Eric saw Phoenix bend double arms wrapped around her stomach. The wild woman pushed her back up into a standing position. Something about the look on the woman's face seemed wrong.

Faster. Get to Phoenix.

Eric broke into a run and saw something silver in the wild woman's hand. She plunged the dagger into Phoenix's abdomen and jerked it sideways, cutting deep and long.

"No!" Eric reached them just as the woman pulled back, catching Phoenix as she fell backward. She didn't even seem to realize he was there, her eyes out of focus.

"Phoenix. Phoenix! Can you hear me?"

She lifted her hand, covered in blood, her brows wrinkling. So much blood. But it was more than that. He could sense it, as though he smelt burning flesh where there was none. Her wound seemed...wrong. He tried to put pressure on her abdomen, but something inside him said it was too late.

"Phoenix. Please." A sob wracked Eric's throat. Please."

Her eyes slid up and she went limp in his arms.

#

Maverick saw his sister fall. He saw Canya back away, holding Trey's hand, the little boy's face horrified. Maverick's knees buckled, and he felt two pairs of arms brace him.

"Maverick." Gwen sounded choked.

He pushed up and pulled away from them, pain and rage flooding his veins. He'd kill Canya. He'd destroy her. He stared around the courtyard, but couldn't see her anywhere. She wasn't where Phoenix had fallen, nor anywhere nearby. It was as though she vanished.

Eric sat holding Phoenix, his head bent over her.

My sister. Maverick stormed forward. I should be the one with her.

A burly pair of hands shoved his chest, knocking him a step backward. He looked up to see Youlden and Finny standing side by side.

"You need to leave. Now." Youlden shoved Maverick backward again, toward Gwen.

"Listen to him." It was the first time he'd ever seen Finny frightened. "We need to go. Come with me. Both of you." She glanced past them at Lieutenant Port. "All of you."

"I can't—Laina—"

"Is gone," Youlden said, his voice thick. "There's nothing you can do now. Helena's coming. The Militia has won. You have to go."

"Please." Finny and Youlden kept pushing him back. He felt Gwen's hand on his arm.

Noelle. Laina. Roman. Eric.

"I can't just leave them all behind!"

"You have to." Finny shifted him, pushing at his back. "For Braskey. The country needs you all safe."

Gwen and Port were already moving in the direction Finny wanted, Gwen's eyes wide and afraid.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Somewhere safe." Finny glanced back at Youlden. "You coming?"

Youlden met Maverick's gaze and shook his head. "No. I'll stay. I'll take care of her—of them."

"You could be killed," Gwen said, eyes shining.

"Better me than you." Youlden gave them a halfhearted smile. "Go."

Maverick cast one final look back at Eric, feeling like he was leaving him to die.

"I'll keep them safe," Youlden said, following his gaze. "Go."

Turning, Maverick ran off into the night with the others.

#

Helena stopped dead in her tracks as she exited the castle, her heart skipping a beat.

"What is it?" Aundreya asked from behind.

"I thought—it's nothing." For a moment, Helena had thought she'd seen Canya, her unmistakable, violent expression.

She's in the dungeons at the summer palace. She's still there. She can't have escaped...

Unless she had less human in her than Helena had originally thought.

She's not here.

"My Lady." One of the Guardians approached, his face twisted in pain. "We've subdued most of the enemies. We've lost many, as well. This felt far bloodier than you promised."

"War is hells," Helena snapped. "We need to find King Bainon. Now."

"No one has seen him anywhere," the Guardian said. She tried to remember his name, but couldn't place him. "Nor Commander Eric Lee."

"There!" Aundreya pointed off to the right. "There's Eric."

#

Eric heard their approach, still holding Phoenix in his arms. He lifted his gaze and saw an older woman with silver hair braided behind her, a harsh expression twisting her face. Behind her stood Aundreya, smirking, as pleased as ever with herself.

"Well, well," the old woman said. "Look what we have here? A fallen prince."

"He's not the prince, Helena," Aundreya said, grinning. "He's just a disgraced Guardian."

"Poor thing." Helena pursed her lips and glanced down to Phoenix in his arms. Her expression shifted from pleasure to shock. "Phoenix? What—how? You killed her!"

Eric didn't respond. It didn't matter. None of it mattered.

"You vicious little creature," Helena said, glaring down at him. "She was going to take your place, you know. I wanted her to command my Army." Helena closed her eyes and then opened them again. "Where's Bainon? Where's the king?"

Again, Eric said nothing. Aundreya pushed past Helena.

"Tell her, Eric. You know you want to. Tell her where Bainon is."

They waited, and he remained silent, staring down at his sister. Abigail. Gone. Phoenix. Gone. He didn't even know where Samson or Maverick were.

"Tell me where he is or I'll end you, little boy," Helena bore down over him.

What was the point? Let them kill him, it's what they wanted.

She pulled a short blade from her side, raising it up over him. "You'll die like you deserve, you murderer. Consider this vengeance for all you've done to—"

A wild, fierce gust of wind whipped out of nowhere, smacking into Helena and knocking her sideways. She took Aundreya and another soldier down with her, hitting the ground.

"What in the hells?" Aundreya shrieked, kicking to untangle herself.

Eric watched in mild confusion. Helena got to her knees, still clutching her blade before a second wind whirled through, knocking her down once more.

"You won't touch him." A voice boomed as a blast of light burst through the night. "You'll never get your hands on him." 

#

Noelle woke, her wrists tied and a strange man standing nearby. She closed her eyes, trying to remember what happened.

Abigail.

Aundreya.

Helena.

Helena, Mygel and Yoro were working together, probably with the Ancient who had betrayed the Circle. She groaned and wished she were anywhere else.

#

A swirling yet small tornado surrounded Helena, Aundreya, and the man with them, preventing them from getting up. The light dimmed, and Eric looked up to see who his savior was.

"We have to go now, Ares," he said, meeting Eric's eye. "We need to get you somewhere safe."

He blinked, sure it wasn't who he thought it was. "You?"

"Come with me now. That's it. Stand." He pulled Eric up, letting Phoenix lie alone without him.

"Wait!" Eric pulled against him. "I can't leave her!"

"We can't be with her now," he said, his voice choked. "We have to let her go." He flicked his wrist and the tornado stopped, allowing those on the ground to breathe again.

"Who are you?" Eric asked, staring at him. Who knew who he was--who Eric thought he was--but something had changed.

"Who I've always been. Samson." Samson pulled Eric by the arm, taking him away. "But if you'd like, you could also call me Castor."

So many of you were so suspicious. How does it feel to be right? We'll find out more about Castor/Samson in book 3! 

I guess that really means there wasn't much of a love triangle. Not much of a love anything now.

One last chapter. See you Monday.