he could keep an eye on the whole camp.”

“The wall.”

I look up, finding the numerous lookout points. There are shadows of silhouettes all over them. How will I know which one he is?

Then I see a man swirling a sword near some of our warriors, taking aim as he kicks one of them until they’re up to their knees. The man exposes his neck, willing to die.

“So much for hitting Misel first,” I whisper under my breath, taking aim across the camp.

My arrow flies free, spiraling through the air, zipping between unaware men who whip around to find out what just flew by, and it connects with the throat of the man holding the sword high.

He stands for a minute, arrow through his neck, and he staggers right as everyone watches him. Finally, he collapses to his knees before falling to his face.

“Someone find that archer!” a voice yells.

But I’ve already started firing again, taking them on as though they aren’t hundreds.

Keira and Carter join me, firing every arrow we can at all the men moving toward us.

“Why isn’t the viewer fading me and them?” I growl.

Never thought I’d be impatient for that.

“I don’t know,” she says, pulling out knives when she runs dry on arrows.

“Looks like we’re about to find out just how badass we are,” Carter says, running out with his sword drawn, slicing through the oncoming arrows before they can connect.

Keira and I run out as well, both of us fighting our way through the impossible odds. “Don’t kill her!”

Misel’s voice raises the hair on my neck, but I keep fighting as his men ignore his command, doing all they can to aim their swords at my heart. There is sure as hell nothing helping me out now.

“I said don’t kill her!” I can hear him, but I can’t find him. We’re surrounded by men as we back into each other, each of us defending a side of our triangle. “I want Kaceton to watch her die. If she’s here, then so is he!”

Even now he’s hell bent on carrying through with his revenge. I pray it costs him his life.

A roar of something draws my attention, and I look up just as a flock of arrows start crashing down. I gasp and roll under a body just as it collapses, using it as a shield.

Carter grabs a shield from one of the men, and he tackles Keira to the ground to block the arrows from both of them. He curses when one slices against the side of his leg, burying itself into the meat.

The arrows continue to pour in, and a thunderous yell of battle echoes through the camp just as our own army explodes through the woods.

“Stop them!” Misel yells, though a hint of surprise registers in his tone.

The arrows stop as our army collides with theirs, and blood sprays the air. Our warriors are better, stronger. We can win. And the viewer will only target me from our side, whenever it decides to get to work.

After rolling the dirty, stinky man off me, I stand up, going back to fighting, my eyes tirelessly searching for Ebony or Misel.

Then I see the blonde hair flying in a whirl, and Ebony comes into view as she jabs a sword through one of our men’s chest. She fights with skill I’ve never seen her use before, and she’s wearing a leather competitor’s outfit, one like mine, but black.

I once thought she was too scared to fight. I was wrong. She fooled the hell out of me, because she enjoys the kill like no one I’ve ever seen. She smiles as she slices through the hordes of people, and I see that they’re pouring out of the banquet hall.

They didn’t run. They stayed to fight.

Pride and fear swell at once, and I fight harder, trying to take out as many as I can.

“You can work any time now,” I tell the viewer, though I realize I sound psychotic.

Nothing. Nothing at all happens.

Ebony sees me, and it’s as though a line parts between us. The evil grin that spreads across her lips isn’t exactly comforting, but I narrow my eyes in determination.

“I’ve waited so damn long for this,” she says, laughing wickedly before grabbing her crossbow and firing it without warning.

My hand flies up, and to my complete surprise, I actually catch the damn thing. Relief expands my lungs with air, but just as I look up, I’m met with a fist to my face, causing me to drop the arrow. Staggering backwards, I don’t even get my feet grounded before I feel the blow to my stomach.

Fucking hell.

As I fall to the ground, her foot comes to kick me in the stomach, but I grab it and jerk her down to the ground.

We both stand up at the same time, eyeing each other, circling each other, and threatening each other without any words. I knew I should have killed her a long time ago.

“Even without the scars, you’re just as ugly as your father,” I growl.

