I took a single, deep breath, holding it in to the count of five, then exhaling. My thoughts centered, my focus narrowing to a single thought. We must prevail.

"Your orders, Lady Mask?"

"We came all this way," I decided. "We don't have a choice."

"Agreed," he said. Our voices were hushed.

From my hiding place, I gave the sawmill one last glance, then turned to my team of operatives. I couldn't see most of them, but they could all see me. Edric caught my gaze a final time. I nodded, then gave him the signal. He relayed my order down the line.

My heart kicked up in my chest, boom-boom-boom, as our first wave of operatives swept from the shadows. A cry went up, echoing into the quiet night. The mercenary guards sprang into motion. The sound of metal rang out, weapons meeting. I flinched.

"Give the signal now, Lady Mask," Amelina said.

"Right. Yes." I peeled my eyes away from the sudden chaos taking place on the outskirts of the sawmill's work yard and turned to Russell. He struck a flit stone and a spark leapt to the oiled rag wrapped around my arrowhead. It burst into flame. I pulled my bowstring taught, gauged the distance I'd need up river, then lifted my bow, pointing it towards the sky.

I released. The flame shot straight into the sky, arching up high before sailing downward and disappearing upriver. Good. That would tell our barge upriver that we'd begun. It would take them thirty minutes to reach us.

Thirty minutes.

It felt like a lifetime. But a lot could happen in a lifetime. And a lot could especially happen in thirty minutes.

I grabbed another arrow and turned to Amelina. "Are you ready?"

"Aye, my lady."

"Russell, guard her with your life. If anything happens to her..."

"I will, Lady Mask. You have my word. Come, Lady Amelina." He led her away, into the fray, to doge guards so that she could get into the wood stores and began overseeing the collection of uncut wood we'd need to gather.

I climbed up on the pile of storage crates sitting on the outskirts of the work yard, took aim, and fired at a lone mercenary guard. The arrow went clean through his abdomen. He looked down at it before charging forward. I already had another loaded. I fired. This, through his throat. He fell to his knees, then collapsed—

A bellow and a bright flash of dragon fire came from above.

My heart stopped. I caught sight of the creatures. Five drengr circling high above.

For a moment, I was frozen, unable to process their appearance. I had just an instant of shock before it turned to betrayal, though the emotion didn't make any sense. They dove.

"No," I cried.

Immediately, another arrow was in my hand. I found my target easily in the darkness, a gleaming, golden body that looked utterly terrifying in the night, talons outstretched. I let loose an arrow. "Aim for the dragons!" I cried to the five other archers scattered around the perimeter.

It didn't matter. Our arrowheads glanced right off their scales, clattering to the ground. Gods! We were going to be slaughtered.

My operatives began screaming as two of the dragons went into a nosedive. "Retreat!" I cried. This wasn't worth our lives. We were bandits, not warriors. "Retreat!"

Our operatives scattered, taking off in all directions.

"Oh, gods," I gasped. Three of the drengr morphed as they landed, becoming human before their boots struck the ground. "Amelina!" I was crying out and running before I could think better of it. I shot across the sawmill's outer yard, towards the storage paddock, dodging the chaos of retreating bodies. Some of the mercenary guards were still locked in combat, unwilling to let their opponents retreat.

"Go!" I shouted to several of them before noticing Edric, turning to face off with another opponent. "Get our people out!" He nodded. Right as he turned, his blade was met with a sverak—a drengr's sword.

My pulse turned to a roar, blood rushing past my ears. I hesitated, caught between the desire to help him—not that I'd be much help—and the desire to get Amelina out of here.

"Go, Lady Mask!" Edric called.

My steps gathered speed and I continued on towards the paddock. I felt a chill spread down my neck, like I was being watched. A moment later, I faltered at the sight of Prince Theodred strolling through the darkness, sword out, straight for Amelina and Russell. Russell was pulling her away, urging her into the trees. The prince must have recognized her, because I caught sight of his honed focus, that of a predator stalking prey, before he took off at a jog.

My stomach dropped straight to my boots. I wouldn't let him take her. Couldn't stomach the idea of what he had in mind for our rebels.

"Prince Theodred," I cried, a challenge in my voice. My trembling fingers brushed over the feathered plumes in my quiver before finding the one I sought. I had an arrow loaded and aimed as he spun around. My hands shook, and I prayed my aim would be steady.

