Chapter 10

We keep stumbling towards the camp, tripping over roots and branches. By the time we burst into the camp, I am gasping for breath. Dylan’s chest is heaving as he looks over at me. “Out of shape?” He asks, scanning me up and down. I glare at him. “I could ask the same,” I mutter.

“Raven? What took you so long? Where were you?” Axel demands. For a moment, the battle seems to slow. I catch Thorn strolling up to Dylan from the corner of my eye. I turn. She grabs him by his shirt, slamming him against the wall. Her knuckles are white, the black fabric wrinkled in her grip. “Don’t you remember what I told you, boy?” She purrs, gritting her teeth in a faint smile. They flash in the bright sun.

Dylan glares coldly at her, his eyes full of hostility. He swallows hard, his Adam’s apple dipping in his throat. I’m a rogue.”

“Exactly, dear,” she hisses, lowering her voice. “And if I ever see you on any Tribal grounds, you face consequences.”

Before anyone can react, Thorn’s blade is pressed into Dylan’s neck. A thin trickle of blood runs from the knife. “Stupid fool,” she purrs. Thorn motions with her other hand, and her army charges forward once again. This time, a few come for me. My pupils narrow, and I watch wild-eyed as chaos erupts all around.

Axel glances at me, then over at Dylan, confusion darkening his gaze. He looks at me one more time, before diving back into the midst of the battle.

A soldier lunges in my direction. I dodge, feeling the wind of the sword as it flies past my shoulder. That was close. I grunt, trying to land a blow. The soldier attacks again, swiping at the bottom of my neck. I gasp at the sharp sting as he raises his sword again.

“Don’t you dare, Soel.”

Dylan suddenly intervenes in front of me, and threatens the soldier. His eyes carry an intense glare. “Touch her, and you’re dead.” Dylan pauses, maintaining eye contact steadily as more soldiers gather to help. “All of you.”

“Who’s team are you on, Ashye?” Soel accuses loudly, bristling. Dylan looks unfazed at his last name. He stays quiet.

“Even if you beg Eclipse, they will never let you join,” Soel mocks. Dylan stiffens, his arm jerking forward. The sword lands a hard blow to Soel’s stomach.

“I can defend myself,” I snap, holding my own sword in front of me.

Soel backs off, despite his hands clenching with frustration. “Traitor.”

“Fine. Show me, warrior,” Dylan hisses, his eyes darkening with anger. “Show me you can handle it.”

A stream of blazing hair flies past me as Solar charges into Dylan. He jerks back in surprise, but recovers his guard as Solar aims for his chest.

“Solar!” My stomach twists. Dylan better not hurt her. I swallow. Why wouldn’t he?

Dylan wrestles with her on the ground. I spot the sword a second early. I knock her out of the way of his blow. “Stop scaring me,” I say, putting my hands on her shoulders, my arms shaking. “It’s a battle, Raven! You go for the nearest,” she instructs dismissively.

BAM! A heavy weight slams into me, and my heart lurches into my throat. I gasp, and drive the sword forward with all my might, trying desperately to see who I’m fighting. When the soldier jerks back, I kick her in the chest. She lands a blow to my shoulder. Anger blurs my vision as I strike out. I hear a grunt of pain, and she stumbles away, her side stained with fresh blood.

Shaking, I struggle to regain focus, staggering up. I scan the clearing blurrily, before a man strikes at me with his sword. It was long, the sharp end pointed straight at me. I dodge quickly, tumbling to the ground, dirt smearing on my arms, my elbows scraping against the rough earth. His sword meets with mine, and it made a loud clashing, screeching, ear-piercing noise. I desperately try to recover from the impact, and swipe at his stomach, watching as it runs red and he screams in agony.

Someone lands a blow to my head from behind, and I circle around dizzily, confusion clouding my eyes. They’re teaming up…

A sword meets with my back, and I swipe out with my sword blindly, crying in pain. Another person joins in, and I can feel them gaining on me as I whip around to try to land a hit.

I can’t do this anymore…

I look around frantically for help. I distinguish Saber.

He is trying to get to me, but two soldiers are on his tail, and they tackle him to the ground. “No…” I slur, barely a whisper.

All three of Cobra’s soldiers are swiping at me now. My efforts to fight back are in vain, and I collapse to the ground, my eyes filling with tears, my cheeks damp. End this torture…please…

I can see a sword coming down on top, glinting in the sun, set high in the sky. This is the end of me, isn’t it? I gasp for breath, a shock of pain every time my chest rises.

But it never lands a blow.

My vision is fading in and out now, and black dots cloud my ability to see. I blink several times, seeing a blur of black hair and dark blue eyes. Dylan.

Every breath is an effort. I’m trembling, my head woozy. My hands are shaking hard, and I clench them into fists.

He charges into one of the attackers, and his sword comes out wet and red, leaving him…or her…lifeless on the ground, soul bleeding out into the dirt. The life drained from the eyes. He doesn’t even give the body a second glance.

Dylan knocks the other soldier’s sword out of their hand. The soldier lands a powerful punch to Dylan’s jaw. He stumbles back, but throws a knife. It grazes the soldier’s calf. Weaponless, the soldier stumbles away, tripping on the bumpy ground.

I can’t see what he did to the last one. By now, my breathing is shallow, and I slam my eyes shut. “No one kills who I haven’t already,” Dylan spits breathlessly after them. Then, he looks down at me. His eyes are empty, yet there is something deeper in them, and I can’t distinguish what it is. His jaw tightens, and he breaks eye contact.

The whole clearing seems to stop moving. For the first time, some of them scan the battle-scorn land, noticing how many are dead, and how many are badly injured. “Stop the fight, please, Thorn,” One of Cobra’s soldiers pants weakly. “Don’t you see this isn’t worth it?”

Thorn glares at her, but uncertainty crosses her eyes, only for a second, before her expression smoothes out. I gasp for breath. “Dylan…help me—please…” I wheeze. Dylan pauses, refusing to meet my gaze.

“Kill her, Dylan. You know what? I’ll welcome you back to the Tribe,” Thorn hisses, chuckling lightly. “Only if you bring the sword down. I’ll excuse your disloyalty, Ashye.”

Of course he’s going to do it. Why wouldn’t he? I betrayed him before. I get it if he does it to me. I honestly deserve it. I close my eyes, ready for the flash of pain, ready for the darkness after it.

“Kill her? Huh,” Dylan says, a bitter laugh escaping from his throat. He almost sounds amused. I slowly open them again with surprise. “what would make me listen to you? I’ve already killed so many people for you. You’re just using me. You exiled me, why would you want me back?” He lowers his voice, dropping to a hushed murmur.

I’d rather die than have her blood on my sword.”

Something glints in his pocket. I squint closer. A blue glint. I would’ve gasped, but I don’t even think my mouth would open. It’s the pendant. Dylan doesn’t seem to notice, however. I try to scream at him, but I don’t know if I can. Thorn’s eyes dart around with surprise. The blood drains from my face. She noticed too.

“Stop him,” she snaps, gesturing to the pendant, her voice carrying a slight panicked tone. Fear cracks through her composure. After a second’s pause, Thorn’s army charges for him. Axel, on the other hand, hesitates for a moment longer. And joins in. No! No…this can’t be happening. My eyes slowly start to black out. No! I try to blink, but it’s like a black sheet covering my vision, and there’s no way to fight it.

The last thing I see is Dylan…fighting for his life.