Page 131 of Blood Fist

Areine handed her reins to another rider, striding forward, so she was even with Ridan. She took his chinbetween icy fingers, twisting his face back and forth so she could study him.

“Mm. What a pity,” she mused, her voice dropping. “You’ve found yourself an alpha to drool all over you.” Ridan moved to slap her hand away, but she’d already released him, looking over his head at the group behind him. Her lips curled in a wicked smirk.

He could hear quiet growling behind him.

“It’s the big one, right? With the patchy beard? He looks like he wants to rip my hand off.” She flicked her cloak back to reveal a wicked looking curved dagger with a pearled hilt.

“Areine,” Ridan warned.

“What?” she purred, her eyes on Brune. “Jealous alphas aresomuch fun to play with.”

“You make a move and it won’t be an alpha you have to answer to.” Ridan laid a hand on his own weapon, eyes hard when Areine’s attention dropped back to him. She considered him for a moment before grinning, slender fangs on display.

“Oh, Ridan. I hope your alpha knows what he has.” She dropped her hand, tucking it back up under her cloak. Ridan watched her for a long moment before releasing his weapon. Areine was far too pleased, and he realized he’d just played one of her games. He just wished he knew if he won or not.

Ridan introduced her to the people with him and tasked Niklas and Henroen with getting her people settled. Areine followed him towards the fire, settling on an overturned bucket so she could warm her hands while they spoke.

“Your people arrived in Strong Leg safe. They’ll be cared for; you have my word.” The smile was gone from Areine’s face, her mood souring when she saw the stateof his people. There wasn’t an inch of skin in the camp that hadn’t seen violence.

“Thank you.” He bowed his head. “I won’t forget your generosity.”

“You can start by telling me what’s going on. The whole truth.” her lips were thin as she rubbed her hands close to the flames. “I knew the moment I saw your messenger on the horizon, Kaldonea was back. We saddled up the next day. You can imagine my surprise when I came across the burnt wreckage of Stone Blade lands.”

Areine had come before he’d even sent the second messenger. Her instincts were good, better than Ridan’s. He was again reminded to never underestimate his fellow omegan chief.

Sitting back, Ridan gave her a brief explanation of everything that had been happening since the festival. She was mostly quiet, only occasionally asking a question. When he finished, she sighed.

“I knew Krait was itching for a fight, but I had no idea he’d go so far.” She glanced up at the trees. “But to release Sinestrus? He’s not only arrogant, he’s also a fool.”

Standing, she stretched her arms above her head before unbuckling her cloak, letting it drop to the ground. Under it, she was only wearing scant leathers.

She turned back to Ridan, a vicious smile slashing across her face. “And I love knocking foolish men to the ground.”

Before leaving, she jerked her head towards a thicket of brush. “You should do something about your alpha. He looks like a kicked puppy.”

Sure enough, when Ridan looked, he could see a flash of red as Brune ducked behind a tree. He couldonly imagine the sheepish look on his face as he was caught spying.

He watched Areine saunter off, long hair swaying behind her as she called for her horse. With Areine’s call, the entire camp scrambled to do her bidding. They called for Kaldonea blood as she mounted up.

Ridan moved in the opposite direction. He had some unfinished business with a wayward puppy.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

THE ROCK AND THE STARS

His hammer crunched through bone, blood spurting hot against his face. Brune hardly felt its warmth mixing with the sweat stinging his eyes and the gore dripping from his chin. Raising his shield, he took a blow on the rim, wincing against the vibration ricocheting down his arm. Brune ducked under the shield, shouldering the soldier to the ground.

With the face of his shield, he battered the soldiers until the man stopped moving. Rolling off him, he stood only to take a blow to the back that knocked him to his knees. Wheezing, he tried to catch his breath. Black spots danced in his vision as he desperately tried tomove,but his limbs were sluggish as his lungs screamed.

He lifted his arm, catching the blade on his shield at the last second. It knocked him back, shield falling to the ground. Brune lifted his face just in time to see the blade coming down. Throwing up an arm, he attempted to block the strike, but he didn’t have to.

A blazing blur of blonde struck the enemy soldier. Ridan bared his teeth as he stabbed the soldier, whirlingto Brune to stand over him. Sword up, his feral eyes found Brune.

“Move it, Foreigner!”

And then he was gone, launching himself at another Kaldonean soldier. The man barely had a chance to scream before Ridan’s blade silenced him for good.

Chest heaving, Brune grabbed his shield and pushed himself to his feet. It was difficult to breathe. The last hit must have broken a rib. Chest complaining, he shifted the shield until it was locked against his forearm.