The silence hung heavily in the air as I sat beside Xaden, the weight of it pressing down on me like a suffocating fog. Across from us, Kai, Gerard, and the ten soldiers stared at me, their eyes sharp and unyielding, their gazes unwavering. I could feel their intensity like a physical thing, prickling the hairs on the back of my neck.
The revelry had long since ended, leaving behind an eerie stillness that seemed to magnify the tension in the room. It was well past 3 a.m., and the only sound that broke the silence was the faint, rhythmic sweep of brooms across the marble floors as the staff painstakingly cleaned the bloodstains left in the wake of the chaos.
I scanned the room, the dim glow of lanterns casting long, jagged shadows across the walls. The faces around me were drawn and exhausted, their features grim with the same uncertainty that had settled like a weight on my chest.
The soldier's report was still fresh in my mind, his words echoing in my thoughts. His recounting of the mysterious intruders made my frustration bubble to the surface, and I clenched my jaw, struggling to keep my temper in check.
"They entered through the east wing. There were roughly thirty of them. None of them have been identified yet," the soldier spoke, his voice laced with tension, as if even speaking the words might invite more danger. "They were all men and women in their late twenties. We have no idea how they got in, or even where they're from. There's no trace of any dragons or winged creatures. What we do know is that they came here for one thing—you, Nora."
The way his words landed, heavy and final, only deepened my growing irritation. I bit back the sharp retort that sat on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't stop the bitterness from slipping into my voice.
"So what I'm hearing is you have no clue what's going on, and no information to give me?" I leaned forward, my eyes narrowing in disbelief.
The soldier's nod was grim, his eyes downcast, but I could feel the weight of his admission hanging in the air like an accusation.
"Fantastic," I muttered under my breath, barely able to contain my frustration.
I took a long sip from the glass of wine that had been placed in front of me—cool, smooth, but utterly ineffective in quelling the restless surge of energy that thrummed beneath my skin. I could feel it, like a coil winding tighter and tighter inside me, as if the unknown threat that loomed on the horizon was already inside, creeping its way through my bones.
The others began to murmur, their voices rising in a soft cacophony of worry and speculation, but I tuned them out. Instead, I focused on the soft rustle of fabric as the soldiers shuffled their feet, each one as tense as the next. My mind was whirling, each thought darkening the next, until the weight of it all felt suffocating.
"I need air," I declared, my voice cutting through the low murmur of conversation like a blade.
Xaden's gaze met mine, his expression filled with concern, but I met it with a smile—reassuring, though it was more a mask than a comfort. "I'm fine. I just need a moment," I said, though the words felt hollow even as they left my lips.
I could see the hesitation in his eyes, but he didn't stop me as I stood and walked toward the garden. The cold night air wrapped around me like a familiar embrace, and for the briefest moment, the world felt a little less pressing. The distant sounds of crickets and rustling leaves were a welcome contrast to the tense silence I'd just left behind.
I found myself under a large, gnarled tree, the starlit sky above casting an ethereal glow across the garden. The tranquility of it was a bitter irony against the chaos that had erupted only hours before.
Out in the distance, I spotted Araax and Sgaelye, curled up together in peaceful slumber, their soft breathing a reminder of the fleeting moments of calm in a world that never seemed to stop unraveling. But even that fleeting peace couldn't quiet the gnawing sense of danger that lingered in my gut.
Just as I let out a slow breath, I felt it—that feeling. A shift in the air, the faintest disruption in the stillness. I wasn't alone.
My hand went to my dagger instinctively, fingers wrapping around the hilt, muscles tensing in anticipation. The sound of footsteps approached—calm, measured. The hairs on my neck stood on end, every instinct screaming at me to be ready.
They were close now, just a breath away. And then, as if from the shadows themselves, a figure slid into place beside me.
I didn't hesitate. One moment I was sitting beneath the tree, the next I had my dagger pressed to their throat, my body straddling theirs, heart pounding as my senses went into overdrive.
A low chuckle escaped their lips, a sound that made my skin prickle, but the familiar warmth of their touch at my waist sent a jolt of electricity through me. Their hands were cool against my skin, yet the moment they touched me, the tension in my chest seemed to double, not from fear, but from something deeper.
"Well, this is an unexpected turn of events," the voice was unmistakable. Kai.
In the blink of an eye, the roles were reversed. I was lifted off the ground and sent tumbling down the hill, my attacker—Kai—tangled with me as we rolled. My dagger never left my hand, and once we reached the bottom, I regained my feet, pressing the cold steel to his neck as he lay sprawled before me.
"Kai," I hissed, heart still racing, but I could feel my grip loosen as my mind started catching up. This wasn't an enemy. It was Kai. My hand trembled slightly as I lowered the dagger.
His smirk was palpable, even in the dim light. "You wound me, Nora. As much as I enjoy a good wrestle, I must say, there's a rather uncomfortable rock digging into my back." His voice was teasing, yet the warmth beneath it made me pause.
A nervous laugh escaped me, the adrenaline still crackling in my veins. "Sneak up on me like that, and I'll make sure the rock is the least of your problems," I muttered, stepping back to give him space.
His lips curled into that infuriatingly cocky smile. "I thought you might need some help... or at least something to take the edge off."
He pulled out a churam from his pouch, its sweet, spicy scent filling the night air. The dried, smoked leaves curled and swirled in a delicate little bundle, and my stomach twisted. I knew what churam did—the way it dulled the edges of reality, numbed the pain, and temporarily washed away everything that wasn't right.
Kai's smirk softened into something almost like genuine care, but it was fleeting. "You've got to let go, Nora. Just for a moment."
I glanced back toward the house, the weight of everything pressing on my shoulders. But the night was too heavy, the pressure too much, and for a split second, the idea of release—any release—seemed almost sweet.
"Lead the way," I said, my voice almost a whisper
YOU ARE READING
Ruthless 🗡️/ Fourth Wing
Fanfiction"Why do the men always have the honor to fight in war when women have the power to bring the army down to there knees" A ruthless man is nothing but a man A ruthless woman is everything a man wishes he could be. What happens if the rebellion didn't...
