Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Relief blew through Vero as he looked closer. “He’s got a neck and head wound.” In fact, it looked like a knife had gone through the side of his neck almost to his spine. Vero felt for a pulse.
Paxton jumped over Hunter and crashed on the other side, helping to remove the rest of the brambles. He peered in. “His neck is still half attached. It’s not a death strike.”
“No, but it was close.” Vero shrugged out of his jacket and tore off his shirt. The jacket was too heavy, but he could bind Hunter’s neck with a shirt and at least keep his head on his body. Blood instantly filled the material as the wind whipped against Vero’s bare torso. He didn’t feel a thing.
Paxton leaned in. “That’s too close.”
“Agreed. It looks like they got about half of his neck. My guess is that he dove into the river and let the current bring him out of danger. He’ll be out for a while healing, but he’s not going to die.”
“We’ll see,” Paxton said. “We don’t know the rest of his injuries.”
As long as Hunter’s head remained halfway attached to his body, he would live. “Roll him over and we can carry him back to the helicopter.” Vero took a deep breath. “Hunter, I have no idea if you’re even remotely awake, but buddy, this is going to hurt.”
Chapter Eleven
Lyrica couldn’t get rid of the vision of Hunter’s head hanging by a tendon. Right now, Dr. Fizzlewick was working on the soldier, and he’d kicked everybody else out of the medical building. The smell of the burned lodge filled the air along with thick wisps of smoke. A crew already worked on removing debris, and she could hear them coming up with a construction plan. Did they need help with that? She could create a PowerPoint presentation for them.
She stood outside with Vero, unsure of what to do next. She always had a plan.
Paxton stared at his brother. “My side of the lodge is burned out, but I can bunk with the soldiers.”
Vero’s head jerked up so quickly he must’ve given himself a headache. “You are not bunking anywhere but in the lodge with me and the soldiers I’ve put in place. There are two empty bedrooms in the wing Lyrica and I have been using. You are now assigned to the room between mine and Lazart, who has been a soldier for five hundred years. We can trust him, I promise you.”
Paxton’s eyes flashed fire.
Lyrica retreated a step. She couldn’t see Vero’s expression, but if it remotely matched his brother’s, she wanted to get out of the snowy night and now.
Paxton exhaled. “I think you’ve forgotten that you named me the fucking king, brother.”
“Yes, I did, which means you stay fucking safe.” Vero sounded every bit as angry as Paxton. “Letting them kill you isn’t in my plans. So, get used to being covered at all times.”
Paxton stretched his neck like a stallion fighting a bit. “You have misunderstood me. I’ve put up with the extra detail and lack of privacy because Hope’s safety is paramount. But she’s going to return to Realm headquarters as soon as Hunter can be moved—to the safest place in the world for her. I’m not standing down. Whoever put her in danger and tried to kill us is going to pay, Vero. All I have to do is find them.”
“It’s my job to find them, and using you as bait is not going to happen,” Vero returned evenly, his back one long line of pissed-off muscle.
“Who’s going to stop me?” Paxton asked softly, his expression a cold mask.
Vero stilled. Completely. “I am.”
Paxton’s smile lacked humor. “How’s that, little brother? You wouldn’t dare hit your king, now would you?”
For an answer, Vero struck Paxton so quickly in the jaw that Paxton didn’t have time to block.
Lyrica gasped, slapping both hands over her mouth.
Paxton studied Vero.
Vero instantly dropped to one knee, loudly smacking a closed fist against his chest. “Your Highness. There’s no excuse for my behavior.”
Paxton cocked his head to the side and held out a hand.
Vero hesitated, then took it, standing back up.
Paxton instantly clocked him with a hard right, sending Vero to the side. “I don’t think this is between members of the royal family. This is between brothers.” He punctuated the last with a hard drive into Vero’s gut.
Vero let out an angry oof, paused, and as if a demon unleashed, burst forward and partially lifted Paxton before laying him out in a tackle, both of them in the snow. Paxton roared and clapped his hands against Vero’s head, shoving him over. Vero growled and punched Paxton in both sides of his rib cage, held on, and flipped them over with him on top.
Paxton let out a battle cry and did the same, and the two threw up handfuls of snow as they rolled over and over.