There’s already so much that the man would be disappointed in if he found out, so what’s one more thing?

  I catch the backs of the two men as they stand over their catch, gloating.

  Idiots.

  You never gloat, you always go in for the kill.

  Their mistake will be to my benefit though.

  I reach down into my boot, drawing out a dagger. Pausing for only a second, I throw it through the air just as one of the men turns to see what all the noise is. He turns just in time for the dagger to land point blank in the middle of his forehead.

  The other man’s mouth drops open as he turns and finds his partner lying on the ground bleeding out. He bares his teeth at me as he draws his sword.

  I rush him, not waiting for the attack. He slices at my head, missing wildly. I don’t bother withdrawing Gwev, not having time to waste.

  I look up, where the sun has mostly disappeared from the sky.

  No, I need to make this quick, I don’t want to be caught by nightfall.

  The man whirls around, pitching forward as he tries to jab the point of his sword in my chest. I jump out of the way, avoiding the blade. Before the man has time to recover, I’m on him. I press my thumbs into his eyes, the rest of my fingers pressing into the side of his head with force. I listen as the man start to scream and his sword falls from his grasp with a clang.

  I release him when I start to feel blood drip onto my fingers.

  His hands fly out wildly, blindly, trying to capture me but he doesn’t stand a chance as I move around him. I wrap my arms around his neck as I jump onto his back and tangle my legs around his waist.

  He falls to the ground, and I cringe when I go with him, but I keep my grip tight. The blood is still dripping from his now blinded eyes. His breaths start to reach his lungs painfully slow as I continue to choke the life out of him.

  It doesn’t take long for his body to go motionless.

  Once I’m positive that he’s dead, I back off of him. I glance at the other man, the dagger still poking out of his head.

  He isn’t quite dead yet, his chest still moving just slightly. I move over and pull the dagger out of his head and drop it back into my boot.

  For a moment, I consider not putting him out of his misery, but I know it’d be a mistake.

  Never leave your enemy alive.

  I bring my foot down on his windpipe, mercilessly.

  His chest finally stops moving.

  With an exasperated sigh, I turn, my eyes landing on the man still huddled on the ground. His puppy dog, brown eyes look up at me in shock. “Really, Brielyn? Must I always have to save your ass?”

  His eyes take in the blood covering my hands and arms. He shakes his head slightly, running a hand through his hair. “I totally had it handled,” he lies with as much bluster as he can manage. He takes a deep, ragged breath.

  I roll my eyes before holding out a hand to help him up.

  Fucking idiot.

  I’m not sure if I mean myself or Brielyn because saving him was definitely stupid.

  I was never supposed to make friends for exactly this point. Everyone in the calling is my competition. Letting the other men kill Brielyn would have meant one less competitor for me to face off against. I could have let them kill him and then kill them afterwards, eliminating three potential competitors within minutes.

  Yet, I let my stupid emotions get in the way.

  As I pull Brielyn to his feet, I can’t help but to think of how easy it’d be to rectify my mistake. I’ve sparred enough with the man to know that I could easily take him. If he didn’t see it coming, like now, he wouldn’t even know what killed him.

  He wouldn’t know it was the woman posing as his friend.

  I’d jab the still bloody dagger in his throat, nice and quick. He would barely feel any pain before the life drained out of him.

  His brown eyes meet mine and a weird look crosses his face before he quickly lets go of my hand. As he brushes dirt off of his pants, I take a step away from him, my heart moving quicker in my chest than usual.

  No, I’m not going to kill him. What’s done is done. I can’t regret it now.

  Footsteps sound from behind me and I turn to find Orrtyn eyeing Brielyn and I.

  “Oh, what is he doing here?” Brielyn asks in surprise. He squints at Orrtyn as if to check that he’s really seeing the royal.

  “It’s a long story,” I say shortly. I observe Brielyn, noticing that his pants are ripped and his brown shirt is already covered in blood. I wonder how much of it is his.

  “Where did the throwing star hit you?” I ask, remembering his whimper of pain.

