Blood

Chapter Fifty-five: Ambush in the Shadows

The cabin’s tense silence was shattered by the sound of heavy boots crunching on the forest floor. Ethan’s grip on his energy blade tightened, his muscles coiled like a spring. Gregory crouched low, a makeshift club in hand, while Eliza pressed herself against the wall, her breath coming in shallow bursts.

Kael, hidden in the shadows of the cabin, signaled for silence. His sharp eyes darted to a window where faint shadows moved outside.

“They’re coming,” Kael whispered, his voice barely audible. “Seven. Maybe eight. They’re hunting us.”

“Are they here for you?” Ethan hissed, his blade shimmering faintly in the dim light.

Kael shot him a sharp look. “Keep your voice down, or we’ll all find out together.”

The cabin door creaked open, and a shifter stepped inside, his amber eyes glowing faintly in the dark. His movements were cautious, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air.

“Spread out,” the shifter growled to the others outside. “They’re here. I can smell them.”

Ethan exchanged a glance with Gregory, his expression grim. “What now?” he mouthed silently.

Kael tilted his head, listening intently. “Wait,” he mouthed back.

The shifter took another step into the cabin, his boots kicking up a cloud of dust. As his gaze swept the room, Kael moved like a shadow, striking the intruder from behind. The shifter collapsed with a muffled grunt, and Kael dragged him out of sight.

But the sound alerted the others.

“They’re inside!” one of the shifters barked.

The door burst open, and two shifters charged in. Ethan stepped forward, his blade a blur of energy. He slashed at one attacker, the blade slicing cleanly through the shifter’s weapon. Gregory lunged at the second, his improvised club connecting with a sickening crunch.

Kael leapt into the fray, his movements fluid and precise. He disarmed one shifter with a flick of his wrist and drove a dagger into the other’s shoulder.

Eliza grabbed a broken chair leg and swung it at an approaching shifter, surprising even herself when it landed squarely across his face.

The fight was brutal and swift. Soon, the cabin was littered with bodies, some groaning in pain, others unnervingly still.

One shifter, pinned beneath Gregory’s knee, struggled weakly.

“What do we do with him?” Gregory asked, breathing heavily.

“Ask him why they’re here,” Eliza said, her voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through her veins.

Kael knelt beside the captive, his eyes cold. “Why were you patrolling these woods?”

The shifter sneered, blood trickling from his lip. “You’re fools if you think you can escape us. There’s a bounty on your heads—and his,” he added, jerking his chin toward Kael.

Kael’s jaw tightened. “The bounty doesn’t explain why you’re out here.”

The shifter hesitated, then spat, “We’re sweeping the area. There’s word of rebels gathering nearby. Your little hideouts won’t save you.”

Ethan frowned. “Rebels? Where?”

The shifter let out a humorless laugh. “Why should I tell you?”

Kael pressed his dagger against the shifter’s throat. “Because if you don’t, you’ll never leave this forest alive.”

The shifter’s bravado faltered. “North of here,” he said reluctantly. “Near the old ruins. But you’re too late. A larger force is already on its way to crush them.”

Kael stood, wiping his blade clean on the shifter’s tunic. “We need to move. This place won’t stay hidden for long.”

Eliza’s mind raced. “If there are rebels nearby, we could join forces with them.”

“Or we could warn them about the incoming force,” Ethan added. “They might not stand a chance otherwise.”

Gregory leaned against the wall, his grin replaced by a grim expression. “Or we could ambush the shifter patrol and weaken them before they reach the rebels.”

Kael crossed his arms. “Attacking that force would be suicide. We don’t know their numbers.”

“And running without helping makes us cowards,” Gregory shot back.

Eliza held up a hand, silencing the argument. “Enough. We’ll warn the rebels. If we’re going to stand a chance against the shifters, we need allies.”

Kael nodded, his expression unreadable. “Smart choice. But if we’re going to reach them before the shifter force does, we need to leave now.”

"We have to split up and go in pairs. I'll go with Kael so I can keep an eye on him." Ethan said.

Kael scoffed. “You really think I’d throw myself in front of them for a bounty?”

Ethan’s grip on his energy blade didn’t falter. “I think I don’t know you well enough to trust you. Let’s keep it that way until you prove otherwise.”

Kael rolled his eyes but kept silent, his jaw tightening

Eliza stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension. "We don't have time for this. What's the plan?"

Ethan's gaze flicked between them before he spoke. "We'll split into pairs. Kael and I will intercept the larger force to buy time. You and Greg will head to the rebels' camp and get them out of range before the shifters arrive."

Gregory frowned, gripping his club tightly. "Splitting up sounds risky. If the rebels don't trust us, we're dead weight out there."

"They'll trust you," Ethan said firmly. "You're good with words, Greg. Convince them. Get them moving. The moment they're safe, send me a signal, and Kael and I will retreat."

"What if the larger force reaches you before we can get them out?" Eliza asked, crossing her arms.

Ethan's expression hardened. "Then we fight."

Eliza's brows shot up. "You want the two of you to take on an entire force? That's suicide. We barely made it out of this fight, and there were four of us."

Kael smirked, a dagger of pure energy twirling deftly in his hand. "You underestimate me."

Ethan didn't take his eyes off Eliza. "We don't have time to argue. This is the only way to maximize our chances. Let's move."

Gregory muttered something under his breath but nodded, his grip tightening on his weapon. "You'd better not get yourselves killed, or I'm haunting you both."

Kael shot him a lopsided grin.

"You're more trouble alive than as a ghost."

Eliza sighed, her resolve setting in. "Fine. But if you die out there, Ethan, I'll kill you myself."