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There were a few rough laughs, but that tartness increased from others.

I tilted my head. “This is your last chance. Lay down your swords and surrender.”

The silly mortal swaggered forward. “How about you lay down on your back and spread them legs?”

Hot anger pressed against my back as I turned my gaze to him. “No, thank you.”

“Wasn’t really asking.” He took one more step. That was as far as he made it.

Vonetta sprang out of the darkness, landing on the guard. His shout ended with a vicious clamp of her jaws on his throat as she took him down.

Another charged forward, raising his sword at Vonetta as she dragged the foul-mouthed man across the ground. I shot forward, catching his arm as I thrust my blade deep into his belly. Blue eyes set in a far-too-young face widened as I yanked the sword back out.

“Sorry,” I murmured, shoving him away.

Several of the guards lurched toward Vonetta and me, only to realize that we were not who they should be worried about—a moment too late.

The wolven came out of the pines, swarming the guards in a matter of seconds. The crunch of bone and sharp, too-short screams echoed in my head as Kieran drew his blade across a guard’s throat.

“When will mortals stop referring to us as overgrown dogs?” he asked, pushing the fallen guard aside. “Do they not know the difference between a dog and a wolf?”

“I’m going to say no.” Emil stalked past the one who’d gone at Vonetta, spitting on the dead man. He looked up at me. “What? He was going to knife Netta in the back. I’m not about that.”

I couldn’t really argue against that as I turned to the soldiers near the back, the ones I’d felt the unease from. Five of them. Their swords lay at their feet. The sickly bitterness of fear coated my skin as Delano stalked forward, blood-streaked teeth bared. The stench of urine hit the air.

“W-we surrender,” one chattered, shaking.

“Delano,” I called softly, and the wolven halted, growling at the men. “How many Ascended are here?”

“There are t-ten,” the man answered, his skin as pale as the waning moonlight.

“Would they be returning to Cauldra Manor?” Kieran asked, coming to stand beside me.

“They should already be there,” another said. “They’ll be under guard. They have been since the Duke became aware of your encampment.”

I glanced at Naill, who led Setti and the other horses forward. “Did all of them take part in what was done to those on the gates?”

The third one—an older man than most on the Rise, in his third or fourth decade of life—said, “None of them resisted Duke Silvan when he gave the orders.”

“Who were those they chose to kill?” Kieran asked.

Another wave of disappointment swelled, weighing heavily on my chest. I wanted to—no, I needed to—believe that there were other Ascended like…like Ian, my brother, even if we shared no blood. There had to be.

“They did it at will,” the first guard, the one who’d spoken his surrender, shared. He looked close to vomiting. “They just picked people out. Young. Old. Didn’t matter. Ain’t no one who was causing trouble. No one causes trouble.”

“The same with the others,” another younger guard said. “Those, they led out beyond the Rise.”

Kieran focused on the mortal, his jaw clenched. “You know what was done to them?”

“I do,” the eldest of them said after the others spoke. “They led them out there. Fed from them. Left them to turn. No one believed me when I said that was what happened.” He jerked his chin at the ones beside him. “They said I was crazy, but I know what I saw. I just didn’t think…” His gaze went to the gates. “I thought maybe I was crazy.”

He just hadn’t considered what all the Ascended were capable of.

“You were right,” Kieran replied. “If it brings you any relief to know that.”

Sensing that the knowledge did very little, I turned to Naill, sheathing my sword. “Make sure they remain in the barracks. Unharmed.” I gestured at Arden. “Stay with Naill.”

Naill nodded as he handed Setti’s reins to me. Gripping the straps on the saddle, I hoisted myself up. The others followed suit.

“Did you speak the truth?” the eldest asked, stopping as we guided the horses out from the barracks. “That you’re not here to take from us?”

“I did.” My grip firmed on Setti’s reins. “We’re not here to take. We’re here to end the Blood Crown.”

Dipping under a guard’s outstretched arm, the edges of the cloak fluttered around my legs as I spun, thrusting the sword deep into the man’s back. I twisted sharply, ducking as someone threw a knife in my general direction. Delano leapt over me, digging into the guard with his claws and teeth as I popped up.

None of the guards outside of Cauldra surrendered.