Page 19 of Of Blood and Banes (The Arterian #2)

I DON’T REPEAT MYSELF TWICE

“ C andidly speaking, why in the Gods’ names would we do that?” Nolan challenges me, his fist wrapped tight around a fork. His thick brown brows are furrowed by the mounting frustration bubbling around us in the other squad members seated in the community hall.

Good grief, here we go again. How can Sethan possibly think these men and women will listen to me? I don’t necessarily blame them for wanting to return home, but it’s imperative they stay. Even if they don’t agree with it.

I can’t quite place why Nolan has gotten so irrationally angry since our time here in the Dragon Lands. Melaina mentioned back in Arterias he was hired to protect her after they believed Sethan died.

The rest of our squad and the rebels occupying the long tables in the massive hall turn their attention toward us. Piece by piece, a silence falls like snow in the room. Until the only thing audible is when Archie drops his fork to his plate.

“Because if you leave, they’ll kill you anyway,” I say, holding Nolan’s gaze, unwilling to show a lick of anxiety.

“You’re just saying that to save your own tail. We all have friends and family we want to go back to. We don’t belong here!” Nolan flicks his hand out to the room.

Other Arterians chime in with their mumbled agreements, and I glance around at the angry faces.

Shit. It might have been a mistake telling them I made a blood pact.

Sethan made it sound so simple that they would listen to me.

And now look at us—half the men and women can’t even look at me without wanting to drag my face through the mud for such a decision.

Not to mention the tension spiking between those individuals who support my decision and those who don’t. We don’t even need to worry about the rebels fighting us—we do a perfectly fine job fighting ourselves.

“Do you even have a family, Nolan?” Gavin bites back.

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard such a tone from him.

He normally melts back into the shadows, far from anyone’s attention.

His onyx eyes narrow as he jerks his head toward Melaina, his long raven hair swinging with him.

“Last I remember, you and I swore an oath to Sethan and Melaina to protect them.”

“Just because you apprenticed Sethan and feel so obligated to follow him around like some eager puppy doesn’t mean I will. Our vow was voided as soon as he became part of the rebels,” Nolan barks.

Gavin slams his fist onto the table, silencing the rest of the squad’s arguments bubbling to the surface. Melaina darts her hand out and grabs Gavin’s shoulder to keep him from launching across the table at Nolan.

“A vow is a vow. Have you no honor?” Gavin challenges.

Before Nolan can respond, Archie jolts up to his feet, his hands splayed out to both men. “Guys, guys. Let’s slow down for a second. I have family back in Helmbrook, too. But we should hear her out?—”

Nolan interrupts, glaring at me. “She’s an incompetent woman who made the hasty decision to?—”

“Enough!” Cole roars as he shoots to his feet, the sound deafening in my ears.

Everyone stops and turns to him, and even Nolan has the sense to be quiet.

“You speak about her like that once more, Nolan,” Cole points a finger at him, that’s just as threatening as a weapon, “and I’ll kill you my fucking self.”

Nolan holds his stare but swallows uncomfortably.

Cole scans the rest of the group as he leans forward onto the table, his eyes challenging each individual, picking them apart one by one.

“You may not agree with staying here, but there is no choice. Even if Kat didn’t agree to this blood pact, they would have killed us if we tried to leave.

Or they could have killed us to get rid of this mess.

We’re outnumbered. Either way, you wouldn’t have made it back home alive.

Don’t you understand? She made a decision that potentially saved all of your lives.

She pledged her own blood and life for your safety—how could you possibly be angry with that? ”

Silence. Even the conversations at the other tables are at a standstill.

I swallow, heat spanning from my chest to my cheeks.

Thankfully, everyone’s gazes are glued to Cole.

He always has a natural tendency to draw people to him.

An air about him that commands people to listen.

That, and he has everyone beat in height and muscle.

Challenging him would be asking for a death sentence.

“Well?” Cole threatens, spinning his attention back to Nolan. “Anyone care to answer?”

“You fucking imbecile,” Darian spits from down the table. “You’ll all die if you stay here.”

I instantly regret allowing him out of the room, even if he’s managed by someone I trust. Curse my own sympathy. Next time, I’ll leave him to stare at a brick wall for a few days. Melaina holds the chain to his manacles and tugs it to silence him.

Cole stills his fidgeting fingers into fists. “What did you call me?”

A coy grin tugs at Darian’s mouth. “Do I need to speak slower for you?”

Cole shoves off the table and prowls toward him.

Darian stands and kicks his chair back, Melaina mumbling something under her breath as she tightens her grip on the chains and rises from her seat as well.

Cole stops in front of Darian, towering over him by inches.

Both lock into a tense glare—neither of them faltering.

Cole lifts his bearded chin at him. “Say it again.”

Darian snorts, his lips pulling up in a half smile. “I don’t repeat myself.”

Cole leans forward and whispers, “And I don’t ask twice.”

I jolt out of my seat and stride across to the two of them before someone throws the first punch.

Melaina tugs at the chain confining Darian half-heartedly, her wide eyes bouncing back and forth between the two heated males as she slides her free hand to her waist where her sword should be.