She mocks offense, bringing her hand to her chest. “That hurts, Arena,” she says with a smirk. “So you want to play this game? See who can hurt who the worst?”

I watch her, looking for the easiest way to kill her.

“I had fun fucking Kace. Playing with his head. Driving a wedge between the Kuslan and Shaylan so long ago. Then I had even more fun coming back, fucking with your head. You really should have seen how sad you were and how guilty he felt. And he loved fucking me, just so you know. It was rough, and carnal, and savage… so hot, Arena. It was a shame I didn’t find him more appealing. Too weak for my taste.”

She laughs again, and I dive for her, wrapping my arms around her waist and taking us both to the ground. She brings her knee up, connecting with my side, but I don’t let it jolt me. I sit up, bringing my fist down to her face and connecting. Hard.

But an arrow whizzes by my face, and I look up just as one of her men comes after me. Shit.

I’m forced to roll off her as another arrow comes, and by the time I look up, Ebony has disappeared. Damn it!

I really wanted to kill her before the viewer could fade her.

When a strong hand clamps against my side and jerks me out of the path of a spear I never saw coming, I grimace.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” Kace yells, turning to slice through three arrows at once.

“You know exactly why I did it, Kace. And you know I’m right.”

He pulls me away, getting us out of the thick and off to the side where it’s easier to defend ourselves.

“Damn it! You know what this means!”

Tears well up in my eyes as I risk a glance at his face. His jaw is tense, his eyes are watering even as they stay trained on the fight around us, and his whole body is almost shaking.

“I know the sacrifice only I could make. And you would have done the same thing. I know that, too.”

He looks over at me, but he kisses me instead of yelling. Given the fact we’re fighting for our lives, the kiss is punishingly hard but brief. He turns back, fighting once more, barely containing the emotion that has built up inside.

It fuels his fight, because he’s a man on fire. Nothing gets close without him destroying it. It’ll be the last time we ever get to fight together.

But I look up to see the tides turning, noticing a crowd of our people lowering their weapons and raising their hands.

“Drop your weapons or all the children die!” Misel’s voice booms.

The battle stops abruptly, and the crowd in front of us parts as several men hold some of our youngest ones. I cry out when I see Helena getting thrown to the ground, a knife sticking out of her leg.

Kendall and Raven are bound and gagged as they’re forced down beside her. They must have been caught while getting the kids out. No. No. No.

Kace tosses down his sword as he steps through the crowd, and I tug on his arm. “He’ll kill you!” I hiss.

“He’ll turn his attention away from the kids when I’m being killed,” he says while looking back at me. “Where you go, I go.”

“Don’t do this!” I choke out. “Just give it time to work. Then you can stay and keep our people safe.”

He spins around, roughly throwing his hands in my hair and pulling me closer before pressing his forehead against mine.

“You did what you had to. Now I have to do the same. Do you honestly think I want to live knowing you’re about to be gone? I want to die with my memories, Arena. Every damn one of them. I love you.”

I try to argue, tugging at him, but he shrugs me off before running into the middle, meeting Misel’s eyes.

“You wanted me,” Kace announces. “Here I am. Do your fucking worst.”

I step up behind two men, my brain frantically searching for something to do, just as Kingston surrenders as well, both of them tempting Misel. Their hands are tied behind their backs as I slowly walk through the silent and still crowd. My eyes fall on the crying children who stand defenselessly in front of heartless mercenaries.

Helena looks up at me, and her eyes widen as Harrison is forced to the ground for trying to get to her. Julius is knocked unconscious and dropped to the ground when he almost reaches Kendall.

Keira’s eyes meet mine, the same inner war waging inside her the way it is me. There’s nothing we can do.

They have us. We won’t fight and risk the children. But killing us quickly is too easy for the cruel sons of bitches under Misel’s reign.

“Where’s Arena?” Misel asks, just as I knew he would.

Kace shakes his head even as Misel’s fist collides with his face. He laughs as he spits out blood.

“I remember you hitting a lot harder,” Kace taunts, trying his damnedest to make Misel snap. “I guess I weakened you when I burned all your flesh and showed the world the monster on the surface that once hid underneath.”

