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A rattled cough drew her focus back to the warrior sprawled on the ground. He gripped the piece of wood in his side, struggling to pull it free. Arianna stared at him for a long moment, willing her heart to slow, then she crept toward him.
He drew his lips back, hissing and snarling at the female advancing on him. When she didn’t stop, he pulled a knife from his belt and Arianna paused to stare at it.
She should loathe him. She should despise all of them. This male would have killed her. If he had the strength, he still would, but—life was a precious thing, no matter who it belonged to. She’d learned that from her mother, and the belief had only solidified when Arianna was forced into this horrid life.
They were at war. Oftentimes, warriors didn’t have a choice and though others might consider their actions irredeemable, she couldn’t bring herself to feel the same. They were living beings. They had their own lives, family, friends. Just like she did.
Arianna continued crawling toward him and gently lifted the blade from his weakened hand. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she watched the dying male.
He stopped growling.
She placed one hand over his wound and his breath came quicker. He gagged on the blood filling his lungs and fear shone brightly in his dark eyes.
They all feared death in the end, no matter how cruel their actions were in life. She held his gloved hand and something like understanding passed between them. Her tears fell freely now. The battle continued. Others were dying, and many would die alone, but she wouldn’t let this male suffer that fate. She couldn’t.
He drew a strangled breath, then the light faded from his eyes and Arianna bowed her head over his body. She cursed her shackles as she’d done countless times before. Cursed herself for being so weak.
She’d been born with the natural abilities of her country, able to bend water to her will, but it was the second ability, the one that would have enabled her to save this male, that she longed for now.
She’d always hidden her unique magic as a teen, afraid to accept the responsibilities tied to it, but now… now, all she wanted was the chance to use it freely. To heal those injured in this ridiculous war.
Because they were all her people. It didn’t matter if they were from Móirín or Brónach or either of the remaining territories. They were Fae.
The battle quieted, leaving her to stare at the crimson liquid staining her hands. She curled her fingers into fists and summoned the courage to examine the aftermath. Dozens upon dozens of males stalked between bodies, shoving spears and swords through those still moving.
The ringing of steel clashed to her left and Arianna’s hair stood on end when a male jerked her to her feet by the end of her now broken chain. She kept her eyes fixated on the ground, even as the male craned her neck back, hissing and snarling before grazing his bloody teeth against her throat.
A territorial display.
Satisfied, the male stepped back and strode across the field, dragging her with him. She stumbled over the bodies of both slavers and slaves, trying her best not to meet their empty gazes. He shoved her alongside four others, each covered in muck and blood.
Arianna swallowed and struggled to even out her breathing before scenting the air. Sandalwood mixed with the sweetness of cinnamon. The scent of those from Brónach.
Slavers were a cruel lot, but those from Brónach were even crueler. They harbored no love for humans or half-breeds. And right now, a half-breed is exactly what she looked like.
Arianna chewed her lower lip, bowing her head whenever a warrior passed too close. She had to get out of here. She’d known they were traveling too close to the border, but she didn’t imagine they’d crossed it. Not this far from the mountain range. It meant Móirín’s borders were weakening. Maybe Brónach was finally gaining the upper hand. Would her people lose the war after a decade of fighting?
She tried not to dwell on the possibility. If Brónach’s elite broke through the capital city, would they set fire to the guesthouse she used to frequent in the summer months? Would the once sparkling waterfalls of their capital city run with blood? Would her sister—a scream pierced the air and Arianna’s head jerked toward the voice.
One male held a young female by the throat. Arianna didn’t know the female, not really, but that didn’t stop the ache in her chest. It was the same feeling she’d gotten when that Fae male died in her arms. When anyone died…
The male sank his fangs into the female’s neck and Arianna shot to her feet, chains rattling, and dashed toward the pair as fast as her feet could carry her.
Someone was screaming. Was it her voice or another’s? There was too much around her. Too much noise as the males growled and hissed. Too many smells as they scouted the bodies littering the meadow. Too much—blinding pain shot through the back of her skull and Arianna hit the ground hard, sliding through the mud. Stars floated across her field of vision.
She groaned, struggling to lift herself when strong fingers gripped the front of her shirt and yanked Arianna to her feet. The male before her snarled and curled his lips to reveal razor-sharp fangs.
He was going to kill her. She struggled to free herself, fighting against the bonds.
Someone.She pleaded.Talon, please…
Arianna clenched her eyes, then warmth spread across her front. She waited for the pain, but before she could process it, she was falling. She opened her eyes to catch herself and jolted back with a startled scream at the sight of her assailant’s headless body.
Arianna saw his boots first, covered in a thick layer of mud. Her eyes trailed up his frame, and she trembled at the size of the male warrior standing before her. Blood dripped from the blade in his grasp and the icy rain rolled down his rich, umber skin. Thick, twisted locs hung to his shoulders and his dark, scrutinizing eyes pinned her in place. She waited for the others to avenge their fallen comrade, but their voices had fallen silent.
The dark-skinned male clicked his tongue, wiped the blood from his blade, and surveyed the field with a look of disgust. “Does anyone care to explain this mess?”
The male who’d sunk his teeth into the female’s shoulder threw her to the ground. “They resisted.”
