Page 8 of Horns of Wicked Ebony (Deathcaller Duet #2)

F ood churned in my stomach as I scraped my plate clean and placed it among the pile of dirty dishes for washing.

At least Assyria hadn’t struggled to eat.

Her excitement over helping the army was no match for my fear of losing her again to the Angels, though.

Dusk fell, bringing with it a much-needed cool breeze, as we returned to the command center for the nightly officers’ meeting.

Assyria stuck close to my side, and I wrapped an arm possessively over her shoulder. I needed to touch her, to feel her, to remind myself she was still here. That nothing bad would happen to her so long as she was in my orbit.

“You can go back to our tent now with the dogs,” I told her as we approached the tied-back flap.

She halted immediately, my arm dropping into thin air. “You said I was part of this.”

Rapp wisely ducked inside and yanked the ties to give us some privacy.

“You are, little imposter. But–”

She sliced through my words before they could emerge. “ But nothing! Either I am in, or I am out.” She crossed her arms and popped out a hip, her glare scorching my skin.

My teeth ached from the force of my clenching. “It’s better if Rapp and I speak to the Parancsok about the mission on our own.”

Assyria jabbed a finger in the middle of my chest. “Is it? Because they have no idea what I am capable of. Or is this a ploy to keep me from going at all?”

“Assyria,” I growled, her name loaded with threat.

My mate did not heed my warning. “No, Rokath.” There was my real name, hissed from between her furious lips. “I’m risking my life for this. I get to be there.”

“That’s exactly the problem,” I snarled, grabbing her wrists and yanking her against my chest. My heart pounded a staccato rhythm against my ribs at the reminder of the risks.

“I can’t think logically about what has to be done while you’re standing there.

The thought of you entering their camp makes it impossible to fucking breathe. ”

The firm set of her brows softened. The tension that had held her frame aloft bled away. “I know.” Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper. “I’m scared too. But I want this.”

She swallowed hard, throat bobbing. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my hand around it and squeeze. This female was so fucking infuriating, and yet I couldn’t stand in her way. These opposing forces she brought out in me were wearing on my nerves.

I let my focus drift back to those devious burgundy eyes. Witnessed the silent plea in them. And still, my jaw locked.

“I want to choose my life, for once.” Those words were like a punch to the gut. A whisper of the beginning, when our bond was a curse. A reminder of how the Fates had woven this path for us against both our wishes.

But now ?

I needed her.

Air stuttered out of me as terror wrapped a vise around my lungs. A violent, thrashing battle waged within me as I struggled to say the words. To welcome her into this part of my world, the part that edged her closer to death.

“Come on then.”

I didn’t release her as we entered the command center, where Rapp, Trol, and the Parancsok were deep in conversation. They ceased when I approached the table, Assyria at my side.

She was right. With how central she was to our plan, it was time the Parancsok learned of her power. And learned to respect her place at my side.

As much as I hated the idea of putting Assyria in harm’s way, her Imposter gift was one we could leverage to free Banand and Zurronar.

As the thought flitted through my mind, my chest clenched.

Violently. I flattened my palm across the middle of my ribs, right where the shadows of my magic swirled around our bond, and pressed, trying to ease the pain.

There was no way in all the worlds I’d let her go alone or even without me.

But what kind of male wields his own mate to win a war? I loathed myself for considering it. Fuck, allowing her to join us. But I’d hate myself more for silencing her, keeping her hidden away, just like her fucking husband had done.

My nails raked over my tunic as my hand curled into a fist. Never had I been so conflicted in my entire life.

At least the power the Giver blessed me with was enough to render me invisible under the cover of darkness, and others in the camp possessed similar skills that would aid us in our surreptitious entry.

Which left only one problem to be solved for this rescue mission.

Assyria squared her shoulders as she stood beside me, staring the officers down. Compared to those of us surrounding the table, she was tiny. Yet her confidence made her appear statuesque.

If the Angels captured or harmed her again, I wouldn’t stop until their whole camp—their whole realm—was in ashes.

I’d hunt down every last one of them. No mercy.

No second thought. Should they seize me too, I’d give them anything they wanted so long as she was safe and air continued to flow through her lungs.

And that was a very dangerous fact.

Once everyone had arrived and settled into their respective places, I turned my attention to the Parancsok. “I need three female Angels captured and brought to me.”

One sucked in a sharp breath. “Why would we waste our precious resources on them?”

I’d already used my daily allotment of ‘because I said so’ and unfortunately, I couldn’t solely rely on my authoritarian rule, not when I wanted cooperation and enthusiasm for the changes to come.

While fear was a fantastic tool for control, so was belief.

My cousins and I had wielded the two together to ascend to our roles, after all.

“Because the Giver blessed Assyria with the magic to take on the form of another, but only if she has time to study them. I want to use her power to rescue the Demons being held prisoner by the Angels.”

Eyes widened and lips parted. Rapp was right—Assyria’s power was ‘cool’ as he had termed it. It was also extremely useful for a scout. All seven’s attention landed on my mate. To her credit, she didn’t flinch.

“You’d risk your mate for this mission?” one asked, tearing his gaze from Assyria and letting his garnet eyes collide with mine.