Ebony steps up beside her father, grabbing his wrist before he reaches for his sword.

“He’s trying to provoke you, Dad. Don’t start being an idiot now. You’re too old to fall for this trick.”

Cold. Emotionless. She’s just like him.

A cool smile crawls across Misel’s lips, and they distort. It’s the first time I’ve seen his mouth make a distinct expression.

“Arena,” he says louder. “If you come out now, I won’t kill this little girl,” he says, grabbing a girl and thrusting her forward, and my heart hits the pit of my stomach when I see SaShante.

She stands there, her face a mask of fearlessness despite the terror I know she has to feel.

“Don’t do it, Arena!” she yells. “Let the bastard kill a kid. People will hate him more.”

I’d laugh if this wasn’t the worst possible day in the universe.

I step out as Misel chuckles at her, amused more than anything. He’ll kill her. This isn’t a bluff.

“I’m right here,” I tell him.

His eyes move to me, and the crowd parts, shoving our people into a huddle as I stand alone. He licks his barely-there lips as he watches me.

“Archers,” he says, turning Kace around as several men go to keep him on his knees.

He curses and threatens them as men step up with bows, prepping their arrows. Ebony comes to jerk Kace’s head back, kissing him quickly and withdrawing when his teeth snap at her. She eyes me while laughing. Kingston is held down, as she strokes his cheek. Then she stands in between them both as Misel steps beside Kace.

“Everyone,” Misel says, his eyes still locked on me, “this is what happens when you think you can take me. This is what becomes of you. Remember that going forward. You’re my tribe now. You’ll work for me. This will be my home, and all of you will do as told, or you’ll end up like this fragile little girl you seem to love so much.”

I stand my ground, refusing to offer him one ounce of fear.

Malfus and my mother are brought into the mix, both of them shoved down to their knees, bound and gagged.

“Malfus will be executed next,” Misel announces. “Then you’ll watch your beloved Kace die last. Only after my son.”

“Not your fucking son,” Kingston spits out.

Malfus laughs as Ebony cackles.

Then Misel’s eyes meet mine. “Archers, take aim.”

“No!” Kace shouts, fighting harder to get up, but being powered back down by all the men around him.

“Watch her die, Kace,” Misel hisses. “Watch the blood fall from her veins. Watch as I execute the one thing you ever truly cared for. Watch as the power is taken from you as it once was from me.”

I take a steadying breath. My eyes meet Keira’s then I shift my gaze to the children. With all eyes on me during my execution, the children will soon be forgotten. She seems to understand, and she nods once before slowly creeping up closer.

“Don’t worry, Kace,” Misel continues, still taunting him. “You and Kingston won’t feel the arrows. Your skin will be too burning too much from the fire I’ll set to you first.”

That makes me wince. This had better work. The children are their only leverage.

“Go ahead, Misel,” I say, smiling at him. “Time to make me a martyr. People will learn you had to kill one fragile girl to scare people into compliance. But you’ll create hope. Hope that one person was able to stand against you. Hope that a girl stood and faced down her death. And that hope will destroy you one day.”

He laughs harder as though that’s amusing. “No one will think of anything except for the cries you’ll release once those arrows strike, Arena. You won’t be a martyr. You’ll be a reminder of what’s to come to those who challenge me.”

Kace’s eyes meet mine, tears falling as he struggles and yells for me to run. But it’s not happening. I stare apologetically into his eyes, mouthing I love you one last time.

The plan was for me to sacrifice myself from the beginning. It’s just a different sacrifice than I expected.

Ebony grins while watching, and she utters the command in her father’s place. “Fire!”

The arrows fly out, rocketing toward me, and I don’t even blink.

It’s as though time slows down though, and the arrows halt midair. Gasps fill the air all around us, and Misel’s confidence gets shattered as a boom erupts through the air.

I laugh even as the tears fall down my face, and I look up just as everyone else does as the viewer grows brighter, warning us. They can see it now.