  His lips press together tightly for a moment before he sighs. “It grazed my leg but it isn’t bad.”

  I glance down at his pants and now that he mentions it, I can see a small rip that has a smidge of blood surrounding it.

  He won’t survive out here on his own.

  But I can’t just keep adding more and more people to our little bubble.

  It’s just Brielyn.

  I look up at the sky, the sun is fully gone, leaving the moon in its wake. It sheds just a little light on us but still not enough to take chances with. My eyes move to the blood on Brielyn again and I let out a sigh.

  I can’t leave him.

  “Let’s head back to camp, and we’ll check the cut out, it’s already far too dark out.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  We make it back to the cave without any disturbance. Orrtyn carries the lifeless tamaegus, despite my protest that I can do it. He’d spoken to me in an uncharacteristically low voice, saying that he wasn’t as incapable as I’d believed as he hauled it onto his shoulder and that had ended the argument. It didn’t end the slight tension that I could feel building between us though.

  Brielyn follows behind us and I can tell that he’s brimming with questions, but thankfully, he decides to keep his mouth shut for once.

  We make it inside the cave and Orrtyn drops the tamaegus next to a big rock.

  I look around for Walker but don’t find him anywhere in the cave, not even in the back where the shadows linger the darkest. I can’t decide whether or not I’m happy he hasn’t returned yet.

  On one hand, it means a few more moments of peace. On the other, if something has happened to him, it’d diminish the numbers of my alliance.

  I open my mouth, turning to say something to Orrtyn when I a shriek rips through before the sound of scuffling.

  Turning quickly with my heart in my throat, I find Brielyn floundering, his arms waving wildly as he struggles against Walker. The bigger man has his arms wrapped around Brielyn’s throat, much like the man he’d killed earlier today.

  I let out a groan, whipping out my dagger. “Let him go,” I bark out.

  Walker tilts his head to the side, his dark hair catching in the moonlight as he glares at me. Ragna is perched on his shoulder, not seeming the least bit put off by the aggressive movement. “Why would I do that?” he questions, not letting go of Brielyn. I do notice that he loosens his hold slightly, giving Brielyn just enough air to breathe and the man does with loud, deep breaths.

  “Because he’s with me,” I tell him as I clutch the dagger tighter.

  And there goes the peace I thought I was going to get.

  Walker narrows his eyes before he finally lets Brielyn go, sending the man sprawling to his knees as he coughs.

  Orrtyn lets out a sigh from somewhere behind me before he’s moving next to Brielyn, checking on the man.

  I keep my gaze on Walker, meeting his glare head on. His lips are carved down into a deep frown and his eyes hold fire.

  Gods, how is this ever going to work? It’s only been a day and we’re already on the verge of ripping each other’s throat out.

  I think back to a week ago when I thought that maybe Walker wasn’t that bad. He’d saved my life, knowing that he’d be punished for the act and while he’d said it was so his only competition wasn’t unfairly eliminated, I’d started to expect other motives.

  And what motives were those? That he cared?

  The thought is laughable.

  Walker only cares about the royals, his three friends.

  And me, I only care about getting revenge for my family.

  This is why, as soon as you’re off this fucking island, you need to go back to remembering who the enemy is so there isn’t any confusion.

  I shift my gaze over to Ragna, finding the murderous bird watching me with eyes that look far too human for such a creature.

  “Lucky for you, I found some other meat. So, it looks like we can put the bird stew off for later,” I say to the bird, but fully intending to get a rile out of Walker.

  I’m disappointed when the man only glares harder before turning his taut back on me.

  For a moment, I think he’s trying to insult me until I realize he’d dropped his firewood at the mouth of the cave.

  Fuck, did he see Brielyn and think the man was sneaking up on Orrtyn and I?

  I frown, realizing that must have been what the man thought since Brielyn was only a couple of feet inside from the cave, standing behind Orrtyn and I, who both had our backs turned.

