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David lifted his bow and fired at a soldier that eed from the smoke and fire The arrow pierced deep into the soldier’s heart and knocked hiroaned in the final h David’s jaas locked, and determination radiated from his eyes, his arm trembled as he dropped it slowly back to his side

"It is essential you take care of that wound," Jack informed him

"I’m fine"

"You’re not fine" David shot him a look as he lifted his bow and fired another arrow into a cluster of soldiers Jack ignored the furious look his friend gave hi about it before you bleed to death," he co happens to you"

David glowered at Jack as he reached out and grabbed Jack’s shirt Jack wasn’t expecting it when David brandished a knife and cut a large piece of cloth from the last shirt Jack had that was still in one piece Clothing was hard to come by in the woods, and over the years Jack had becoy pants that oven out of flax for the summer, and the heavy woolen articles that were created for the winter

David’s eyes sparkled as he deftly tied the shirt around his injury and used his teeth to pull the knot tight "I liked this shirt," Jack grureed

Jack’s attention was diverted froe as a shout of victory rang throughout the street He turned to discover that Victor, one of his father’s right hand men, and one of the cruelest va, had been taken prisoner The man was beaten and bloody as he was pulled down the street by a group of soldiers that were led by Saul and Barnaby Saul stepped back and pointed toward one of the growing fires and the soldiers pushed Victor into the inferno Jack didn’t feel an ounce of reht

Rounding a bend in the road, the palace ca as it stretched high into the night sky Illu flames of the town shimmered off of the pale palace walls as they approached

Almost there, they were aled to get hi open and a new horde of the king’s soldiers spilled out to challenge the as Aria burst free of the servant’s tunnel See to sense his presence, she turned toward him Hope and terror radiated froazed at hiled around her dirt streaked, porcelain skin, she was still thehe’d ever seen

Beneath the dirt he saw the bites, bruises and blood that ran up and down her arms and across the colu hiht have bite ht have touched her, and what else they et his hands on her again, and to get her out of here alive

If at all possible

She took a step toward hiht behind her Wrapping his arms around her waist, he lifted her up and threw her to the floor Braith’s vision becaed forward, shoving through the guards closest to him as he felt the beast within take over and all his control slip away

He was consumed with bloodlust as he jerked a rasp, he twisted it under his ar it free, he drove it into the hearts of two htened cry drove hi to her, and destroying anyone that had dared to touch her He didn’t feel the spear that pierced his back and tore through his shoulder He didn’t even know he’d been stabbed until the pointed tip shot out the other end

He tore the spear free froe, frightened eyes He was about to cross that line again, about to completely relinquish himself to the darkness, and he didn’t care as he seized hold of therabbed hold of hie and tore his heart out The other was not so lucky as Braith spun hi at him The man screamed and howled as he was pierced with rasp but Braith felt no co to use the h the crowd

He lost sight of her as he was engulfed by soldiers So hih hiuard he held heaved one final groan and went still in his grasp Braith used his body to beat back two more soldiers as they lurched at hiuard at three ’s men and knocked the hiainst his brother’s hold He grunted as another arrow tore through flesh and bone, ripped through sinew, and clipped part of his heart Driven to his knees, Braith felt the rush of blood froan as it seeped into his chest It wasn’t a fatal blow, not at his age, not if he could feed soon, but it would weaken and slow hiuards approached with far more confidence than they had before, and on top of his other wounds

"No!" Aria’s scream was frenzied and raith terror "Don’t! Stop it, you’re killing hiely spun on hih Aria as she watched Braith go down on the uish ripped fro hi devastatingly obvious that there were too many of the hirabbed hold of her Reacting on instinct and rushing adrenaline, she tried to drive her knee into his tender groin region again but he was better prepared this time He slapped her fist away froe tactics She lunged at hiht against hi to ht to free herself froain, and shehis face, and her intended area of attack, exposed Feeling like a crazed woht for his eyes