“No!” Misel says in a shaky breath, feeling fear for the first time ever.

Ebony turns pale, and I tilt my head to look at the only person not looking at the viewer.

Broken and hurting, Kace watches me as though he wants to absorb the last moment he can see me. I smile against the tears, and take a deep breath of acceptance.

The arrows slowly start fading, looking as though they’re turning into grains of sand to be carried off by the wind. It starts at their tips, and the ripple effect works backwards.

Misel staggers backwards, but the viewer is one thing you can’t escape.

I wait with dignity, but I watch with a smile as their men start screaming, panic consuming them. Terror washes over the camp, and Keira pulls the children to safety. But the fight is over.

Ebony chokes on air as she pulls her hand in front of her face in horror, watching as her fingertips slowly start to fade in front of her eyes.

“No!” she cries, trying to shake the fade away.

One after another, they fade completely. Misel is struggling to escape, but his legs are the first things to be faded. Kace is freed, and he runs to me, holding me to him as though he can prevent the viewer from taking its sacrifice.

We both watch as Misel yells one last time before vanishing from sight. Ebony is the last to go, her scream erupting just as his did. It’s such a quick, effortless kill. In minutes, all that remains in our camp are the ones who fought for us.

“I’ve never heard of it fading an entire army,” Keira says as everyone rejoices.

I stare at my hands, watching and waiting.

The tips waver as it begins, slowly sifting into grains of sand, and my tears start falling as Kace chokes back a sob. He kisses me hard on the lips, and I smile against the kiss.

Pulling back, I see my family all staring on with horror and loud sobs, watching my hands as the process slowly travels up to my wrists.

“Lead them for me,” I whisper, moving my eyes back down to my fingertips.

Another loud boom erupts, and a heatwave washes over the camp—proof of a fade. But it’s early.

Stifling heat hits us, causing some to choke as people rush to break out the water. Kace gasps, grabing my hand in his… My hand?

I look down, and my hands are there. No fading. No sands.

“Oh my damn!” Helena gasps, rushing to me and taking my other hand in hers.

“It spared you,” Keira says on a loud breath, laughing and crying suddenly. “It spared you! The viewer… It’s not the same.”

“Why are our memories still intact?” Harrison asks. “We watched them fade. No one has ever remembered a fade.”

Kace looks down at me, tilting my chin up. “Arena. It reset itself based on what Arena viewed as right from wrong. She confused it again, though,” he says, which actually confuses me.

“What do you mean?” Helena asks, looking up to see it’s still in the sky.

“Because she expected to be sacrificed. It started to, but hesitated because it didn’t match her views of right and wrong. She’s not a scientist who uses logic to decide fate. She’s a leader who uses her heart.”

Silence falls over everyone, and I look up to meet his eyes as he thumbs away a few of my tears.

“So now the fades are based on what it learned while connected with Arena?” Julius asks in disbelief.

“I… I think he’s right,” Keira says, completely baffled. “Arena most hates the fact the memories are wiped. Logically it made sense to wipe the memories from keeping the same chain of events from leading to war a second time. But memories are valued. I think Kace is right. And we don’t know a damn thing about the viewer anymore.”

I can’t tell if she’s upset or excited, but she quickly takes Kace’s side. “I need to start a team. We’ll need to collect data about the reset. We’ll need to know how the fades work. If it’s based on right or wrong, good and bad, that could be dangerous. But if it’s based on Arena’s version of right or wrong, good and bad… We might finally have real peace. People can defend themselves, oppressors will be obliterated, and life will… change.”

Kace smiles down at me, hugging me so tightly to his chest that breathing becomes a little painful.

“Form a team. Start your study. And we’ll get the word spread.”

She beams up at him, and then she hugs us both before tackling Johnny wrapping her arms and legs around him as she kisses all down his neck.

“Carter!” Sabrina yells, coming through the gate as it’s opened for the women and children Helena and the others did manage to get out.

Carter rushes toward her, and Keira rushes back over. “It didn’t fade Carter. It took in the variables that he was a good man forced to do bad things… But why did it wait so long? Why did it force the fade when it did? There’s so much to learn,” she babbles.

