Caden’s POV
"Please don’t do anything, let handle them," I muttered to Gunnar, but he did not reply, and I took that silence as permission because right now I needed him calm more than anything.
The guards were already rushing toward us with weapons raised, their boots pounding the ground, their faces twisted with anger and fear because they knew who we were and they also knew they had no chance.
Still, they ca anyway because they had orders, and stupid loyalty always got people killed.
The mont the first man swung his sword, I lunged.
I moved faster than they expected. My hand wrapped around his wrist, and I twisted it until I heard the loud crack of bone snapping. He scread, but the sound died quickly because my other hand shot forward and dug straight into his throat. My fingers pushed through flesh, and hot blood sprayed across my face and chest. I yanked hard, and he dropped.
More guards surrounded .
Good.
I grabbed the next man by the head and slamd his face into my knee. I heard the crunch of his nose breaking. Before he could fall, I grabbed his hair and smashed his skull against the stone wall again and again until his body went limp. Blood ran down the wall and dripped to the floor.
Soone stabbed at my back.
I twisted sideways, letting the blade graze my arm. Pain burned, but it only made more alert. I caught the attacker’s arm, pulled him close, and sank my teeth into his neck. I ripped a chunk of flesh out, and he choked on his own blood. I shoved him away and kicked his chest so hard he flew back into three others.
The air filled with shouting and the sll of blood.
I heard Gunnar behind , still silent, still watching.
Good. Stay there.
Another guard rushed with a spear. I grabbed the spear midair, pulled him forward, and drove my fist through his chest. My hand ca out the other side. His eyes widened in shock, and then I tore my hand free and let him fall.
The rest hesitated.
Fear.
I smiled.
"You should have stayed away," I said calmly, my voice low and steady.
They attacked together.
One jumped on my back, but I slamd myself backward into the wall, crushing him. Another tried to slice my leg. I kicked his head clean off his shoulders. It rolled across the floor and hit the bars of the cell.
Blood was everywhere now. The ground was slippery. My boots were soaked.
I grabbed two n at once, one in each hand, and smashed their heads together until their skulls cracked open. I threw their bodies aside and spun, catching a blade aid at my neck. I bent the sword with my bare hand, then drove it into the attacker’s eye. He dropped instantly.
More ca.
They kept coming.
And I kept killing.
Ti felt strange. I did not know how long it lasted. Maybe minutes. Maybe seconds. All I knew was the rage inside and the need to end every single one of them before Gunnar lost control.
When the last man fell, the silence felt loud.
Bodies were everywhere. Almost thirty of them. So had no heads. So had open chests. So had empty eyes.
I stood there breathing hard, blood dripping from my hands.
I turned to Gunnar.
He was leaning against the wall, watching with that calm look, but I could see the storm inside his eyes.
"Let’s go," I said.
He nodded once.
We walked out of the prison, stepping over bodies like they were nothing. The air outside felt cold and fresh, but it did not wash away the sll of death.
As we were about to leave, I stopped.
Sothing pulled my attention back.
Bane.
He was still inside the cell, barely conscious, his body weak and covered in wounds. His head hung forward, and his breathing was shallow. Sothing about him was strange. Riley had said he was her buddy for the past two days. I did not know why, but that mattered.
It would not hurt to help him.
I turned and walked back.
Gunnar did not stop .
I opened the cell and went inside. The man lifted his head slowly, his eyes unfocused.
"Can you stand?" I asked.
He tried, but his body shook, and he almost fell.
I caught him.
"Why... help ?" he whispered.
"Because Riley says you’re her buddy," I replied simply.
That was enough.
I put his arm over my shoulder and dragged him out. He was heavier than he looked, but it did not matter.
We left the prison and moved fast through the forest.
It was a bit into nght now and it was quiet, and that made uneasy.
I mindlinked Cane."{We’re coming.}"
He answered imdiately."{Riley is safe. We are waiting at the border.}"
Relief filled for a second.
Good.
We kept moving.
The closer we got to the border of Tithers town, the more tense I felt. Sothing was wrong. The forest was too silent. No animals. No wind.
I did not like it. We reached the clearing near the border.
I was about to relax just then the ground moved.
n erged from everywhere.
From under the earth. From the grass. From behind trees. From the shadows.
Hundreds of them.
No. They were a thousand.
My heart slamd against my ribs. "What the hell," I muttered.
We had been ambushed.
Then a familiar voice rang out. "I knew you would co."
I froze, I know that voice too tell.
Laden.
Of course.
He stepped forward with a smile that made my skin crawl.
"Of course, we knew you would co for the human woman," he said.
I clenched my fists.
"Is that why you brought a thousand troops to fight us? Are you that scared?" I asked.
I dropped Bane gently on the ground and stepped forward, placing myself between Gunnar and the enemy. Right now, Gunnar was the most dangerous person here, not them.
If he lost control, everything would end.
Laden’s eyes flashed with anger for a mont, but he quickly hid it.
"Of course I would bring many n. I want to see how the Triarch Alphas fight. I want to see how exhausted you can beco when you fight a thousand warriors," he said, chuckling.
"You are foolish," I replied coldly. "Throwing away the lives of your n for a re woman."
He laughed.
"re woman? The sa one who is your mate? I am not interested in that human woman. I am interested in you."
His gaze sharpened."I have waited for a ti like this."
He paused and tried to look past at Gunnar.
I shifted to block him more.
"I also heard sothing interesting from my spy in Obsidian Veil about one of your brothers."
I blinked. So it was true. He really did had a spy.
"Is he the strongest among you?" Laden asked, smiling. "It will be entertaining to watch him."
Behind , I could feel Gunnar’s rage building. It felt like heat against my back.
I mindlinked him instantly.
"{Stay calm. He is trying to provoke you.}"
There was no reply, but I hoped he heard .
"Let your n fight alone," I said. "I will snap all their heads."
Laden smiled wider.
"Not when they shift into their Tithers form, Caden. You and I both know it will be impossible for you to defeat a thousand shifted Tithers."
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