Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1)(29)

I have Dez’s fresh memory of him swimming in the forefront of my mind.

I shoot back down and lean into Dez’s ear, uttering one word. “Castian.” Then return to my position.

While I’ve only seen the prince’s face through stolen memories, there’s no mistaking his young bright eyes, that taunting smile and hard jawline. His long golden hair falls like a lion’s mane against his shoulders. He wears less armor than his men, the leather dyed a red so deep he looks like a bleeding wound. He dons leather gloves with a ring of gold spikes around the knuckles. The spikes glint in the morning light as he points toward the river.

“Find them,” he orders. “He can’t have gone far.”

Two of the soldiers bow their heads to him before sprinting toward the water.

Dez tugs the hem of my tunic and pulls me down. With our backs against the dirt mound, he squeezes my hand in his.

“I’ll cause a distraction,” he whispers. “Free the others.”

I grab him by the wrist. “No. You’re unarmed.”

He turns back to me with a grin, and for a moment I have a fool’s hope that he’ll stay. We’ll make a plan together. But I know him better than that.

“Not for long.”

His grin disappears as he threads his fingers through my hair and pulls me against him. His lips find mine, pressing urgently, parting them slightly. I kiss him back, but it’s over so swiftly I can hardly breathe.

“Dez—”

“Trust me,” he whispers, voice ragged. He takes the sword from the unconscious soldier. And then he’s gone, melting into the forest like one of its shadows.

I chance one last glance over the fallen trunk and watch Dez prowl through the forest, silent as a lynx.

Castian stands in front of Sayida, his lips obscured by his hair, but even from here I can hear him shout, “Where is Dez?”

The remaining guard’s mistake is standing too close to a tree. He’s young. Probably recently drafted. Dez slips out of the shadow behind him. I brace myself, swallowing deep breaths to ready myself to jump over this mound and scramble to the camp where our weapons lie in a pile. Free the others.

I hear the sickening, wet sound of a sword slitting the guard’s throat. The soldier tries to talk despite the rivulets of blood running down his neck and mouth. He swings his sword once, then hits the ground hard.

Castian spins around to find Dez, and I know this is it. Now is the only chance I’ll have to free our unit. I scramble over the mound, sliding down the dirt slope and landing with the barest of thuds. I force myself not to look at Castian and Dez fight, not to think that the last time they were together, Dez barely got out alive. They’re both bigger now, with another year of battle scars and practice.

I grab my dagger and tuck another under my belt.

Sayida spots me first, relief in her midnight eyes. This close, I can see a new bruise darkening her cheek. I bring my sword to her binding, but a low, arrogant voice draws my attention.

“There he is,” the prince taunts. “The savior of Riomar.”

Dez doesn’t have a chance to respond before Castian swings his sword, a showy thing with emeralds and rubies glinting off its golden hilt, just past Dez’s ear. He turns, sidestepping Castian while leading him away from us at the same time.

A muffled cry comes from beside me. Margo, her bright eyes desperate for my attention. I let go of a shaky breath and finish cutting through the ropes around Sayida’s hands and feet. As soon as she’s free, she pulls a quill-thin blade from her black hair and gets to work on Margo’s bindings while I help Esteban.

“Hurry!” Esteban hisses.

My fingers are clumsy, like my mind hasn’t caught up to the reality that this is all happening. That Dez is fighting Castian. Their swords clang together like bells at high noon, and Dez’s memory of their last encounter washes over me. He fights without the fear of that day, without the memory of Castian’s dagger slicing into his side. While it’s made Dez all the more confident, it makes me desperate.

Esteban’s ropes snap. I haul him to his feet. Sayida finally has Margo free, and they’re running for our stash of weapons when the pounding of boots draws near.

“Lord Commander! They’re getting away!” a guard shouts.

I raise my dagger at the soldiers returning from their failed search for Dez. The pair of them register the young guard’s slit throat and charge us.

I leap aside as the soldier lunges for me, protecting my face with my arm. The tip of his sword drags across my forearm. Searing pain scorches my flesh. I cry out, losing my balance as I wrench back to stop the blade from severing my whole arm. Esteban throws a punch at my assailant, breaking the skin of the man’s ear.

I roll off the ground and push to my feet. The cut is shallower than it feels, but I swallow the pain and breathe in the putrid scent of wilting flowers around us. I have to help Esteban, but my eyes are drawn to Dez. The blood seeping from cuts on his arms.

Trust me.

“Ren!” Esteban shouts. He’s holding two daggers in front of his face, bracing against the pressure of the guard’s sword.

My vision spins as I race forward and slash my blades across the guard’s ankles. He buckles, and part of me feels hungry with victory. My body is hot, surging with a violent energy I’ve never felt before.

Sayida and Margo have their opponent pinned to the ground, binding him with ropes. He doesn’t fight, and there’s a dreamy glaze to his eyes. Sayida must have compelled him to surrender, perhaps playing on some kindness in his heart. I remind myself that the king and the justice show no kindness, and force myself to look away. I’m brave enough to smile. To take the hand Esteban extends so we can make our way to Dez. For a moment, I think we can win.