I honestly don’t ever think I’ve seen her so excited.

Harrison scoops Helena into his arms, looking down at her leg. “We need to get that knife out and get you taken care of. Thank God it didn’t hit an artery.”

Helena frowns. “How the hell did I forget I had a knife buried in my leg?”

He kisses her head while carrying her away, and I start to follow, but Kace pulls me back. “We need to talk to our people,” Kace says, kissing my head. “Then we’ll go check on all the injured.”

I look up, curious. “This tribe needs more than one chief,” he explains, tilting my head back. “Besides, you just faded an entire army. I think that will definitely strike fear into the hearts of anyone that wants to attack ever again.”

Kendall helps Julius sit up as he grips his head, distracting me. He looks around, confused as hell, and then he finds our eyes, shifting his baffled stare between Kace and me.

“What’d I miss?”

Chapter 36

ARENA

“You bastard!” I yell, grabbing my bow from the perch I left it on earlier after the exhibition, but Kace jerks it out of my hands as he tries to restrain me.

Is he laughing at me? I will so kick his ass.

“Don’t hurt him,” he says, still laughing.

“That son of a bitch has to die!”

Kace continues laughing, as though any of this can be funny. Does he not see the destruction that asshole has caused?

“Leave Bernie alone,” he says as the damn peacock hops off the table and struts—yes, struts—away, leaving a trail of evidence behind him in the form of our cake.

“He ruined our wedding cake on purpose! He’s a malicious son of a bitch, and he deserves to be roasted over our bonfire tonight.”

Kace just laughs harder as I pout.

“The chief can’t pout,” he says mockingly.

“The chief can’t let a traitorous peacock live,” I point out, but he just continues laughing at me.

Mom gasps in horror as she rushes over to the mutilated wedding cake, and she looks down at the cake footprints that lead outside the banquet hall.

“What happened?” she demands, just as Abigail shrieks, her eyes falling on the same horrible sight.

“Bernie happened,” I seethe. “And Kace let him get away with it!”

I point a finger accusingly at Kace who is still holding my bow, and he takes a step back as both women turn a murderous glare on him.

He slowly backs out, and then he turns and starts to sprint just as they zoom by me in an attempt to chase him. I double over in laughter, no longer concerned with the cake. At least the reception will be cut short now, and Kace and I can move on to the honeymoon portion—two weeks of freedom from our duties as we stay in our bed.

I can’t wait to start.

Kingston is chuckling with his arm lazily resting over Raven’s shoulders as I walk out of the banquet hall.

“Poor Kace,” he says, laughing. “Running from his mother and new mother-in-law.”

I smile while looking at Kace laughing and dodging his mother’s grasp, juking his feet to get past my mother as he works to tire them out. He looks good all dressed up in a suit. It brings back memories.

Raven laughs loudly when Mom almost grabs him, tugging at the back of his suit jacket, but he skillfully wiggles out of it, abandoning it in her hands as he darts away from both women.

“Love that dress, by the way,” Raven says, motioning to the white, silky material that is simple, yet exactly my style.

The neck is cut low, showing more cleavage than I wanted, and the split comes up high on my left thigh, but other than that, it’s the most modest dress Abigail has ever made for me.

“Thank you,” I say with a grin, and she hands me a gift.

“What’s this for?”

“You’re supposed to give the bride presents on her wedding day.”

Ah. Right.

I pull out a pair of leather pants and a top—if you can call the skimpy thing that—from the bag.

“Why are you giving me an all-around outfit?” I ask, looking up curiously.

“Well, you may not be eligible for competition anymore, but you are still a chief that will be expected to come. And a chief has to dress the part. Plus, they’ll want you to shoot the bow for exhibition purposes. You’re sort of legendary since the viewer returned two months ago. Word has spread like crazy about Misel and his men getting ate up.”

