Children of Blood ✔️

Chapter Thirty

I take my bow and raise it, an arrow sits on my shelf and I aim. My arms shake from the strain of drawing back, but I focus on the back of a man's neck.

As I shoot Adam calls out my name before I'm thrown to the ground and my head smashes into a rock. I flip over and deflect the blade of a sword with my dagger. The man lifts his sword and swings again, my heart sinking and eyes closed, but no hit comes.

The man slides off a sword and collapses on top of me. I push him off and Adam blocks another swing.

I shoot an arrow and it hits Adam's opponent in the shoulder. He tumbles over and Adam lunges his sword into his stomach. I move to my feet and stare at our soldiers' bodies pile on top of each other. We're slowly being out numbered. These people gave their lives for the cause, I can't disappoint them now.

I pull out a dagger as a woman attacks me with incredible velocity. I deflect her sword, kick it out of her hand and slice her jugular. Big weapons don't always mean you have the advantage.

I feel the panic increase as two men run towards me. I unsheathe another digger and press my back to Adam, "We're outnumbered."

Adam grunts as he strikes another man down, "I know. This will not look pretty, but when I tell you to. I need you to run."

"What?" I yell and dodge one man's swing, pushing him onto the other. I kick him in the nose and grab the other man's hand holding his sword. I jab my knife under both of their rib cages and move back to Adam, "There's no way in hell I'm abandoning you again. I did that once and that was too many times." I slide my daggers away, grab my bow out and flip it over my shoulder to shoot one man charging Adam.

"Why are you bringing this up now?" Alaric takes a breath as we wait for an opponent to attack.

We spin around and keep our backs together, "I disappeared when Roxy died, I gave up on you. I gave up on everyone, I'm sorry." A man charges me and I shoot an arrow. He defects it and I reload, "Adam, help!"

He spins just in time and strikes the man down with one blow. I raise my arrow and shoot another man. Bodies of our men and others make it hard to keep your footing, but I try.

I find my hand shaking and my heart sinking. We'll die if we stay out here, "I'm so sorry for abandoning you Adam."

"Don't apologize," Adam shakes his head, "I resented you because I thought it was your fault Roxy died, but really I resented myself. I couldn't do anything and I hated myself for it."

"I blame myself too," I shoot another arrow, "even though Roxy told me not to."

Adam struggles to keep his grip on his sword and it slips from his hand. I turn and shoot a man as Adam grabs his sword and pushes to his feet.

"Why did you forgive me?" I ask, drawing my string back again.

Adam rests his hands on his knees and breathes heavily. "You sacrificed yourself so we could stay in the Fide Clan, then again for Luke and Alaric and now you're on the front lines." He swings his sword and collapses. I turn and take a shot at the man who crumbles at the impact of my arrow, "If you had the chance, I know you wouldn't have let her die. It just took me a long time to realize your selflessness." 

I brush a tear away, "Adam. Promise me we'll get out of this alive." Adam stands slumped over and sweating, our men around us fall to the ground helplessly. I grab his shoulder and turn him to me, "Promise me you'll be okay."

Adam's eyes well with tears as we stare at our deaths, "Run."

I shake my head and turn. With my remaining energy I aim and shoot, standing by Alaric I try to keep the men from him. One slips past me and Adam holds back the man's sword. I shoot and gasp for air before swallowing my fear. "I'm not leaving, so you can stand up and fight."

Adam straightens and brings his sword back to centre, finding his form he swings determinedly.

I attack a woman to my right as a few yells echo through the Bellator Clan followed by the Fide Clan's battle cry. It's strong, riveting and fresh. I smile and look at Adam who sighs. Both of us echo their cry as the Bellator warriors formation melts away into the buildings and deeper into their city.

I smile and give Alaric a side hug, "we aren't running yet."

He nods and we slowly jog deeper into their city. We are still outnumbered, but we have fresh troops who still haven't given up.

We turn and face Alaric, Luke and Maverick, who charge with us into the bloodbath. I slow to a stop and raise my bow, picking targets and shooting as the boys run in and join the fight. We work our way deeper and deeper into the city, the Bellator warriors dwindling slowly. I catch Luke trying his best to only use the butt of his sword; he doesn't want to kill his own people.

I slip my bow onto my back and move to fight with my daggers. The five of us move synchronized like water, we keep a tight radius and protect our backs. Blood soaks every inch of our skin, but we keep moving.

We look like we were born of blood. As of we grew up in it and it's all we know; we're the children of revenge, hope and blood.

A few Bellator Clan warriors retreat as we break through the mass and approach Lady's tall tower. My heart turns as I try to keep my calm.

We leave our soldiers behind as I take slow steps to the building. Adam's hand finds its way to my back and he gives me an encouraging nudge. I clench my jaw and press my hand to the door before throwing it open. Five guards stand in front, fully covered in metal armour. One stands out from the rest as he's shorter and less stalky, I can't see his face because it's covered in a helmet, but I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Long time no see, Jean."