  Gods, Brielyn’s lucky he didn’t get an arrow dropped into his skull.

  It would have solved my problem on what to do with him though.

  I push the harsh thought from my mind. Orrtyn’s standing a few feet away now, helping Walker and Brielyn has gotten to his feet. He shoots Walker a glare but it quickly disappears when the bigger man turns his way.

  I move over to the tamaegus, sitting down next to its lifeless body. I draw a dagger from my boot as I try to figure out how in the hell to skin the damn thing. I don’t want to have a bunch of fur in my mouth when I chomp down on the thing. This would totally be easier if it was just a bird whose feathers I could pluck no problem.

  I take another glance at Ragna, finding the devilish bird already watching me.

  “Here, let me.” I look up to see Orrtyn standing over me. The man’s blue eyes are guarded as he holds out his hand for my dagger.

  I pause, before offering the dagger to him. If he wanted to use it against me, he’s had many opportunities, plus I have no doubt that I could fend off an attack from him if need be.

  He squats down next to me and I watch as he methodically starts to skin the animal’s coat off. He works quickly, his eyes focused, and the second he’s done, he begins to chop the animal into neat pieces. He lays them on the skinned coat to prevent them from getting dirty on the ground.

  Heat and orange light invade the cave, suddenly. I look over to find Walker closer toward the back of the cave, a fire lit and going strong. Brielyn stands a little to the side of the man and from the fascination in his eyes, I’m guessing he’s completely over Walker trying to kill him only moments ago.

  I refrain from rolling my eyes.

  Walker turns around suddenly, his eyes darting between Orrtyn and I. In the flicker of the flames, something crosses his face but it’s quickly gone. He stands up, the fire still going strong behind him. “Need more firewood,” he grunts out, the words short and clipped.

  Orrtyn glances up, his hands pausing in their cutting of the meat. He surveys Walker, looking him over from head to toe. He opens his mouth to say something before suddenly shaking his head. “Take Brielyn with you,” he finally settles on saying. I watch as Brielyn’s eyes widen dramatically behind Orrtyn’s back. He points at his chest and mouths me in a question that I don’t answer.

  A part of me wonders if it’s because it’s being implied that Walker needs back up, Brielyn’s backup at that, or because Orrtyn actually remembered his name.

  Walker’s jaw clenches and he glances at Brielyn, shaking his head and sending strays of dark locks flying. “I don’t need him, he’ll only slow me down.” He moves forward to walk away without Brielyn.

  Orrtyn sighs and places the dagger and the rest of the uncut animal down. He stands, brushing off his clothes before smoothly gliding over to Walker. I watch as he places a hand on the man’s chest, halting his movements. He leans in, having to stand on his tip toes since Walker is taller than him by a half a foot. He whispers something in the bigger man’s ear and I watch as Walker relaxes slightly.

  Orrtyn steps away and I’m a little shocked by the goofy grin on his face. It seems so out of place in the dark, dank cave with all the tension in the air.

  Walker glances backwards at Brielyn. “Keep up,” he barks out before striding out of the cave, grabbing his bow and arrow on the way out.

  Brielyn’s eyes widen slightly and he glances at Orrtyn. “Did you promise him sexual favors?” He asks, catching me off guard, and I find myself listening for Orrtyn’s answer.

  Orrtyn’s eyes crinkle at the corner, “You better hurry along if you want to catch up with him” is the only thing he says before returning to his spot on the ground next to me.

  Brielyn looks at me, raising his brow before hustling out of the cave after Walker.

  Did you promise him sexual favors?

  I glance at Orrtyn, wondering if that’s what he actually did to make the stubborn man comply.

  Is that how their dynamic works? Walker is a stubborn jackass and Orrtyn uses favors to persuade him to get him to be a little less difficult.

  Orrtyn’s eyes glance up at me, bright and beautifully blue. He raises a brow. “Yes?”

  “Huh?”

  “You’re staring, I assume there’s something you want to ask.” He returns his gaze to working on cutting the animal.