I hadn’t realized how many people had been hurt by Misel until we started having a constant flow of guests who stop by to apologize. Oddly enough, the viewer has started fading bandits. Even if there are only a few men, the second they attack, the viewer fades them. For some reason, everyone seems to think I had something to do with it.

The viewer is the one that changed. The thing that once only produced fear has now become a symbol of hope.

“I’m just glad I finally got married. The extra attention has delayed things, because it’s hard to plan a wedding around so many visits. But it’s starting to taper off,” I say with a shrug.

“You’re a traitor,” Kace says, breathing heavily as he comes to wrap his arms around me.

I giggle like an idiot while leaning back against him. I swear I’ll never get enough of him holding me.

I look over to see Mom and Abigail have both collapsed on the ground, sprawling out and gasping for air, exhausted.

“My turn to give the bride a gift,” Julius chirps, walking up with Kendall.

“Do I want to open it?” I ask Kendall, arching a questioning eyebrow.

She shrugs apologetically. “I don’t know what it is. And he refused to tell me.”

Kace takes the bag from my hand, and he pulls out the gift, strangling on a cough as he hands it to me.

The peculiar object tests my mind as I try to fathom its purpose, fingering the leather straps. Is it a mask of some kind?

Then I figure it out just as Kace and Julius burst out laughing at my wide eyes and blushing cheeks.

A fucking muzzle.

“I thought it would keep Kace from showing up to practice with bite marks all over him, and it might help reduce the noise level over the next two weeks of freedom you jackasses get.”

I groan as Kace lets me bury my face against his chest.

Helena walks around, holding the hand of a little girl. Since the viewer, many people have started bringing us orphans and women who have been abandoned at sites. Herders just seem to keep disappearing.

Helena has started taking care of them, and I swear it’s her calling. There are five new large buildings going up to accommodate their schooling and housing until we find permanent placements for all of them. She and Harrison have moved in with them, because that’s now all they do—care for children who need love.

“Julius got you a muzzle?” she asks, biting back a mocking grin.

“I don’t want to talk about,” I mumble, shoving it back into the burlap bag and putting it behind my back as everyone laughs.

“Well, you don’t want to open mine until you get back to the cabin.”

Kace snatches it out of her hand, and he peers inside. The second his grin grows, I picture something with lace.

“Definitely wearing this tonight,” he says, winking at me.

“I bought it for her, but I’m sure you can wear it if you want to,” she jokes.

“I meant her,” Kace groans, but now they’re laughing at him, too.

“Looks like the women have their second breaths,” Kingston says, motioning to my mother who is helping Abigail back up. Both of them cut their eyes toward Kace who kisses me quickly.

“Once I wear them out this time, we’re making a run for the cabin.”

I laugh as he takes off, and the chase starts back over. A world with a new future stands before me, and the purplish blue light in the sky casts a warning to the cruel, the wicked, and the unjust.

I wish my father could see the world he helped to create… I also wish he could see his chief son-in-law as he runs from two women.

EPILOGUE

KACE

“He started it,” Justica says as she points to her brother with a lazy thumb, looking away as though she’s exasperated with me.

“She’s mad because I’m better with knives,” Grant drawls, provoking her carelessly while feigning boredom.

“He’s mad because I just took out twenty-five apples with one arrow, and it’s still taking him three,” she says, arching a brow in challenge and acting much older than ten as she goads her brother.

He fights really hard not let her see that it’s really pissing him off as he waves a hand at her.

“Big deal. I hit the center block with knives in half the time she did.”

She rolls her eyes, but discreetly her jaw tenses.

Amused, I work really hard not to smile. They both hate it when I smile during their arguments. Especially Justica. I hate it when she has a moment of abandon when her temper slips free.

Twins… I don’t know what to say other than thank God for alcohol.

“Okay, time to separate. Justica, go train with the girls. Grant, go train with the boys.”

Grant mutters, “Thank goodness,” while walking away.

“He’s been spying on me. He’s worried I’m going to beat him at our next tribal competition,” Justica says the second he’s not here to defend himself.

