Page 69 of White Raven

“Shut the fuck up!” Boss spat out. “When did you become a chatty one?”

“He’s distracting us.” Rev poked his blade at Onyx, a snarl curling his lip.

“You are correct, my friend.” The shift in Onyx was instant. He clutched Rev’s blade with his bare hand, ripping it out of his grip, while whirling on Kämpe, stabbing him through the neck, twisting it. A crunch of cartilage and shredding of veins squelched the camp. The large fighter gurgling in blood before he dropped.

I didn’t hesitate. Using the distraction, I rammed my elbow into Hvit, before slamming my balled fist into his groin with as much force as I could.

A cry broke him away from me, the blade falling as he bent over himself in agony.

Swiping it up, I spotted the groundling close to my foot. “Free everyone you can!” I ordered before twisting for the Boss, his face no longer a portrait of superiority, but fear. It quickly switched to anger, his resentment coming for me.

“You fucking bitch!” He surged for me.

The Shadow Rifter, sitting next to me, lurched up behind the Boss with a cry, his bound hands slipping over the slaver’s head, yanking him back into himself, using his bindings to strangle the leader. “I hope you fucking rot!” he seethed into his ear, fury blazing the Shadow Rifter’s eyes. “Huginn and Muninn deny you any peace, jævla idiot.” He pressed down harder, his teeth gritting.

Boss scraped his nails at the Rifter’s arms, thrashing against him, growing weaker. I heard the snap of his neck, the Rifter’s bellow rising in agony and rage. The Rifter let his body drop, standing over him, shaking in fury.

A cry snapped my head around, seeing both Rev and Kämpe sprawled out on the ground, Rev’s lungs still trying to flutter with life.

“Let that be a lesson.” The Night Raven dropped his curved blade into Rev, twisting it, the sound of flesh ripping as he tore his guts from his stomach. “Never touch what is mine.” Onyx spat on them, his saliva pink with blood.

He wiped off the guts from the scythe, stepping away from his kills like an instrument of pain and punishment, his eyes landing on me. He searched my figure, his gaze like a weight pressing over every inch of my skin, making sure I was okay.

His focus went over my shoulder, reminding me of my fellow Day Raven. Whipping around to where Hvit had been.

The spot was empty.

My gaze lifted to the forest beyond, where he slipped away.

People stirred around me, dragging my attention back to the group. Some of them stood up, rubbing at their unbound wrists, all of them appearing dazed and weary.

Using my knife, I moved through the rest of the group, cutting through their bindings.

“Thank you.” A girl maybe ten years older than I gripped my hands hard, her gaze going to Onyx as well. “Thank you so much.”

“Go,” Onyx grunted almost in annoyance, his fingers wrapping around my arm. He tugged me toward the forest, a single loud whistle echoing between his fingers. “All of you go home.”

“I don’t have a home to go to,” the Shadow Rifter snapped.

I pulled out of Onyx’s grip, going up to the man. Once he would’ve been considered an enemy. A villain in my story who deserved everything he got. I held up the blade I took from Hvit to him.

“What’s your name?”

“Ansgar.”

“Find her, Ansgar.” I laid the knife in his hand, like I could repent for what my father had done to him and his wife, for the pain he caused them. “Find both of them. That is your home.”

His throat bobbed, taking the blade, his head dipping.

I wanted to say more, wishing I could offer more, but I squeezed his hand and turned away. Taking a few steps, I spotted a silhouette on the ground near the fire.

Lying on its back, the groundling rubbed at his full belly with his good arm, a loud burp popping in the air.

“Seriously?” Onyx exhaled, while I traveled to it, picking up the creature and cradling it in my hand. “We are not collecting pets.”

“You’re the one who brought him with you.”

“I didn’t bring him. He was already there.” Onyx watched me cuddle him closer. “I said no.”