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)
“On one,” the pilot called back. “Three. Two. One.”
Hunter winked and leaped out of the moving craft into a somersault that he repeated several times. Vero rolled his eyes. Pax followed and Vero counted to two before jumping out. He rolled several times and dropped the hundred or so feet to touch the ground, his feet sinking through ice and snow before he bounded up, flipped in the air, and repeated the action two more times before he could land without jarring his knees.
He looked around quickly to see both Pax and Hunter slogging through waist-high snow to the tree line. He bounded their way, his ankle protesting slightly from the jump. It would’ve killed a human, but he likely escaped with just a bruise. He reached them and waited for the rest of their soldiers to catch up.
Hunter leaned over and coughed.
“I’m on lead.” Vero itched to hit somebody.
Hunter straightened and shrugged.
Vero immediately dodged into the thick forest and angled around trees and bushes with the snow chilling him through his uniform. They emerged into what had been set up as a camp. The clouds covered the moon, but the snow still glowed enough that he could see nearly perfectly.
Paxton reached his side, his breathing even. “Looks like we expected.”
“Hunter and I will take the main building. You three get the hostages and you three find the patrolling males,” Vero instructed the raiding party.
Paxton’s dark eyebrow rose. “What about me?”
“You stick to the tree line and shoot anybody that comes your way,” Vero said curtly.
“That’s not how I work.” Paxton began striding toward the main building.
Vero grabbed his shoulder and jerked him to a halt. “Whether you like it or not, you’re the king of the Kurjan nation. You don’t go into battle.”
Paxton turned on him, heat rolling off him. They stood eye to eye at the same height. They were both bulky and strong, and for a fleeting second, Vero wondered who’d win a fight between them.
Paxton leaned in. “The only way I’m ever going to get the trust of these people is if I prove myself. Besides, I’ve never known any leader to sit back when there was a fight happening.”
Vero shook his head. It was common for a leader to sit back and strategize. “If you die, we’re in a shitload of trouble.”
“I’m aware of that,” Paxton snarled. “I’m not planning on dying.”
Vero turned to Hunter. “Is this how the Realm really does it? You’re telling me that King Dage Kayrs goes into battle?”
Hunter nodded, his fake purplish-red eyes swirling. “Yeah, that’s exactly how it happens with my father. He’s usually the first through the door. Your people seem to be more like humans. If the ones in charge were bleeding and dying, you wouldn’t be at war so often.”
“Perhaps,” Vero said.
Paxton turned and advanced even faster toward a rough log structure larger than the others.
Vero jogged to catch up and shoved his way in front of his brother. “Fine, but at least let me go first.”
“Fine,” Paxton muttered back.
Vero silently strode up the two stairs and pushed open a rough wooden door. His gaze scanned a wide gathering area with natural rocks placed around for people to sit on. The camp’s occupants hadn’t had time to secure furniture yet. The Kurjan investigators had discovered this place quickly. Good.
“I’ll go left. You go right,” he told Hunter. He didn’t really care where Paxton went, so long as he remained behind one of them.
“Sounds good.” Hunter pivoted.
Vero immediately headed down a short hallway that had only two doors. He shoved open the first one and jumped on the sleeping Kurjan before the guy could blink. “Hi, Zelic. Good to see you again. We miss you in the mechanic’s shop.” Vero had him tied up with impossible-to-break zip ties and out of the bed within seconds. When Vero turned around, Paxton had vanished. “Damn it.”
“I can’t believe you’re doing this, Vero,” his prisoner said, fighting against him.
While several inches taller than Vero, Zelic didn’t come close in strength.
“Peace is a good thing.” Vero propelled the guy out into the hallway. “Don’t you miss home?”
“Drop dead,” Zelic snapped.
Paxton emerged with another Kurjan.
“Vero,” the older soldier snarled.
“Hi there, Ornot,” Vero said, forcing cheer. “Don’t you miss the big kitchen?”
The guy ranked among the best chefs in the world and had seemed to enjoy his work.
“Not with a traitor or a demon spawn,” Ornot sneered.
Paxton pushed the chef roughly ahead of him and tossed a tablet at Vero. “Plans to assassinate me before a rogue Cyst group has a plan for taking over the nation.”
Ornot tried to punch back and missed. “We intercepted those. You are going to die, demon. We’re not in contact with any of the assassin teams, and even I can tell the plans are good.”
Vero glanced down at the cryptic plan. There was no doubt Ornot had intercepted these, considering none of his team were dangerous. A pit dropped in Vero’s gut. He had changed the entire trajectory for the nation, probably for good, but had it been the right decision?