  I shake my head slightly, pursing my lips. Sex isn’t something that I’m particularly a fan of, either talking about it or performing the act itself, hence being a virgin. I didn’t have the time to try to date and fool around in my early teenage years like everyone else and the appeal of it didn’t last long anyway. No matter how much Ru would pester or encourage me, I’d ignore the girl.

  “Nothing,” I say, feeling my cheeks warm slightly.

  Orrtyn glances back up at me and I watch as he studies my cheeks. “You want to know what I said to get Walker to agree, too” he pinpoints.

  I remain silent.

  He lets out a slight laugh. “The man is stubborn and after years of knowing him, I know exactly what to do and say to get him to do what I want in most cases. It’s not something I take advantage of often though, since I sometimes prefer when he puts up a fight.” A twinkle enters his eyes. “I will say when it comes to you though, it’s often harder to persuade him to do things. You… invoke very stubborn feelings in him.”

  I let out a dry laugh. “That man is always stubborn, there’s nothing special about what I invoke in him but extreme homicidal tendencies.”

  “Hmmm, maybe,” Orrtyn agrees. He holds the dagger out to me, hilt first and it takes me a moment to realize he’s done with the animal. Pink flesh is on display now and it’s chopped into nice, easy pieces.

  I take the dagger and slide it back into my boot.

  Some of the light and mischief fades from Orrtyn’s eyes as he continues to watch me and it becomes hard to ignore the pounding in my chest. He’s giving me the same look I’ve seen from him lately, lacking the usual humor that I find in his blue eyes. This is something different and a part of me doesn’t like it.

  “You shouldn’t take anything Walker says too personally though,” Orrtyn settles on saying. He brushes a stray blond piece of hair out of his face. “He has a short fuse, much like I notice you have.”

  I remain silent.

  “I’m sorry,” he says suddenly, catching me off guard.

  “For what?” I ask, my brows wrinkling together as my shoulders tense.

  What is he apologizing for?

  “For not uncuffing you.”

  “What?” I look down at my wrists, confused and thinking I’ve missed something.

  He lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair, his eyes holding sadness. The orange light from the fire dances along his tan skin, giving it a somewhat intense look. “If I would have fully uncuffed you, you would have been able to move out of the way of the sword.”

  I only continue to frown at him before I suddenly realize what he’s referring to.

  “That wasn’t your fault,” I say. I can’t help but to remember being chained to the wall, only half free as Delia charged at me with her sword. Orrtyn had been in the process of uncuffing me when he’d had to fend off an attack. He’d left me in the half free, half restrained position. But to blame him hadn’t even crossed my mind.

  Which is crazy since you’re always looking for something to blame the royals for and yes this didn’t even occur to you.

  I study Orrtyn, noting the slump in his shoulders. The man is so often full of life in a way that I can’t ignore no matter how much I want to, and yet, lately… “Is that why you’ve been so subdued lately, because you feel… guilty?” I ask, and when he looks up at me I know I’ve struck the nail on the head.

  The guilt and anguish that twists this face… Something about it makes the breath in my lungs halt.

  The man has been feeling guilty about me being hurt when it wasn’t his fault, when I’d be dead if he hadn’t shown up at all, and yet…

  He’s the enemy.

  “Stop feeling guilty, there are bigger things that one should feel guilt for.” Such as killing someone’s entire family in a fire. I try to keep my words steady and hard.

  Orrtyn’s blue eyes meet mine and they look to be a tad bit lighter now as he watches me. The air between us seems to thicken as we continue to watch each other in the low light of the cave. An expression that I can’t quite read crosses his face but the intensity of it leaves me feeling unsettled all the same.

  I rub at my chest, not liking the silence in the air or the feelings in my body. “What ‘s your gift?” I blurt it out nervously, the words echoing around the cave. I don’t expect an answer, but I need to change the subject and the weird, unsettling feeling in the air.

  Orrtyn’s eyes dance over my face for a moment and I watch as his shoulders tense before relaxing. “I can move at the speed of light.”