Page 158 of This Blood that Bonds Us

A reflection caught my attention across the field. A man had the dagger in hand and disappeared into the garden.

Shit.

When I looked back, Felix was on his feet again and going blow for blow with my brother. He was already slowing. A punch in the gut. Another knee to the ribs.

I forced my feet to move to the garden. The faster I had the dagger, the faster everything could be over. If my brothers wouldn’t listen, I’d have to kill Her, and to do that, I needed that dagger.

I snuck through the rose bushes and walked along the stone path. The sky grew darker by the minute, and the sounds of grunts and yelling filled the air, but the ocean hitting the cliffs almost drowned it out. No one knew about the absolute massacre happening on the island, and I wondered if anyone would find all the bodies when it was over.

I guessed it depended on who won.

The man I followed was tall with big broad shoulders. Taller than Luke even. I could snatch it from him, but he’d likely stop me. No. I had a better idea.

“Sirius wants the dagger taken to him.” My words echoed in the air.

“Does he . . . really?” As the man turned around slowly, revealing a muscular fighter build, I realized I knew his name. Henderson. Maybe it would be fine. He seemed agreeable enough.

“Yeah, he needs it right now. Let’s go.” I walked a step closer. “Or give it to me, and I’ll bring it.”

“That’s interesting because I’m his sworn. And he instructed me specifically to keep it fromyou.” He walked in close till our chests were inches apart. “So, tell me, Calem, why would you want this dagger?”

Shit.

“Change of plans.” I grabbed the blade of the dagger and tried to wrestle it from his grasp. It was sharp but couldn’t break the skin as long as I kept all my blood in my body. With one push, I was down on the ground. I swept his leg, and the dagger flew out of view.

I’d made a mistake. The guy was Luke-level big. When he got me on the ground, he held me down with one arm like a mouse in a trap.

“Are you a traitor, Calem? Because I’ve been looking for a reason to kill one of you.”

Henderson tore into my shoulder, and I ground my teeth from the pain.

I wasn’t done. I trapped one of his arms and bridged my hips to destabilize him. He moved off just enough for me to weasel past and stammer to my feet.

“Ah!” Henderson charged me again, and I braced myself to be taken to the ground.

“Stop.” Zach emerged bloody, but I saw no physical wounds. Henderson halted midstride. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“He was trying to take the dagger.”

“Did I ask? Do you think so highly of yourself that you believed you could touch my brother, a future member of The Guard?”

Henderson hesitated, looking around for the dagger we threw.

“You don’t want to be standing next to me in the next few minutes. If I turn around and see you, I’ll kill you myself.”

“Yes, sir. It will only take a minute. I was ordered by Sirius—”

“Leave now,” Zach said. “Unless you feel like fighting me. And you know how that ends for you.”

My brother didn’t know the importance. I wasn’t even sure that Henderson guy knew either. The dagger had to be somewhere close in the flowerbeds. He’d come back for it.

“You’re supposed to stay next to me. That’s an order.”

“An order? These people are my friends. You’re fighting on the wrong side. You killed Felix!”

“I’m doing what has to be done. And he’s not dead . . . yet.”

“What did you do with him?”