Page 35 of War Queen
“No, it’s all right. I’m all right.” He grimaced through panting breaths. He didn’t look all right. “We have to get you away from here until this is all over,” he said. “It’s not safe for you here.”
She shook her head; she wasn’t going anywhere. “I have to find Alexander.”
“He’s going after the council now,” he told her.
“He’s here?”
He nodded, still panting. “Yes, with the lord commander.”
“Soren’s with him?” Her eyes welled.
“They really work quite well together when they’re not trying to kill each other.”
She laughed through her emotion.
Swords rang behind her, and she glanced back to see Kiran and her Northmen fighting off another wave of mercenaries.
“Salara,” Bhastian pressed. “You see? He says the Bear is well. We should fall back until the commander takes the council and secures the castle.”
She shook her head again. “I can’tfall backin the fight for my own kingdom.”
Caspian wavered and dropped to a knee. Norah and Kiran both jumped forward and caught him.
She raked her eyes around them. “We need to get him somewhere safe.”
“This way,” Bhastian said, and they fell back toward the library.
Away from the thick of the fighting, Caspian sank to the ground along the arched stone. Their men formed a protective wall around them under the direction of Bhastian and Kiran.
“We’ll get you a healer,” Norah said as she dropped down beside him. “Just rest for a moment. You’ll be okay.”
“It’s not feeling that way,” Caspian said between labored breaths. He gripped his side tightly and grimaced again.
Her heart beat faster. “What do you mean? You said you were all right.”
“Help me hold the bleeding,” he said.
Norah’s hands shook as she fumbled along the ridges of where the armor split. The tunic was stained with blood underneath, but she wasn’t exactly sure where she had hurt him.
“It’s a side wound,” Bhastian said, “he’s perfectly fine. He’s not even bleeding that much.”
“Shut up, Bhash,” Kiran said.
She paused and glanced back at Bhastian, then at Kiran. “Wait, is this your way to keep me out of the battle?” she asked.
Kiran puffed an angry snort and cut Bhastian a glare. Bhastian shifted, just catching on.
She scowled back at Caspian and swatted him. “I can’t believe you! I was actually worried!”
“Ow!” He winced. “In fairness, I didn’t expect to get stabbed. I’m just trying to make it worth it. And it really does hurt.”
“I should stab you again.”
He gave a slight smile. “Welcome home, Norah.”
Soren cut through the battle at Alexander’s side as they raced toward the keep, with the Kharavian warriors at their heels. The mercenaries grew thick as they drew closer, but the Kharavian men were skilled swordsmen, and they kept the small team moving forward. Alexander and Soren charged the hold at the doors, bringing down the defense and bursting inside. Both men took the stairs at a run. Mercenaries met them in force, but Soren and Alexander shouldered them over the railing or cut them down. Bodies on the stairs slowed their advance, but they battled through. The sting of a blade ripped across Soren’s arm, but it was only a surface wound, and he delivered a deadly blow back, ripping open his opponent’s neck and sending him tumbling down the staircase.
The councilmen had already fallen back, deeper into the keep.