I’m cursing myself, we still haven’t had our weapons returned yet.

Cole’s knuckles whiten. “Need I remind you, I’m your captain.”

“You ain’t shit. Look around you, we aren’t in Arterias. Which means I owe you no loyalty. And if you remember correctly, I’m your prince, you lowly fucking bastard.”

I fling myself straight at Cole, shoving my hands directly into his chest to back him up as he lunges toward Darian. “Stop!”

Melaina rips Darian’s chain back. Other squad members and rebels rush in to help me push Cole back, while others crowd around Darian and Melaina.

An earth-cracking roar bursts out from behind me, so loud I almost see waves.

Everyone turns to the sound, eyes wide and faces drawn pale as they recognize where the roar is coming from.

“Listen!” Daeja’s voice melds with the roaring. Though only I can hear the words, I imagine everyone else understands.

No wonder this building is enormous, and the entrance is a drawbridge. Despite her size, she fits comfortably inside the dining hall. Along with A’nala at her side, who slinks with pounding steps toward the table where Sethan is. Sethan’s back? So much for leaving for a couple of days.

The squad and rebels still, and Daeja ceases her roar. Her lips are still pulled up into a silent snarl and twitching to reveal more of her fangs longer and thicker than any man’s forearm.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

She blows a short breath into the crowd, several people flinching. I swear that’s going straight to her head.

“A’nala says when the two leggers don’t listen, we make them.”

I’ll have to ask her what she’s been doing with A’nala lately.

With a grateful smile at her, I take a few steps away from Cole to address the squad.

“I know some of you may be upset with me. You might feel like I’ve made a wrong decision.

But the truth of the matter is, if you don’t stay, you die.

And that would have been the case whether I made the pact or not.

Look around you. We’re all sorely outnumbered here.

You wouldn’t be able to make it to the border of Arterias.

I’ve made a blood pact with Sethan—one that binds the both of us.

I negotiated our safety with this pact, so none of our squad will be hurt or killed.

Sethan’s own soldiers have already sworn allegiance to him through their own blood pacts, therefore binding them to my agreement with Sethan.

So, if you don’t wish to stay, then be my guest. Leave. Now.”

I scan the group, but no one moves, all frozen to their spots as they stare at me and Daeja. “Anyone?”

Daeja growls from behind me, and several people shake their heads. I catch Tawny’s gaze from across the room, and I swear I see her smile.

Ignoring the racing beat of my heart, I tear my attention away from her and the rebels. “Good. I understand many of you have family and friends you want to return to. But the best thing we can do for them right now is to stay put until we figure out what the King is up to.”

“What do you mean, ‘what the King is up to?’” Archie asks.

Darian looks up at me, his brown, messy hair dipping into his eyes.

With a steady breath, I announce, “The rebels haven’t been burning down the towns. The King has.”

A collective gasp rolls through the group of Arterians.

“This is an outrageous claim! She’s making it up because she bound herself to Sethan and the rebels!” Nolan fumes. “Propaganda!”

“I could just end him right now,” Daeja purrs casually.

“That won’t be necessary. And not exactly the way I want to convince them.”

“If you don’t believe her, then perhaps you should all go see for yourselves,” Melaina grumbles, watching the squad with Darian’s chain wrapped tightly around her fist.

“I believe her,” Archie chirps. “Kat wouldn’t lie—and she wouldn’t put herself above the rest of you.

Don’t you remember our battle in Blackfell?

She was supposed to be a healer’s apprentice, and she risked her life to sneak into Blackfell.

She saved all those civilians who were being held hostage and set them free. ”

I can’t help the grin lifting my cheeks as I watch Archie. He looks back at me, his brown eyes shining as he mirrors my smile.

He continues, “If she were selfish, she wouldn’t have risked her life for those civilians. Just as she wouldn’t have risked her life returning to Blackfell to try and rescue me.”

“Or me,” someone says.

Everyone turns to the voice.

Marge slinks through the group, her staff tapping rhythmically until she stops in the center of the crowd.

“When we were attacked in the middle of the night at the outpost before Blackfell, Katerina came to the healer’s quadrant to defend me.

She didn’t even have the proper training the lot of you do.

The fact that she risked herself for me when she barely knew who I was spoke volumes.

You don’t have to trust the rebels—you only have to trust Katerina. ”

More silence.

Cole pushes through the crowd, his heavy footsteps splitting the silence.

He stands next to me, facing the squad in a wordless declaration.

Marge hobbles toward me next, dipping her head as she stops at my other side, then turns to face the rest of the group.

Archie follows, then Melaina who tugs Darian along with her.

Gavin. And one by one, Arterians join the line of people beside and behind me.

Nolan is the last one standing before us, his gaze flicking from person to person. Finally, after he’s undoubtedly weighed his options, he dips his head before tightly mumbling, “I suppose I have no choice.”

I can’t help but smile. Sethan’s wrong. Leading out of fear is poisonous. And leading out of respect will have to be earned. We have to start smaller.

Instead, I lead out of a hesitant unity.