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“Cut the bullshit, Rhyland. You don't stand a chance against us here," Cade states.

Dread coils tighter within me. Whoever these monsters are must wield significant influence and dark power to have captured someone as formidable as Rhyland before. We're outmatched.

Rhyland's stern voice fills my mind in warning. "When I give the signal, run like hell, and don't look back!"

I tighten my grip on his hand in acknowledgment, though I know deep down that I won't abandon him willingly to this fate. Before I can brace for the clash, Cade launches himself straight at Rhyland with blinding speed.

"Go, now!" Rhyland bellows gruffly, grappling to restrain the feral attacker.

Chaos explodes around me as I try to avoid the converging fray. Cade and Rhyland crash together, trading vicious blows that resonate through the room like thunder. The other shadowy figures close in with claws extended. Rhyland twists and pivots expertly, dodging slashes from their talons. He forces them back with each precisely aimed punch and kicks, buying us precious seconds. But we're still severely outmatched.

A pained scream tears from my throat unbidden as iron bands abruptly encircle and immobilize me from behind. My heart hammers frenziedly as I struggle in vain against the crushing restraint. Fear lends me adrenaline-fueled strength, and I kick and flail wildly, but my captor's grip is merciless. He wrenches my arms higher behind my back, eliciting another raw cry as pain flares hotly under my skin.

Rhyland's head whips toward the sound, eyes blazing with unrestrained fury as they rake over me. With a vicious roar, he grabs the nearest brother's head between his hands and savagely twists until a grotesque crack shatters the air. The lifeless body crumples, head lolling at an unnatural angle.

With a flick of his wrist, he shatters the air and sends another one of his attackers flying across the room. His eyes blaze with power and an unstoppable fury as he hurls them away like ragdolls. He pounces on another opponent with ferocity, delivering a kick that sends him flying back with such force that it feels like the cosmos have been unleashed.

Holy shit! He’s got freakin’ telekenisis? His ridiculous, mind-boggling power has me completely shaken.

The man slams against the wall with a bone-shattering thud before collapsing onto the floor.

But Cade refuses to yield, grappling Rhyland from behind and locking his arms in a chokehold. Rhyland rears violently, slamming his skull's crown into Cade's face. Cartilage crunches wetly on impact as scarlet streams from the brother's shattered nose.

I watch in awe as Rhyland moves with agility and ferocity I have never seen before. He spins and dodges with expert precision. He attacks with a wild abandon that seems fueled by an inner fire. This is genuinely the fighting style of the Vikings—savage, relentless, and unyielding.

Cade lunges forward, his hands gripping Rhyland’s throat. With one swift motion, Rhyland slams his forearms down on Cade’s hands, forcing them away from him and releasing his grip. He quickly raises his head, smashing it into Cade’s face with another sickening crunch. More blood instantly gushes out of Cade’s nose as he staggers back in shock.

Before Cade can recover, Rhyland drives a killing fist straight into his exposed chest. I can only watch helplessly as he strains to rip the beating heart free from Cade's rib cage. Their eyes remain locked in a deadly standoff.

"What's it gonna be, Cade?" Rhyland asks coldly, eyes devoid of mercy. "I can end this quick or slow. Your choice."

Cade gurgles helplessly, his life slowly draining away.

Cade’s face is a portrait of fear and fury. Rhyland is straining to wrench it away while Cade fights back with all his might.

Without warning, the razor edge of a blade presses to my throat from behind. "I'd reconsider that move if I were you," the brother restraining me warns casually.

Rhyland immediately goes statue-still. After an endless moment, he releases his hold on Cade with a venomous glare, and the gravely injured brother collapses, gasping on the blood-slicked floor. My captor presses the knife tip deeper in warning, and I freeze, afraid to swallow. But my mind urgently pleads with Rhyland not to submit—not when we're so close.

"Don't, Rhyland. Kill him." I plead.

Sneering at Rhyland's momentary compliance, the cocky brother restraining me loosens his grip fractionally. It's just enough.

In one smooth motion, I rear my head with as much force as I can muster, feeling the crunch of cartilage and bone against my skull. The brother howls, his grip instinctively flying to his gushing nose. I use the distraction to stomp down hard on his instep and lurch free of his faltering hold.

Rewarded by my defiance, Rhyland shoots his hand back out to crush Cade's windpipe in a viselike grip. Face mottled, Cade claws frantically at the unyielding fingers cutting off his air supply.

But in the chaos of the brawl, neither of us notices one of the remaining brothers circling behind Rhyland, murder etched on his inhuman face. My warning comes too late—before Rhyland can react, the hulking figure violently twists his head, and a sickening crunch fills the air and sends him toppling lifelessly to the floor.

"NO!" I scream.

Cade straightens, grinning maliciously at Rhyland's lifeless body, then turns his gaze toward me, a sinister grin twisting his lips. “Your precious Rhyland can't save you now,” he sneers with an evil hiss.

He steps ever closer, his hand gripping my jaw, wrenching my face toward his. "Such spirit," he rasps. "I look forward to taming that fire, girl." Revulsion churns in my gut.

I want to yell and shout at him, but I only manage to blurt out a quivering plea. “I won’t let you do this,” I say, my voice shaking with rage.

Finally, I spit in his face and growled, “Screw you.”