Page 129 of Third Offense

Facts that I pushed out of my mind as best I could when Layla stunned him with her shield, and I embedded my sword into his chest.

He stared at me, his eyes turning glassy as his spirit left his body, leaving a sick feeling lingering in my stomach.

“There’s a way out,” Layla told me as she pressed against my side. She frantically looked around the area.

There were Nora everywhere.

“Where?” I asked.

“The tunnels,” she whispered.

My brow furrowed.The tunnels we just came up from? Through Novak’s not-so-subtle hole?

That was going to be a problem.

Even if we managed to reach it unseen, the Nora would find it in an instant.

No, what they needed was a distraction. Something to lure them outside and away from the potential exit, thereby giving us enough time to flee.

Not us, I thought, realization striking me in the heart.Them.

Because there were really only two of us here who could lead a large enough chase into the sky to distract the legion.

Me.

Or Novak.

But their anger toward me was stronger than their desire to slaughter Novak.

Because I was a Nora.

Their traitorous Commander.

The betrayer. The one they wanted to make bleed.

If I flew… they’d chase.

Because they were hungry for my blood.

Novak might be a lethal beast, but the Nora knew my face; they felt the sting of treachery that had them homing in on me even now.

They saw me as a Fallen even though my wings hadn’t changed.

A disgrace.

A being who needed to be punished and destroyed for what I’d done.

The anger in their eyes hit me from all directions, especially now that I had killed some of our own.

Olaf.

Perseus.

They had been some of the closest warriors in my squadron, and if I was willing to kill them, then no one was safe.

Underneath the anger was hurt that I’d chosen the other side.

It was an emotion I would use against them.