Page 56

I bristle. “I never condoned harming Ai. I wanted Orthani’s elite destroyed, not children used as bombs. That’s why I’m telling you now.”

Selene rises from the bench, robe swirling around her. I can almost taste her fury radiating in the air. “We can’t let them take Ai. She’s been through enough. We have to safeguard her.”

Vaelith narrows his eyes. “Safeguard? We’re already on the brink of Orthani turning on us. If we help the city defend Ai, we might become targets from both sides.”

Selene stands firm. “We’ll rescue Ai ourselves before the Red Purna’s attack. Keep her hidden until the chaos settles, or slip her out of Orthani entirely.”

I exhale, nodding. “I’ll help. I joined them for vengeance, but I won’t be complicit in murdering a child. My family’s blood is on Orthani’s hands, but Ai doesn’t deserve to be the tool that takes them down.”

Vaelith rubs his jaw, a flicker of respect crossing his features. “Then we must coordinate. We can’t rely on the council. They’d probably seize Ai for their own twisted experiments if the Red Purna fails. We do this quietly.”

Selene sets the parchment aside, stepping closer to me. Her eyes, brimming with urgency, also carry a spark from our recent union. “Thank you for telling me, Eryx. I know your loyalty to the Red Purna ran deep.”

I let out a ragged sigh. “I owed them for saving my life once, but they’ve lost all sense of restraint. They want to burn Orthani, and they don’t care who gets caught in the flames. That’s not the victory I wanted.”

Vaelith shifts behind her. “We need a plan. The city’s wards, Orthani’s guard rotations—Ai is likely kept under strict watch. We must strike before the Red Purna does, but carefully.”

Selene paces, the robe parting to reveal glimpses of supple thighs.

My gut twists with lust, but now isn’t the time for such tangents.

She glances at Vaelith. “You have access to Orthani’s inner corridors.

We can use that to bypass the official guard.

If we extract Ai discreetly, the city might not suspect until it’s too late. ”

He nods. “Yes. But I can’t vanish with her openly. My men would question it. We need a ruse—like a false alert or a staged incident that draws the guards away.”

I interject, excitement stirring. “We can trigger a minor sabotage near Orthani’s southwestern perimeter. That would divert the city’s vigilance. Then we sneak Ai out from the opposite side.”

Selene’s eyes gleam. “Yes. Time it so the Red Purna’s infiltration hits confusion when they launch. They’ll expect Orthani to be unprepared, but we’ll have already taken Ai. She won’t be there for them to abduct.”

Vaelith smirks grimly. “So we sabotage both Orthani’s readiness and the Red Purna’s plan. They fight each other, while we vanish with Ai.”

Selene nods, relief blending with determination.

“We do it in two nights, a day earlier than the Red Purna’s main strike.

That ensures we’re not caught in the crossfire.

” She exhales, tension releasing from her shoulders.

“If we succeed, Ai remains safe, Orthani’s war machine is delayed, and the Red Purna faces a city prepared enough to bleed them.

We might slip away amidst the chaos, forging our own path. ”

My heartbeat accelerates. This plan resonates with the shift inside me: I want Orthani’s upper echelons to taste suffering, but not at the cost of Ai’s life. “Then it’s settled. We finalize the infiltration route tomorrow. I’ll feed the Red Purna false details, so they march into a partial trap.”

Vaelith inclines his head. “I can handle the city’s internal gates. We must remain cautious—if Zareth or the council suspects we’re spiriting Ai away, they might brand us all traitors.”

Selene’s lips curl in a fierce grin. “Let them try. Once Ai is safe, Orthani’s condemnation won’t matter.”

I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, nodding. A hush settles, each of us recognizing the risk. But I sense a renewed synergy, the three of us forging a precarious unity. My chest twists with relief and longing for Selene’s approval. We overcame our rivalries long enough to protect Ai.

Selene steps between Vaelith and me, placing a hand lightly on each of our shoulders.

The warmth of her touch sends a shiver down my spine.

“Thank you for trusting me with this,” she says softly, voice carrying a note of sincerity.

“I vow we’ll see Ai freed from both Orthani and the Red Purna’s clutches. ”

Vaelith stiffens, then exhales, tension loosening. “We do it for Ai,” he mutters, though I catch the undercurrent of devotion in his tone. “And for you.”

