Ryker grunted in agreement, and for several long minutes, neither of them moved.
Someone touched Ryker’s shoulder. He looked up and met Nikhail’s eyes. A line of blood streaked across the air fae’s face, and a gash slashed across his left shoulder, but he appeared to be in one piece.
“It’s time to go,” Nikhail said.
Ryker closed his eyes. “Thanks for coming, Nik.”
He didn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if they hadn’t arrived.
“Thank your wife.” The air fae gestured to Brynleigh. “She fought well.”
A tremor ran through Brynleigh at Nikhail’s words. She was still gripping the stake.
Ryker slowly peeled his wife’s fingers off the weapon, wrapping them in his hand instead.
“Let’s get out of here, love.”
She didn’t fight him as he rose and tugged her away from the dead woman.
It was only then that Ryker took in the scene around them.
Jelisette wasn’t the only one Death had visited.
Of the nine captive men from the Choosing, seven were standing. All were injured. Only one member of the Black Night remained alive, a man Therian was pinning to the ground. The dragon shifter had a gun pointed at the rebel’s head.
Therian met Ryker’s eye, and the two men communicated silently.
The dragon shifter nodded. Hauling the rebel to his feet, he ordered, “Get us the fuck out of here, now.”
Exhaustion had wovenitself into the very fabric of Ryker’s being. An entire day had passed since their rag-tag group had stumbled out of the rebels’ compound, bloody, bruised, and broken…
But alive.
Thank the Blessed Black Sands for that.
Ryker hadn’t released Brynleigh’s hand. Not as they staggered out of the building, not while they debriefed with the backup Nikhail had called, who had just gotten to the scene, and not even when they were taken to the army base.
He wasn’t sure he could ever let go of his wife again. He’d come so close to losing her.
As soon as they arrived on the base, soldiers cut off their prohiberis cuffs.
A witch came in and healed Ryker’s shoulder and arm. The process was unpleasant, but the break was set and healing.
Then, the questioning began. Representatives, military personnel, and even the Chancellor filtered through the rooms where they were keeping the survivors.
There were so many questions—too many, even for Ryker.
What happened?
How were you taken?
Who was there?
And then the questions got increasingly personal.
Tell us about the Black Night.
You got your wife out of The Pit. Why?