Page 170 of Scarlet Wars
Jackson glanced back to me for a second before returning to the Chief.
“You’ve got nothing,” Jackson said softly. “And you know it.”
The Chief’s gaze remained steady, but the tension in his hand wavered. His weapon lowered by an inch. His attention shifted to Petru, then James—then to Caden—then to me.
And then…he sheathed his Corona.
The rage and disappointment etched across his face were mirrored in those of the other Chiefs as they followed his lead.
“We’ll be waiting to hear about that deal we struck, Ms. Thompson,” the High Chief forced out through gritted teeth, his gaze cutting between me and Caden.
Caden’s head dipped in a cold, mocking nod. “Wouldn’t hold my breath.”
The High Chief’s jaw clenched. And then, with a quick flick of his hand, he and the other United Chiefs summoned their portals and vanished.
My breath trembled out of me, and I realized my whole body was shaking.
Jackson let out a low whistle, his mouth curling into an amused smile, then turned to Sean, Caden, and me. “Are you guys coming out from underneath that bubble any time soon?”
I laughed, too loud, letting the emotions roll out with it. Relief. Adrenaline. The lingering buzz of soul scraping fear.
We crossed the border, and I went to hug Jackson, only to be shoved aside by Sean, who grabbed Jackson's face between his hands.
“That was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Sean growled, then crashed his lips onto Jackson’s.
Jackson’s arms flailed for half a second before he melted into it. His hands curled into Sean’s jacket, dragging him closer. Sean’s fingers slid through Jackson’s hair, and the kiss deepened into something that burned—possessive, desperate—probably a little too much for the current setting.
When Sean finally pulled back, Jackson was breathless and blinking
“Did you—” Jackson gasped. “Did you just?—”
Sean’s gaze stayed sharp. “You bet your fucking ass I did.”
Jackson’s eyes darkened slightly. Then he swore under his breath and yanked Sean in for another kiss.
I blinked a few times as I stared at them, then frowned in confusion. Weren’t they married? Why was Jackson acting so surprised over a kiss?
Before I could analyze their relationship further, Caden’s hand slid over my arm. His grip tightened for half a second, grounding me whether I wanted it or not.
“You good?” His voice was low.
I nodded slowly, then watched as Petru stepped toward me, his dark armor shifting beneath the low light.
“This is not how I had hoped to meet again,” he said, “but it is still a pleasure to lay my eyes upon you.”
I grinned. “Don’t lie. You coming to my aid in my hour of need? This is exactly how you hoped to meet me again.”
Petru let out a short laugh, then froze, visibly stunned he had produced such a sound.
“Oxana,” he said, before a figure stepped out from behind him.
Petru’s sister was tall and lithe, and her long black hair gleamed like silk. Her dark eyes mirrored Petru’s—cold and piercing—but with a quiet intensity beneath the surface. A twin sword rested across her back, the sharp steel barely visible beneath the hem of her cloak.
She gave me a once-over, then nodded once.
“Oxana,” I said, my voice still raw from the emotion. “Very nice to meet you.”
The raven-haired beauty’s mouth twitched faintly. “You as well. My brother has told me many good things about you, and I must say, your courage was not exaggerated.”
