I spun, slamming my elbow into a Craven’s face, feeling the bones cave in as I snapped forward, kicking another off a fallen guard. A mortal brought his broadsword down on the Craven, a flash of white snagging my attention. My head jerked up just as an arrow whizzed past me, slamming into the skull of a Craven sneaking up on a guard.
A Royal Guard.
Vikter.
He stood several feet away, his cheeks splattered in blood as he turned to the Rise. There was this moment—a brief one—where I knew I could strike now and take him out, wound him enough that a Craven would quickly finish him off. It was necessary because then he wouldn’t be around when it came time for me to take the Maiden out of the city. This was my chance. A perfect one. My fingers twitched around the hilt of a sword. No one would know. No one would suspect a thing.
But I didn’t.
I didn’t even know why.
Vikter turned back around and spotted me almost instantly. Our gazes locked for a heartbeat, and it was as if we both realized the same thing in that instant.
If he was out here, and so was I, that meant…
Motherfucker, Vikter mouthed.
“Shit.” I spun, sheathing one sword.
I bolted over the slippery, body-clogged crowd. The Maiden was safely tucked away in the castle, where no Craven could reach her, but that didn’t mean she was safe.
Especially since she was locked away with the Ascended, and even though she was important to them, I didn’t trust a single one.
Grabbing the half-torn tunic of a Craven, I tossed it to the ground and brought the bloodstone sword down, straight through its chest. Cursing, I withdrew the blade and pressed on. I didn’t like leaving the fight, not when a decent number of the horde was still standing, but the Maiden was unguarded, and knowing my luck…
Near the foot of the Rise, a guard drew his blade free of a Craven’s chest. The man stumbled back, lifting his sword arm. The skin of his hand was a mangled mess.
He’d been bitten.
The guard turned, and in the chaos of the battle, his wide gaze collided with mine. I didn’t recognize him. Had no idea who he was, but I knew he understood what was coming for him now. One bite. It was all it took. His jaw set in determination.
The man dropped his sword and withdrew the dagger attached to his hip. I knew immediately what he was about to do. He didn’t hesitate. Not for a damn second, and he couldn’t if he hoped to finish this. The bite would make it impossible in minutes.
The mortal guard showed more honor in that moment than most were capable of—more than the Ascended ever deserved.
He cut his own throat.
Fuck.
I looked away. The quickness it required to be successful? The bravery to do that for what was basically the greater good?
Fuck.
At the gates, I looked up. “Commander!” I shouted, catching a Craven with an uppercut of my sword, splitting the bastard in two.
Jansen whipped around, looking down. The way his jaw hardened, I knew he wasn’t pleased to see me—the only free Prince of his kingdom—outside the Rise, but he would have to suck it up.
“Open the gate!” he yelled.
Stepping over the fallen Craven, I hurried forward and squeezed through the minuscule opening. I didn’t waste time with being checked out, I just ran to the nearest steps and climbed the Rise. It was the quickest way to get back to the castle. Jansen shot me a look as I reached the top. Hiding a smile, I took off down the wall, passing an empty battlement and then another, nearing the portion of the Rise that hadn’t been manned earlier. There simply weren’t enough skilled archers to fill each—
Something caught my attention. I slid to a quiet stop and turned. My eyes narrowed. One of the nests was no longer empty, but that wasn’t what had stopped me. Frowning, I crept back and peered inside. At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at.
Someone knelt in the archer’s nest, hidden behind the stone ledge. Someone who was cloaked as they pulled the bowstring back, releasing an arrow, firing at a Craven approaching the top of the Rise.
I dragged in a deep breath, scenting the air. I smelled the decay of blood and Craven on me, but there was also a distinctively fresh, sweet scent that belonged to only—
The godsdamn Maiden.
YOU’RE AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING, MURDEROUS LITTLE CREATURE
“You must be the goddess Bele or Lailah given mortal form,” I murmured, thinking I had to be wrong.
There was no way it was her.
The figure spun on one knee, the cloak and gown flowing out around them as they aimed an arrow right at my head.
Holy shit.
I couldn’t see her features beneath the hood, but I knew it was her. It was the Maiden, out here on the Rise—not in her quarters where she should be—with a godsdamn arrow aimed at my head.
I didn’t know if I should laugh.
Or shout.
Her inhale was audible, but she said nothing as she remained kneeling, and fuck, those fingers holding the arrow didn’t tremble.
“You are…” I sheathed my sword and found myself somewhat speechless, but not for long. “You’re absolutely magnificent. Beautiful.”
I saw a slight reaction from her. Her hooded head turned a fraction of an inch, but that was all.
My mind raced as I eyed her. Clearly, she recognized me, but she likely believed her identity remained unknown, and that was understandable. She had no idea that I could pick out her scent.
My heart was still pumping from adrenaline, but that wasn’t all that had my blood pulsing. I briefly glanced down the Rise. No one was near us, nor would anyone pay attention. Not with the barely controlled chaos on the ground.
I made a quick decision then, deciding to humor her. To see how far she would take this. How far I would take this.
And I already knew I often took things way too far.
“The last thing I expected was to find a hooded lady with a talent for archery manning one of the battlements,” I said, a grin tugging at my lips as she remained silent. I extended my hand. “May I be of assistance?”
She didn’t take my hand. Of course, not. But she lowered the bow, switching it to one hand. She said nothing as she motioned for me to back up.
My gods, she really wasn’t going to speak.
I raised a brow as I folded the hand I offered over my chest and moved back. Then, fighting a laugh, I bowed.
She made a soft sound I couldn’t quite decipher as she placed the bow on the ledge below her. I felt her stare as she made her way to the ladder and climbed down.
She hadn’t taken her eyes off me.
And she’d picked up that bow again.
Smart girl.
“You’re a…” I fell silent once more. My eyes narrowed as she slipped the bow beneath her cloak, hooking it to her back.
It was her bow?
What the fuck did she have a bow for?
To kill Craven with, obviously, but that led to my next query. How the fuck did she know how to use a bow to kill a Craven?
Oh, I had so many questions.
The Maiden stepped to the right, making a move to exit the battlement.
I blocked it. “What are you doing up here?”
There was no answer.
Instead, she strode past me with all the haughtiness of a…of a Princess. My lips curled. I’d forgotten I’d called her that at the Red Pearl.
I spun, catching her arm. “I think—”
The Maiden whirled, twisting under my arm. My mouth dropped open. Shock froze me. I didn’t even move as she dipped low behind me and kicked out, sweeping my legs out from under me.