Renegades (Hotbloods #3)

“What do we do?” I asked, panicked, dreading the thought of being forced to run back through the tunnel.

“We let them take us to Brisha,” Navan said stoically, his gaze unwavering. “She’ll listen to what we have to say. And I doubt they’ll hurt us until we’ve been put before her.”

I didn’t feel confident of that. I knew what coldbloods were like, and if I didn’t come out of this bruised and battered, it would be a miracle.

Commander Korbin was at the head of the squadron, though none of our fellow trainees were present. Instead, he was flanked by an elite force, their faces bearing the scars and tattoos of seasoned soldiers. There were ten, in total, which seemed like overkill considering there were only two of us, but I supposed it was meant to send a message.

“Don’t move!” Korbin bellowed as his team descended. “We will shoot you without hesitation if you so much as twitch!” The soldiers carried guns that flashed tiny green lasers across our bodies.

We did as we were told, staying perfectly still, while the task force approached. Two females came up behind me, yanking my arms behind my back, fastening cuffs roughly around my wrists. With my hands bound, they shoved me in the back, getting me to stagger forward.

“Careful with her!” Navan yelled, his eyes furious.

“One more word, and I will take your blade and slice her head off. Do I make myself clear?” Korbin spat, getting nose-to-nose with Navan.

He fell silent, gazing in my direction. One of my guards forced my chin down to my chest, so I couldn’t look at him any longer. She kept her hand on my neck. The muscles there were screaming in pain, but there was nothing I could do. To fight back would mean certain death against soldiers like this.

“Blow it up!” Korbin ordered, and I caught sight of two other soldiers planting bombs around the tunnel entrance. When it blew, the passageway would be sealed for good.

A moment later, the two coldblood females gripped an arm each before hauling me up into the sky, dragging me along behind them as we soared across the bitter landscape, the frozen lakes glinting in the distance. I tried to turn, to make sure Navan was following, but each time I moved, one of the coldbloods forced my head back down.

Half an hour later, we reached the unmistakable layout of Nessun, the squadron of elite soldiers bringing us right down in front of the palace before clapping more chains on our ankles. For good measure, they clamped a peculiar device down over my mouth, the solid metal preventing me from speaking. When I tried, it pinched my skin, the pain increasing with each attempt I made.

Panic coursed through me. If neither Navan nor I could speak, how were we supposed to explain the truth to Brisha? I flashed a look at Navan, who had been dragged up beside me, a metal device clamped across his mouth too. I could tell he was trying to calm me down, but there was only so much he could say with his eyes alone.

With our bodies rattling with chains, the soldiers pushed us roughly inside the palace, leading us down the echoing hallways toward the throne room. It was a far cry from the way we had arrived at Nessun that first time, when we had been welcomed as guests, not prisoners. Now, we were definitely meant to feel like traitors to Brisha’s crown.

The queen was waiting for us at the top of the plinth where her throne stood, her arms folded across her chest. She was dressed in a plain, flowing black gown, her pale copper hair tied up in an elegant style, black roses woven into the tresses. Somehow, it felt like she’d dressed up for the occasion—her style best suited for an execution. I shuddered at the thought, my eyes flicking up to hers. They were fixed upon us, her expression one of deep disappointment.

“Would you call it coincidence that all the civilians happened to be evacuated from the Observatory, right before the bombs went off?” she asked coldly, pacing across the top of the plinth, her long train sweeping across the marble. “Would you call it coincidence that the pair of you disappeared shortly after you were due to report back?”

I shook my head, opening my mouth to speak, but the device bit into my face, prompting me to grimace instead. A whimper of pain echoed from my throat. Brisha’s expression changed slightly as she heard it.

“Take those ridiculous things off, Korbin! How are they supposed to speak, if they have a bar of solid metal across their mouths?” she snapped, bringing me an instant wave of relief. Now we would have the chance to tell the truth, and hopefully regain her favor.

The guards removed the devices, though they were by no means gentle about it. As mine came away, I licked my dry lips, tasting the metallic tang of blood.

“Was this your doing, Idrax? I know you objected to my course of action before you left to complete your mission,” she accused, her eyes narrowing. “I thought the threat of my punishment might be enough to sway your hand, but clearly I was wrong,” she added sourly.

Navan nodded stiffly. “I admit it. I was the one who caused the building to be evacuated,” he said, thankfully mentioning nothing of Seraphina. “However, I did so without raising any alarm. I didn’t want innocent people to die, but my loyalty remains with you, Queen Brisha. If I were not on your side, I would have stopped the explosion entirely. I did not. I merely stopped the killing of innocent people,” he explained, his voice calm.

Queen Brisha looked thoughtful for a moment, mulling the words over. “Perhaps you have done me a favor by acting this way. The thought of so many deaths on my conscience is not something I relish, and you have saved me from that,” she said, then paused again. “However, whatever your reasoning, I must still banish you to the farthest tundra of the North, where you will struggle to survive past a week. Mercy is a noble trait, Navan Idrax, but you defied me, and I will not tolerate that under any circumstances,” she continued, her expression icy. “Moreover, your absence is still unaccounted for. Where did you go, traitors?”