She glances my way, eyes flicking with gratitude.

I recall how, mere hours ago, we surrendered to her in that tangle of bodies.

The bond we formed is more than lust—it’s a shared conviction that Orthani’s cruelty and the Red Purna’s zealotry won’t define us.

My chest tightens. I never thought I’d stand side by side with the city’s commander, but here we are, forging an alliance under her lead.

A faint movement at the threshold catches my attention.

Zareth stands just outside, as though he’s been listening.

My muscles tense, recalling his animosity.

But his gaze meets Selene’s, and there’s a flicker of reluctant acceptance.

He steps in quietly, shoulders set. “I overheard enough,” he says, voice low.

“You intend to rescue Ai from both sides. I want in.”

Vaelith bristles, but Selene lifts a hand to quell him. She studies Zareth with measured eyes. “You, helping us?”

Zareth inclines his head, shame flickering.

“I harmed you, tried to enslave your mind. But Ai is an innocent. Even I see the madness in letting the Red Purna or Orthani devour her. My House thrived on cruelty, but this... I can’t stomach it.

” He scowls, turning away as if embarrassed by his sudden conscience.

“If you’ll have me, I’ll stand with you for this. I owe it to you after last time.”

Selene studies him a moment, then nods. “Prove your sincerity. Follow my plan to the letter. No sabotage, no double-cross.”

He bows his head, tension across his brow. “I will.”

A silent understanding settles. Now all four of us stand aligned, however uneasy the alliance.

The old hatreds remain, but Ai’s safety overshadows them.

My heart lifts, glimpsing the future we might carve.

Perhaps Selene truly is forging her own power circle, weaving us into her unstoppable retinue.

The thought sends a spark of pride coursing through me.

Selene clears her throat, reclaiming attention. “We have little time. Eryx, you feed the Red Purna false routes. Vaelith, arrange the interior gate schedules. Zareth, ensure the psionic wards in Ai’s wing are neutralized on the chosen night. Then we converge, slip Ai out, and vanish. Understood?”

We nod, each comprehending our role. A faint hush hovers, the air charged with possibility.

Then Selene looks at me. “We’ll meet tomorrow evening to finalize.

Bring any Red Purna intelligence you glean, Eryx.

And if any of you get second thoughts, remember: I won’t allow betrayals now.

” Her voice holds that steely edge, a vow we dare not break.

A surge of respect and yearning floods my chest. I dip my head, acknowledging her authority. “Understood,” I whisper.

She offers a final glance to Vaelith and Zareth. “We do this for Ai, but also for ourselves. No child should be a pawn in Orthani or the Red Purna’s games. Let’s ensure she never suffers our scars.”

They murmur agreement. The resolve in the room thickens.

I inhale, imagining the chaos about to unfold—Orthani under siege, the Red Purna storming in, and we, the unexpected wild card, stealing Ai away.

If we succeed, Selene cements her dominion over all sides.

A glimmer of excitement stirs—her brand of boldness intoxicates me.

Vaelith stands tall. “Then let’s scatter before the estate stirs. We meet tomorrow, same place. Until then, be cautious. Zareth’s involvement might spark suspicion if anyone sees us conferring.”

Zareth bristles but doesn’t retort. We break apart, each man moving to exit.

Selene remains, posture regal, eyes full of quiet determination.

I linger a beat, catching her gaze. A silent moment of acknowledgement passes between us—my betrayal of the Red Purna for her cause.

I sense her gratitude, see it in the subtle curve of her lips.

Then I slip out, trailing Vaelith and Zareth through separate routes.

My mind jumps with the plan’s details, the danger of lying to the Red Purna.

They might kill me if they discover my deceit.

But I can’t let them sacrifice Ai. As I step back into Orthani’s night air, I breathe deeply, bracing for the storm.

My old thirst for revenge remains, but it has sharpened into a more nuanced goal—topple Orthani’s cruel hold, but not at the cost of innocents.

Selene set me on this path, forging my hatred into something more refined.

We part ways outside the estate. Zareth vanishes into the gloom, aura tense.

Vaelith glances at me, an unspoken tension simmering, then heads off to avoid detection by his own guards.