Why Arena thought it’d be a good idea to start a juvenile division for our children to partake in during the tribal competition, I don’t know. Why am I the one dealing with the fallout? Because I’m a sucker. That’s why.

“I’m sure he’s very worried,” Arena says, her hand sliding over my arm as she joins me at my side. “Now go give him a good reason to be worried. Aunt Kendall is teaching hatchet throwing with the girls right now. Remember all safety lessons.”

Just like that, Justica’s temper fades, and she smiles up at her mother with layers of mischief that almost worry me before she takes off.

“She’s just like you,” I say, completely exasperated.

Arena laughs while locking her hands around my neck, drawing me down with no effort. Twelve years and I still can’t get enough.

“Which is why she has you wrapped around her finger,” she says against my lips.

I snort while shaking my head, wishing I could deny it.

I’ll be glad when they start taking after me. Laidback twins would be nice. Very nice.

“I missed the all-around choosing. I heard Izzy secured a spot again,” she says as she draws back.

Her long hair is still as soft as ever, and I can’t stop myself from running my hand through it.

“She did. I swear she scares me even more than Keira.”

“Keira is taking bow?” she asks.

“Yeah. She’s leading the bow event. She the only one of us who hasn’t retired from tribal events completely.”

“SaShante make all-around?” she asks.

“Yep. We have four all-arounds chosen. Two girls, two boys. SaShante is struggling with the hatchets, but everything else is spot on.”

She nods, grinning. Since the viewer returned, the competitions have multiplied in size. More and more tribes join every year. Traveling is easier now that bandits don’t pose a threat.

Now it’s also the easiest way to get a dispute addressed. The council is always there, only now they ask for Arena’s input as well as mine. I think everyone is worried about making a decision that will end up getting them faded, and since the viewer now thinks like Arena, it’s easier to get questions answered from her—the source—or me—the man who knows her better than she knows herself.

It distinguishes what is done and for what reason. It doesn’t fade based on logic alone. So far, all fades recorded have been deemed justifiable. To me it’s simple: choose to be a decent person, or choose to be a fader.

Arena pulls me down for a kiss again, this time letting her greedy tongue take advantage of my parted lips, and I growl as I kiss her harder. The cabin—which we’ve had to expand—is empty. Hell yes.

A loud scream forces me to curse as I reluctantly draw back from my wife, and I look over just as Justica runs from… I don’t know what. I can’t see anything chasing her from here.

Grant walks by with a grin, and I tilt my head as he shrugs innocently. “What?” he asks, but I’m not stupid enough to fall for those innocent eyes.

“What’d you do to your sister?” I groan.

“Nothing,” he says quickly, but he can’t stifle his grin as he walks on by, whistling.

“You sure he’s not Julius’s son?” I ask, but end up regretting it when a grunt leaves my lips after Arena elbows me hard in the stomach.

I try to laugh, but my ribs are too damn sore now.

“Julius’s son is the one who is hiding from rock-climbing lessons right now. Kendall came by looking for him.”

This time I can’t help but laugh. Didn’t know a fear of heights was hereditary.

Justica finally makes it up to us, looking over her shoulder as she panics. “It won’t stop following me! I know he threw it on me!” she yelps.

That’s when I see Lenny. Our newest adult peacock is chasing after Justica, and Arena steps behind me like she’s trying to hide from it, too. I swear I don’t understand why the freak out.

Then Justica yelps when it gets too close. Is that thing smiling?

Her voice finds us, causing me to laugh, as she yells, “I hate peacocks!”

THE END

Books by C.M. Owens

The Curse Trilogy – vampire erotic romance (complete)

The Gifts Trilogy – continuation of the Curse Trilogy (complete)

The Daughter Trilogy – paranormal romance (complete)

The Sterling Shore Series – contemporary/new adult romance (ongoing)

The Coveted Saga – paranormal YA romance (ongoing)

Faders Trilogy – science fiction/dystopian romance (complete)

Deadly Beauties Trilogy – bestselling paranormal romance (complete)

Deadly Beauties Live On – spinoff from Deadly Beauties (ongoing)