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She gripped the handle as the transport evaded the Neprijat’s long-range cannons.
They were headed for the palace, but Adelina had ordered the pilot to land in the market square. She wanted to make sure as many enemies were taken out as possible.
Varan decided she was more than capable. That rage would serve her well as would the wolf he could see in every movement – ready and waiting to sink teeth into flesh and taste hot blood. He, Kaiden, and Nash would provide whatever cover she might need.
The transport landed with a harsh thud but they all held their ground. Relief filled him and then the anticipation. Now he could finallyfightinstead of watching it from theJasmine’sbridge.
Varan and Nash exited the transport first with Kaiden taking off for the skies the second his feet touched the ground. Three other transports landed with them and the Drakesthai forces followed after Kaiden.
The Queen’s Guard went next led by the captain, Peyton. It was back to full force now and they spread out in perfect formation.
The marketplace was a dead zone. The sky was dark and the stars twinkled in the eerie silence. There had already been a battle here from what Varan could tell.
The capitol in general felt dead.
He could hear fighting, but it was in pockets and concentrated around the slave pens and military posts. Fire raged where Kaita’s ships had exploded. Rubble littered the streets. Varan could see the palace looming in the distance.
At least the lights were still on. It allowed them to see and their own lights would blend in rather than be a beacon for the enemy. Varan rolled his shoulders back as he took it all in. He didn’t like how even the palace seemed dead.
Had Kaita’s forces and her people already swept through? Had any survived?
Adelina came down the ramp of their transport then, rifle already in her hands with Ian and Nadyah at her back to bring up the rear. Varan stopped to watch her for a moment, memorizing the fierce way she looked out at the broken city.
He committed the scene to memory, including her stance, the strength in her shoulders, the way the moonlight shone on the gold of her armor, the points of her vicious crown.
Those amethyst eyes blazed when they found him and Varan knew he would spend as much time as the gods allowed worshipping her.
“Move out,” Nash commanded, watching her the same way Varan did.
And through her he felt their favorite brute and the Drakesthai prince tied to his heart. Varan knew they saw her as he did and that alone was enough for him. She would be protected no matter what happened. It was what they’d promised each other only an hour before.
She didn’t die. None of them could take it if she did. If one of them was forced to sacrifice themselves for her – they would do it without hesitation for the other two. For their own sake as well.
He rolled his shoulders back and grinned as he hefted his rifle up. This is what he wanted. A dirty messy battle where he couldfeelthe death of his enemy by his own hands. If the other battles were any indication it wouldn’t take long to get to his blades and Varan relished that prospect.
Nash signaled for them to move out, activating his helmet. Everyone followed suit and Varan glanced up at Kaiden in the sky, scouting with his squadron of Drakesthai. They were nothing but black dots, but the moonlight made their wings glitter ever so slightly.
The warriors from the other transports fell into step around them and the entered the city streets.
A small army to help take the city and the palace back.
Varan noted the marks of battle that had already been left, bodies and broken buildings.
“We’ll clear what we can, break off if necessary, and then go to the palace,” Nash said, switching to their legion’s channel.
Adelina nodded and Nash’s gaze lingered on her. He didn’t like having her in the middle of the fight any more than Varan or Kaiden did, but she was more than capable as she’d proven over and over. And they would all be there to protect her.
“Follow me and stick together,” Nash ordered, turning down a wide street that went off the market in the direction they needed. “Team one, sweep the marketplace and then bring up the rear while team two, you go east and team three goes west. The queen’s team will go north. Everyone circle back around to join us once the surrounding area has been cleared.”
The first team was already gone, following orders, and the others prepared as they moved forward.
“What about the hounds?” Ian asked, shifting closer to Nadyah.
Both of them would bring up the rear as they had when they took back Hai due to Ian’s medic abilities. And Nadyah wouldn’t leave him. She was best suited for protecting him. Varan gave her a nod when she jerked her chin at Adelina.
They would take care of her.
Even if he doubted they would need to. She had shed her mask of humanity completely.
