“Stay calm,” John murmured to her.
As our legion exited the room, Orion and I ran forward in unison and placed ourselves in front of Arabella. A Protector shielded his Revered.
Always.
Orion grabbed my elbow as he jogged beside me and led me down the paths.
I nodded my thanks in his direction.
We were on the same page.
Behind us, Arabella whispered, “Get out of my way.” She pushed gently against my back. “Also, explain the hair tie.”
I grunted from the ecstasy of her touch.
Chilly air slapped my face, and steam sizzled as the pine needles whispered, snow falling gently all around.
I tasted the cold radiating off Arabella; it was like a shot of adrenaline straight into my veins. It was addicting.
The noises of the new realm were foreign and disorienting. The landscape was quietly loud in a cacophony of hushed sounds. I’d never heard anything like it.
Orion and I fell back so we were closer to Arabella.
She huffed and tried to jog faster to get around us, but we picked up our speed and shielded her with our bodies.
She didn’t get it.
We were never leaving her unguarded.
Not in a foreign realm.
Not during war.
Not in a time of peace.
Never.
Flames crackled on Corvus’s shoulder as my Ignis ran at the back of the group, his breathing steady and controlled behind us as he protected our Revered’s flank.
Not for the first time, I marveled at how truly opposite they were—ice and fire. It was highly unusual because an Ignis and Revered were renowned for complementing each other’s abilities.
It seemed strange that they would be true opposites. The only complement they could provide was to stop the other. With Corvus’s tenuous control over his flames, a part of it made sense that Arabella was meant to ice him out when he lost control.
I grimaced.
There was something wrong with that dynamic.
It was utilitarian in its brutality, while an Ignis and Revered were supposed to be something more. Destined to help each other, not hurt.
My gut screamed at me that Arabella’s role wasn’t just to stop Corvus.
Last night, Orion had whispered in my ear that Corvus had kissed her like he was a dying man, and she was oxygen. I’d had to adjust myself in my pants.
Fuck, I wanted them both so badly.
In the present, scarlet flames crackled louder around Corvus; the temperature around Arabella dropped several degrees colder.
Instinct warned that their powers unleashed together would be cataclysmic and painful.
That was fine with me.
I welcomed the fallout.
Everyone else, including the soldiers we jogged beside down the path, were collateral. It had always been about her, but we’d been stupid fools unable to recognize it for what it was.
Now no one mattered but Arabella.
Period.
I was a Protector through and through.
When we entered the cafeteria, it was uncomfortably warm.
Soft breathing, rustling, and anticipation filled the largest structure of the camp and indicated about a hundred soldiers were present.
We gathered inside and stood at attention beside the rest of the camp.
Dick spoke loudly from the front of the hall, “The angels have located the first city-state and returned with coordinates. As you’ve been informed, this planet is composed of valley settlements separated by treacherous mountains.”
Steps echoed with the telltale click that all the boots of the High Court workers had as a person walked among the lines.
A worker shoved metal against my chest harshly.
I grabbed the sword and sheathed it.
“Don’t touch him like that,” Corvus threatened the worker softly beside me.
Orion breathed roughly through his nose.
As the only blind soldier at the base, I was used to the rough treatment and the whispers that followed me. I could practically taste the doubt radiating off the High Court workers in my presence.
I heard the whispers.
They didn’t think I belonged.
Corvus growled, and the worker gulped loudly.
Dick announced, “We will reiterate one last time that we suspect there to be dozens of portals hidden in this planet’s geography connecting it to other High Court realms.”
He paused.
A worker cleared their throat in front of me, and I held my hands out.
Knives were placed into my palms gently, and I threaded them through the straps on my belt.
“Better,” Corvus said as the person scurried away.
“As we’ve said before”—Dick sounded annoyed that he was repeating himself—“our data indicates there has been no coordinated push to escape through the portals. They seem to travel at random in small segments, and the High Court has had success eliminating those small sects. These operations do not amount to war.”
Arabella murmured under her breath beside me, “No. We’ve had success eliminating them.”
I agreed.
“The ungodly need to be dealt with at the source,” Dick said.
Feet shuffled, and a few men gulped.
The High Court kept dancing around explicitly saying that we had to eliminate an entire planet before they realized they were under attack.
A mass extermination.
“As I’ve stated before, the OPA forbid the High Court from waging direct war against another sentient species. This is the first and only mission we will be a part of. We have given you the tools and ability to locate the threat.”
The worker handed me a sword, and I sheathed it.
“Going forward, the shifter and academy legions will be in charge,” Dick said with authority. “The angel legion is second-in-command to them. They will convene and plan in the strategy room. Everyone except Jinx will RJE there. She stays at the base.”
Soldiers whispered.
I recognized a voice.
Knox, the angel captain with heterochromia, called Jinx a string of expletives, which was strange because he was usually polite and collaborative.
I narrowed my eyes.
We’d spent a lot of time with the shifter legion, and I’d come to enjoy Jinx’s presence.
I didn’t like his fucking tone.
Dick continued, “We have no knowledge about the civilization the ungodly have taken over. We recommend conserving your abilities and only using weapons in this first meeting to identify as much information as possible about your foes.”
The worker handed me a small silicone device and explained hastily, “It’s an enchanted earpiece so the champions and generals can communicate with each other. Press down on the top button once to speak. Hold it down to turn it off.”
I nodded and placed it in my ear.
It fit snugly.
“Per the OPA, all high-ranking members of the High Court will leave this camp immediately. How you choose to proceed is up to you. We are giving you all the tools you need to succeed.”
A rustle of unease spread through the room.
“A team of healers, weapons strategists, enchanters, and food workers unconnected to the High Court will remain to assist with the base operations. All concerns can be sent to the High Court through a secured, enchanted tablet, but note we may not be able to respond.”