CHAPTER 30

The Final Test

The air was hazy with smoke and blood.

Flora cleaned her blade against her sleeve, breathing hard and fast. Bodies littered the ground around her-some still twitching, others unnervingly still. The battle had been a mess from the very beginning. Now, they were down to the last stretch, but the odds weren't in their Favor.

"On your left!" Adrian's voice cut through the chaos.

She spun around just in time to duck, the bullet grazing her shoulder, making her stagger. She didn’t have time to react before Adrian was there, pulling her down behind the rubble, his breath coming out in ragged gasps.

Adrian was already moving, sword a blur of motion as he sliced through the other opponent. They had worked together long enough by now; words were sparse. A look, a shift in stride—a look sufficed.

But it wasn't survival anymore.

At least, it wasn't with him.

Neither with her.

Adrian snagged her wrist and pulled her behind him at the very last moment, so an arrow could whistle past her head. "You good?

"Still standing," she said, though she could taste blood in her mouth.

He nodded once, then turned his gaze back to the battlefield. "We need to move. Now."

They barely had a handful of allies left, and the enemy wasn't letting up. A small contingent of them was circling back, moving with the kind of precision that suggested they weren't ordinary soldiers.

Flora swore under her breath. "They're hunting us."

Adrian's jaw clenched. "Let them try."

He was off first, swinging across the field with ruthless efficiency. Flora followed, keeping pace with him, her heart pounding in her ears.

They reached the remains of a fallen watchtower and huddled behind it as arrows rained down around them. Of the others—Lorne, his mercenaries, and what was left of their squad—there was no sign. Either dead or smart enough to get away.

Adrian pressed his back against the stone, exhaling sharply. “We’re not getting out of this clean.”

Flora wiped sweat from her forehead, ignoring the sting of a fresh wound along her shoulder. “We just need a way through. Something—”

A sudden explosion rocked the ground beneath them.

Flora felt herself stumble to catch herself on the wall, as a fireball erupted across the middle of the battlefield. Debris had gone flying until the enemy faltered for half a second—and that was more than enough for her and Adrian.

Adrian didn't hesitate. "Go."

They took off.

Flora ducked low, weaving between broken wagons and fallen bodies. Adrian was right beside her, his breath even despite the exhaustion she knew had to be creeping in.

They were close. So damn close.

Then—

A figure stepped into their path.

Flora skidded to a stop, heart slamming against her ribs.

It was him.

Adrian's brother.

His face was streaked with blood, his blade already drawn. "Leaving so soon?"

Adrian didn't break stride. He lunged.

Their swords clashed in a flashing burst of steel ringing on steel.

Flora had barely time to react before another attacker was upon her. She ducked, dodging a wild swing, then counterattacked with a slash of her own. The man howled, staggering backward as blood flowed from his side.

But she wasn't focusing on him.

Her gaze strayed again and again to Adrian—his movements sharper, more brutal than she had ever witnessed. This wasn't a fight. This was personal.

His brother smirked between strikes with ease, catching each blow with his sword. "Still so angry, little brother?"

Adrian didn't reply. His blade did.

Flora went down to her man, then turned, searching out an opening. She could intervene—assist—but something in the set of Adrian's shoulders stayed her hand.

He needed to finish this.

And yet.

She saw it before Adrian did.

The shift in his brother's weight. The way his fingers tightened around the hilt of a hidden dagger.

Flora moved.

She didn't think-she just acted.

Her body collided with Adrian's just as the dagger came up. It wasn't meant for her, but she took the hit anyway.

Pain exploded through her side.

She gasped, stumbling back, her vision going white for half a second.

Adrian caught her. "Flora—"

His brother's face twisted into something unreadable. "Should've stayed out of it."

Adrian's anger was instant.

He attacked again, and this time, he showed no mercy.

His blows were relentless, his pace unbeatable. Flora hardly registered the pain tearing through her body as she watched him fight. Watched him finish it.

His brother stumbled—only for a moment, but it was enough.

Adrian plunged his sword forward, right between his ribs.

His brother gasped, eyes wide in shock.

Adrian didn't say a word as he yanked the blade free.

A moment later, there was just silence.

His brother crumpled.

Over him, Adrian stood, heaving. On his sword, on his hands, on his face, there was blood, but his eyes-his eyes cut straight for Flora.

She swayed.

In that instant, Adrian was moving toward her, his arms catching her before she went down. "Stay with me," he demanded, his tone hoarse.

Flora laughed breathlessly. "You… you always say that."

His grip tightened. "And I always mean it."

The world spun. Or maybe that was just her.

She felt his hand press against her wound, trying to stem the bleeding. It hurt like hell, but she made herself focus.

"We have to move," she whispered. "They'll be back."

Adrian nodded, but he didn't let go of her. "Can you walk?"

Flora gritted her teeth. "I don't have a choice."

He didn't argue. He just pulled her arm over his shoulder, supporting her weight as they started moving.

The battlefield was still chaos, but the tide had shifted. The enemy was retreating. Their forces-what remained of them-were pushing forward.

They had survived.

For now.

Flora leaned into Adrian, exhaustion threatening to pull her under.