I’m left alone, streetlamps flickering overhead.

The hush of the city at this late hour feels both eerie and expectant.

Three days until the Red Purna’s invasion.

In three days, Orthani might burn, and we’ll vanish with Ai.

I navigate the winding alleys, returning to my hidden safehouse.

The city’s gloom wraps around me like a cloak.

Memories flash: my family’s purge, the Red Purna’s promise of vengeance, then Selene’s fierce gaze commanding me to share her bed, share her mission, share her cause.

Each memory collides in my chest. I can’t recall the last time I felt such purpose.

Reaching the safehouse—a dim loft above a disused foundry—I climb the rickety stairs.

The door creaks, and I slip inside, locking it behind me.

In the scant moonlight from a broken skylight, I sink onto a battered cot.

My thoughts swirl with images of Selene: her confidence, the challenge in her eyes, the warmth of her bare skin pressed to mine.

She’s transformed me, or maybe unleashed a part of me that was buried under blind rage.

Three days. Then the city roars with war.

The Red Purna will expect me to lead them through Orthani’s labyrinth, but I’ll feed them half-truths, guiding them into confusion.

Meanwhile, Vaelith arranges the gates, Zareth dampens wards, and Selene leads us to Ai.

If all goes well, we rescue her from both factions, leaving the Red Purna and Orthani locked in mutual destruction.

The cunning satisfies a part of me, but also terrifies another.

I wonder if we can truly outrun the aftermath.

Orthani’s forces might chase us to the ends of Protheka.

The Red Purna will brand me a traitor. But I’ll stand with Selene—no regrets.

I shut my eyes, letting the night’s tension seep from my limbs.

Laughter bubbles up unexpectedly, recalling how I once despised Vaelith as Orthani’s loyal dog, how I wanted to kill Zareth for his psionic cruelty.

Now I conspire with them. And we’re all enthralled by the same unstoppable woman. The irony is sweet.

Exhaustion weighs on me, but my mind remains too alive with the plan’s stakes.

I replay each step we must take, each corner we must turn to outmaneuver the Red Purna’s infiltration squads.

A flicker of guilt for betraying them tugs at me.

They saved me once, but they lost their way, consumed by the thirst for absolute devastation.

Selene stands for something more precise, more controlled.

She wants Orthani broken, but not by erasing innocents or sacrificing a child.

That difference is enough to tip my loyalty.

Eventually, I unstrap my boots, letting them thump to the floor, and lie back on the cot.

My eyes drift shut, imagining Selene’s voice calling me to her side.

My chest warms, recalling how she touched me last night, how she made me feel both alive and under her thrall.

She’s forging a new path with our combined cunning, drawing on each man’s strength in a way no one else has dared.

I can’t help but admire it, as dangerous as it is.

A soft breeze rustles through the broken skylight, carrying the faint scents of the city night.

In three days, that breeze might carry smoke and screams. The Red Purna’s rampage could tear Orthani to shreds.

But if we act swiftly, we’ll slip Ai away, scuttle the worst of their plan, and vanish amid the chaos.

My heart thrums, half exhilaration, half dread.

I let out a long breath, forcing myself to relax.

This is my path now. No turning back. My eyes slide shut, welcoming uneasy sleep.

Dreams swirl—Selene’s laughter, Ai’s frightened eyes, Vaelith’s grim scowl, Zareth’s kneeling posture.

I see Orthani in flames, the Red Purna marching.

Then I see our small group escaping with Ai, forging a future beyond this city’s cruelty.

A faint smile curves my lips, even in slumber.

If we can pull it off, we become free of Orthani’s chains and the Red Purna’s madness.

Selene becomes more than a captive—she becomes a queen of her own making, with me at her side, Eryx the assassin turned savior.

Sleep finally claims me. In the morning, I’ll begin the final act of deception, weaving false leads for the Red Purna, stalling them just enough for our plan to succeed.

But tonight, I dream of the swirling intensity in Selene’s eyes, the surety in her voice as she said we’d rescue Ai.

And I vow, if the Red Purna comes to tear us down, I’ll betray them without hesitation.

Selene’s cause, her blazing will, has become my own.

I’ll see it through—even if the city ignites around us.