I bristled at his question. A low growl rumbled in my chest as I planted my fists on the table and leaned in. “Do you doubt my devotion to our cause?” Obsidian leaked from between my fingers and drifted in his direction, out of my control.

How dare he voice the very question eating me alive.

The male shifted his weight from foot to foot. “No, Halálhívó. I simply thought you wouldn’t want to place her on a path that could lead to her death. Or yours.”

His insinuation had my lips curling back from my teeth. I knew when it came to Assyria, I was totally fucked. I didn’t need the same thought curling in my subordinates’ minds.

“When the time comes to carry out this mission, I won’t be weak,” my mate snapped, mirroring my posture and glaring at the offending Parancsok.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I have burgundy eyes too.

Just because I don’t have a dick doesn’t mean I’m incapable of taking on such a challenge.

Especially when I am bonded to the Halálhívó and have him to train me. ”

Rapp’s brows shot up his forehead, and he covered his mouth to hide his amusement. Assyria was a fighter—I’d learned that firsthand every fucking day as she refused to bow to my command. And these males, in her eyes, were no different.

For her own protection, I wanted her to be stronger, both with her power and her body. Future separation during a skirmish was inevitable, and while she’d never be completely on her own, I never wanted her to feel helpless against an opponent either.

The Parancsok dipped his chin. “Apologies, mate of the Halálhívó, I meant no offense.”

“This is the type of attitude that must change,” she stated, her tone blistering with fire.

“For too long, you males have assumed us the weaker sex because we have not fought back. Just because our strength does not match yours does not mean we are helpless. My abilities will aid us in winning this war. I merely have to use them to the extent the Giver intended.”

Pride bloomed in my chest as she claimed her place by my side.

“Aye,” Rapp agreed, the corner of his mouth twisted into a wry grin. “Females have strengths of their own we do not possess. We’ll all do well to remember that.”

“Of course,” the Parancsok replied, and a few others murmured their assent.

“Now, if we can return to the matter at hand,” I said, smoothing out the transition.

“Once we have the Angel captives and reports on potential locations of the Demon prisoners, we can hold the Angels here for a few weeks while I train my mate.” The beginnings of a plan were forming in my mind, but I’d need time to mull over all the possibilities and probabilities before we struck.

The scouts who’d creep into the night to survey the Angel camp would assist in that as well.

Their reports were essential to any decisions we’d make.

“I will lead the next charge, Halálhívó,” one of Trol’s Parancsok volunteered, rapping his maroon-gauntleted knuckles on the table. “We will capture Angels for your mate, and we will join you in rescuing our fellow soldiers.”

That was the attitude I’d been searching for. “Your sacrifice is appreciated, Parancsok.” Though I hoped the losses stemmed from the attack wouldn’t be too severe.

“The success of this mission hinges on cooperation and sacrifice for the greater good. The Angels cannot realize we’re intentionally seeking out prisoners, or they’ll start wondering why, after all this time, it has become part of our strategy. It must look like an action of opportunity.”

The Angels had never been keen on being captured—which was why I’d abandoned the idea of using them as leverage long ago—and would fight tooth and nail to avoid it.

Dozens of memories of daggers crossing their own throats, plunging into sides of necks, or even throwing themselves off cliffs arose in my mind.

They’d rather die than surrender to the control of a Demon.

Their suicides made it difficult to gather additional intelligence about their plans, beliefs, and next moves.

I suspected that was intentional on Zahal Ishim’s part.

Most of the information we worked off of in the Demon Realm was what was available to the public in the Angel Realm.

And much had changed in the last few centuries since Koron Stadiel took the throne.

“You’ve gathered the scouts?” I asked, tearing my thoughts back to the present.

The Parancsok provided their chosen names along with proposed routes based on quick surveys taken during the day. Assyria listened intently as we rolled over plans, modifying them as more information was revealed. Finally satisfied with our path forward, I peered further into the future.

“We hold the Angels here for as long as we can. We know how to survive these harsh environments. They do not. After this attack, do not move again unless provoked. Waiting them out might be the key.”

“Aye, Halálhívó,” they said.

“You are dismissed. Send out your scouts and remind them why we fight this war,” I commanded. They offered me closed-fisted salutes, then departed. The Parancsok who had volunteered his unit peeled off to prepare them for the skirmish they were to initiate in the early hours of morning.

Let the Angels come searching for their stolen soldiers afterward. Let them walk into the sharp teeth of the Demon camp. I’d savor the moment I got to remind the Zahal of who the fuck I was and why he should fear me.

Assyria slipped her hand into mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Do you really think this will work?” Yet despite the conviction in her tone, her palm held the barest shake.

“Yes,” I told her, but then I slid into her mind, to make a promise I wanted no one else to hear. “If this is what choosing your life looks like…then I’ll shape the fucking world to keep that choice intact. I’d do anything for you, little imposter.”

“Keep proving that, then,” she shot back, but the usual snark was tempered.

I glanced at Trol and Rapp for subtle confirmation of their belief. Both were steadfast. I certainly believed in her—she’d proven her strength time and time again. But belief didn’t win wars; if it did, the Angels would have slaughtered us from their fervency alone.

Power was what decided the victor. Magic, strength, leverage…it mattered not, so long as one possessed it.

And as Assyria looked up at me like I was everything she needed in this life, I planned on gathering it in spades to keep my mate safe.