Page 159 of Commanding Flame and Shield
As his form again became nebulous, I hurled the words at him, “A caveat—should I choose to come willingly, the battle will end. My family—all of them, and the hierarchy—will go free and unharmed.”
A humorless laugh. “You could save us all a bucket of time, and blood, by just coming along now.” When I didn’t make to move, he shrugged his shoulder. “Should your stomach be unable to handle the bloodshed, Mr. Porter, you know where to find me. You have my word, once your allegiance is sworn, the duel will end.” His features twisted into a wry smile. “Last chance to do so peacefully, little princeling.” When I said nothing, he gave a small shrug and pointed sigh.
Alvara, anger rolling off her, made to speak, but he was gone.
SIXTY-FOUR
JUMP
ALVARA
Oxygen slammed into my lungs as the light of Grayshell showered over my skin. It had been a gamble to bet on Adrastos, but as that warmth caressed my senses, I inhaled as deeply as possible. It had worked. The relief was cut short by raised voices upstairs. My eyes flicked to August, and he jerked his chin forward, prompting me to sprint past the lines of warriors, strapped in their weapons and packs as they granted me wide-eyed Grayshell salutes.
“Whois yourfuckingCommander?”
“You, sir.” Alec.Ohhhh, fuck.I'd known before I'd asked that Alec and Ansel would have my back in this. It was a calculated risk assessment, albeit also a desperate Hail-Mary pass, and they had both sworn to buy me time when Aren would inevitably want to fuck the threads and come down guns blazing. But he shouldn’t be the one paying for it.
Panting, we slid to a halt outside the war room, August snatching my hand and intertwining our fingers.
“Aren.” I kept my chin tall as we walked in. Aren had gathered the leaders—the souls that would have been our generals in a human army. I wet my lips, soothing my nerves as I took in the shattered mirror on the wall, Alec’s bleeding cheekbone, and Ansel’s split lip.Fuckfuckfuck.
Aren was leaning against his desk, every single muscle in his jaw and neck taut as razor blue eyes met mine. A muscle feathered across his cheek, and I forced a swallow. In all our years together, I'd never directly gone rogue—certainly hadn't kept a thread from him that was so crucial. He wouldn’t have let me go…
“He took it really well,” Ansel drawled dryly, gaze roaming over us for injuries.
Alec closed the gap, throwing his arms around my neck. I breathed him in, anchoring myself in that familiar hold. “Jesus, Ally, what the fuck.”
“I know, I'm sorry, it had to be done.”
“Oh, I know.” He peeled himself away from me, moving to grasp August. “I meant you could have fucking warned me about that left hook.Christ.” Fae, who was pale beneath her war paint and battle blacks, shook her head with a sigh.
“I held back, asshole.” Aren growled, glowering at him as he rubbed the back of his neck. That gaze landed on me. “Any moresurprises, Alvara?” I shook my head, words evading me as we stared each other down. “Anybody else would be on the fucking bench.”
“I know.”
“Do you?” He challenged, crossing his arms. “Because I think you forget we can help you pull threads. Sometimes I think you forget we do this shit as a team, Ally.”
“I know.”
“Bullshit.” The entire room froze, my stomach solidifying as we all turned towards Lana, where she’d melted into the shadowy corner, an arm crossed beneath an elbow so she could survey her nails. “You’re not the only one with something to lose here, Alvara.” My eyes burned, and a still-silent August squeezed my fingers.
“She's right.” Fae slid off her stool, crossing the room to wrap around Alec. “You went dark, and we lost our shit up here.”
“I’m—I—”
“You're not sorry,” Ansel cut in. “Just don't, Ally. We know you meant what you did. And it fucking worked, so let’s get down to brass tax and talk sentimental shit once we bury these fuckers.”
Alec snorted at the same time I did, and when I turned back to Aren, he was smiling softly, shaking his head in that knowing way of his.
“You and I will have words when we get back.” He knocked twice on the desk. “Brass tax. Lay it out Alvara. And this time, I do expect to see all the damning details—am I clear?”
We quickly tore through the most solidified visions and hashed out the little strategy we could all agree on so long as Agamemnon’s power was intact. It felt a lot like going in entirely blind.
Too quickly, we had to begin assembling our host as Adrastos had very intentionally given us no time to recover.
Warriors and healers who had families huddled together and wrapped each other in embraces. Aren sought me out, a deep crease between his eyes. Wordlessly, he grabbed my shoulder and yanked me into him, crushing me in his arms and burying his face against my hair.
“Thought I lost you again,” he rumbled quietly.
