Page 35

“To the gates!” I shouted. My voice echoed off the stone walls, and every single person in hearing range halted. “Defend the front gates!”

And then everyone began running. I pulled Jade tightly to my side and began running along with everyone else.

I needed to figure out what was threatening us. Once I found that out, I could decide how to protect Jade.

That’s what mattered. Protect Jade. Protect the castle.

Jade stayed silent as we weaved through the castle walls. I pulled her through the front doors, ducking to the corner as everyone else continued to push forward to the front gates.

“Mal,” Serefin’s voice rang from behind me. I held Jade’s hand tighter as I spun around.

“Serefin,” I greeted. “Tell me what’s happening.”

“They came out of nowhere,” he said, out of breath. “There are dozens, Mal. Dozens of them.”

My stomach dropped. I knew exactly what Serefin was talking about.

Jade stepped even closer to my side. “What is it?” she asked.

“Deadlings,” Serefin and I answered at the same time. I looked at Jade, who only showed the shock in the wideness of her eyes. “We’re being attacked by deadlings.”

Guards continued to rush toward the gates.

“We aren’t surrounded yet,” Serefin informed me. “But they keep coming out of the forest.”

“What do they want?” Jade asked. “Why are they coming here?”

Serefin gave me a knowing look. “They’re being controlled by something or someone,” I answered Jade. “But they sure as shit won’t make it past these walls. Serefin, take command of the gates. You know what to do. I’ll get Jade somewhere safe and I’ll be back.”

Serefin nodded and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Now, it was time to get rid of Jade.

“Let’s go,” I said, turning to pull her back inside the castle.

“What?” she asked. “No! I can help!”

“Absolutely not,” I barked. “You’re going somewhere safe where I don’t have to worry about you.”

Jade resisted, but I pulled her hand even harder, causing her to stumble forward after me.

I didn’t care. I would throw her over my shoulder kicking and screaming if I had to. She would not face this battle.

“Mal!” she yelled. “I’m not a helpless child! I can help!”

“I’m taking you to the dungeons,” I demanded. The dungeons were deep enough in the castle, that even if a few deadlings breached our walls, they would never find Jade.

They would never make it that far.

“The dungeons?!” Jade yelled, panic arising in her voice. “You can’t leave me down there, Mal!”

This girl.

I spun Jade around and pinned her to the wall. Others still rushed behind us, but I didn’t care if anyone saw.

“I’m going to tell you this once, so you better listen up. I’m very aware that you can defend yourself. I’m very aware that you are not a child, Jade. But those deadlings will stop at nothing. They will kill and kill and kill until there is nothing left. You’ve seen a couple of deadlings in your life, but an army? This is entirely different. You won’t last out there, Jade. And even if you could, I can’t think of a single damned thing knowing you might be in danger. So shut up, and follow me. Because I need to defend my castle, and I can’t do that if I have to look for you over my shoulder every damned second!”

Jade opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it. “Fine,” was all she said.