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"You need to be careful." I spoke fast, hoping she'd walk away before I did something stupid like apologize … again. "Tye may have helped back there, but he's still dangerous." I jutted my chin towards the hulking man.

He stood, hands clasped behind his back, just a few yards ahead, attention on Korym and the other members of our team currently talking with the Berserker Village guards.

Kaiya just rolled her eyes. "You're the last person I'll be taking advice from,Liam.Getting those guards to beat you back there?! What were youthinking?" She shook her head. "But that's not what I want to talk to you about." Her gaze slid to the stronghold behind us. "I think you being here might be partially my fault. Frexin saw us talking on the ship and …" Her expression fell. "I think she wants you away from me. And with your history with these people, she's sent a mission to —"

"No talking!" Holden shouted behind me as a hand gripped my collar, yanking me backwards, away from Kaiya.

I stumbled into the meaty arms of my guard and the sharp movement sent pain through my bruised side. I gritted my teeth against the pain.

What I wouldn't give for that damn healing relic I'd lost in Gleyma…

Kaiya worried her bottom lip as she stared at me, hazel eyes tight as the guard shoved me forward and down the street.

Gods be damned. The fear from before came back in full force.

If I couldn't go back, what would happen to Gram and Mirrim?

Chapter 25

Liam

Four guards led our group from the landing pad into the stronghold proper.

The massive walls were nearlyidenticalto those protecting Dragon's Peak, save for them being made from the dark gray stone of this mountain region instead of the red-stone of my village.

Had the Isle leaders once planned it that way? So, each stronghold was protected?

We worked our way through the maze of dusty streets, dilapidated two-story buildings walling us in.

The place was busy with people bustling about and children playing. It didn'tseemlike they'd been conquered by the Empire yet.

How had she managed that?

Lady Valtru was obviously doingsomethingright.

I tried smiling at a townsfolk for the third time, but again, they scowled and turned away. No one spoke whenwe neared, and I couldn't tell if they were wary of the city guards or the Empire.

We finally reached the town square. It was busy with people bustling around stalls, and sweet and spicy scents filled the air.

"Leave him alone!" a woman shouted frantically amidst a small crowd to my right.

The group parted as a tall, thin guard in green livery dragged away a petite woman with brown hair.

She kept screaming and fighting to get back to something in the crowd … a cage of some sort?

A sick feeling twisted inside me as a tiny pair of hands gripped the dark metal bars and a matching tiny face with large brown eyes looked out, cheeks and nose red from crying.

"Mommy!!" the little boy cried. "Help me!!"

The petite woman struggled harder. "Rowan!" she shouted. "I'm coming!" Writhing in the guard's arms, she kicked and bit at him. "Let me go, you bastard!"

The guard just ignored her.

Fury burned inside me, and I pulled against the Empire Agents holding me.

"You BASTARD," I called out to the nearest guard. "How can you imprisonchildren? What kind of monsters are you people?"

The grizzled man sighed but didn't slow. "Does it look like I enjoy this?" he mumbled, looking over his shoulder at the sobbing pair. "But that poor kid is corrupted and will turn soon. He can't stay in the strongholdany longer." The man looked again, and shook his head, jaw ticking beneath his silver helmet. "There's nothing to be done."