Page 168 of Daggermouth

“Are you going to shoot me with this one?” he asked, trying to push them back to comfortable territory.

She stared at the gun, then at him, her brow furrowing as the corner of her mouth twitched upward. “. . . Yes?”

Something loosened in Greyson’s chest, a knot of tension unwinding at this small sign that not everything between them was broken beyond repair. He found himself almost smiling back, a grim twist of his lips that felt foreign on his face after days of pain and rage.

“Well, can you at least wait until after I’ve shot my father?”

She pulled the gun from his hand. “I can definitely try, but I’ll probably get to him before you.”

“You wanna bet?” he asked, selecting another gun for himself. “Twenty credits says I shoot him first.”

Shadera laughed now and the sound almost brought him to his knees. “A thousand credits says you won’t even have the safety off before I put a bullet in his skull and yours.”

Greyson shook his head, a grin now spreading over his face. “Deal”

Greyson met her gaze, and even with the humor, he saw the same murderous intent reflected there that burned in his own chest. In that moment, they understood each other perfectly—two weapons pointed now at the same man.

He turned back to the cache as Shadera took another step into the room, selecting a smaller gun that could be concealed in an ankle holster. “Take as many as you can hide,” he advised, reaching for a knife next. “We don’t know how this will play out, but—”

“If I were you, I’d carry as many as possible.”

The voice from the doorway sent Greyson spinning, gun raised and aimed before he’d fully registered the movement. He stepped in front of Shadera in the same motion, his body instinctively placing itself between her and the threat.

Mikel stood in the entrance to his room, his Veyra mask betraying nothing of his expression beneath. He made no move to draw his own weapon, showed no reaction to the gun pointed at his chest. He simply stood there, hands clasped behind his back in that perfect military posture Greyson had seen his entirelife.

“It’s eleven forty-five, we need to go. The ceremony begins in fifteen minutes.” Mikel said, gesturing toward the window before turning away from them. “I’ll be by the door.”

Greyson slowly lowered his gun, turning back to face Shadera whose eyes were just as wild as she clung to his arm.

Trust the captain.

Chapterthirty-eight

The Vow

Liramovedthroughthecrowd, her path to the platform opening before her as if by right. Bodies parted without hesitation, their masked faces tilting in respect as she passed. The air in the plaza was thick, suffocating with anticipation. Thousands gathered for the vows that would bind Shadera and Greyson.

Lira’s stomach clenched, bile rising in her throat as her fingers closed around the tablet in her pocket. She had minutes now. Just minutes to set everything in motion.

She glanced up to the platform where her father already stood at its apex, his golden mask gleaming brighter than any, the full weight of his presence pressing down upon the crowd. Her mother stood a few steps behind him, head dipped in submission.

Her lungs felt too small suddenly, unable to draw enough air. Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the murmurs of the crowd. This was it. There would be no going back.

Lira slipped the tablet from her pocket and pressed it to her ear, turning slightly away from the platform. Her fingers trembled as she dialed, the encrypted line connecting almost instantly.

“I can see you on the feeds.” Callum’s voice was warm, amused—trying to calm her. “You look terrified. Remember to breathe.”

His casualness, his easy confidence, cut through her. He had no idea what she was about to do. What she’d already set in motion.

“I’m sorry,” she said, the words barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

A beat of silence. “What’s wrong?” The warmth drained from his voice, replaced by concern.

Lira swallowed hard, watching as the final preparations were made on the platform. The cylindrical veil hung suspended above the altar, ready to descend at the crucial moment. Soon Greyson and Shadera would stand beneath it.

“I can’t let it happen,” she said finally. “I can’t let them take Shadera to that room. You don’t understand what happens there.”

“Lira—” The alarm in his voice was growing. “What are you talking about?”