"Ah. There you are," he grinned, the sight of that grin made butterflies erupt in my belly. Not the nervous kind, but the disarming kind. His eyes flicked behind me, but I didn't fall for it, even though a moment later, I felt a presence behind me. "Leave her to me," he commanded.

Ice seeped into my blood.

"You're sure?" the deep voice said from behind me.

"Touch me and I shoot him," I warned, not turning around, not taking my gaze from the prince.

"Absolutely positive," the prince purred. "Go and round up the rest of them."

Behind the prince, Amelina had finally slipped away, into the trees. She was smart. She'd know to get out of here.

"Call your dogs off," I warned, "Or I shoot."

"So many threats, Lady Claws," he purred, his voice sending shivers down my spine. He began casually strolling forward. "I'd hoped—"

I fired. At close range, the arrow was in my bow one second, and embedded in his shoulder the next. I cursed myself. I'd intended to aim at his eye, but something in me redirected it last minute. I'd regret that later.

The prince froze, his mouth opening, then closing. He looked down at the arrow, then back at me with wide, surprised eyes. "You shot me."

"Did you think I was bluffing, Princeling? I never bluff."

He moved to pull the arrow free. Already, I had another in hand. He hesitated. "Dragon's bane?"

"I saved them just for you." I allowed a wicked grin to spread across my lips. He was only ten paces away, so I didn't miss the way his eyes dropped to my mouth before shooting straight for my eyes again. "Aren't you the one who said I had claws?" Then I released the next arrow. This time, he rushed forward. The movement threw off my aim. It embed in his bicep this time.

I had just enough time to pull the long knife at my belt. It didn't matter. His fingers were wrapped around my wrist, squeezing so hard I cried out and dropped the blade. My heart felt like it might leap free of my chest—but not because I was frightened. His touch sent warmth racing straight up my arm.

I was too surprised by the feel of it to react. He used that moment to rip both arrowheads free, tossing the arrows away. A sense of defeat stole over me, tears flooding my vision.

"I can't believe you actually shot me, and dragon's bane, no less. Too bad it wasn't enough to render me helpless. Next time, go for my eye." Then he grabbed my other wrist, quicker than I could blink, and spun me around so that my back was flush to his front.

A burst of fiery heat spread outward from my back at the feel of our bodies aligned. My cheeks washed red and my breathing turned to gasps. "Let me go," I managed, but his hold was iron.

I glanced around and saw that the yard had mostly fallen quiet. Edric was still fighting. His drengr opponent was only toying with him. There was a quick moment, and then a blade ripped open his leg. "Edric!" I screamed, my legs giving way. Strong arms held me against a rigid body.

Edric was tackled to the ground. There was nothing I could do for him. I needed to get out of here.

Theodred was breathing hard, his mouth next to my ear, sending tingles across my skin with each exhale. "I've pictured myself capturing you all evening, Lady Claws. I've pictured myself taking you, just like this,"—his arms tightened around me— "rendering you helpless so that I might remove that pretty mask on your face and see how beautiful you are." My stomach swooped. "Not that it would matter. I'm obligated to turn you in no matter what."

"You disgust me," I spat.

His laugh was low and grating. It scraped over my nerve endings and made the hairs on my skin stand at attention. "Maybe that's what I like about you. Yes, that must be it." There was a hesitation and then, "I'll make a deal with you."

"I thought you didn't bargain with rebels."

"Not usually, but...I cannot help myself. Surely you'd like to walk away tonight, unharmed."

My breath caught in my chest. "You're bluffing."

"I'm not. I'll let you walk away from me. I'll give you a thirty second head start before I come after you."

"...Okay. And what will this cost me?"

"A kiss."

I choked. "What?"

"Don't think I haven't replayed your words, over and over. I know you'll never fall at my feet. So what better way to punish you, Rebel Claws, than with a kiss. You despise me, I disgust you. It's perfect."

My heart strained. I tried to pull myself free but he only clicked his tongue. It was then I realized how still the sawmill's yard had gotten. A drengr walked over. "We've rounded up twelve of them, Your Highness."

I choked on a sob.

"Thirty-two out of the fifty some odd guards are dead."

I opened my mouth, then stopped myself from asking how many of my people were dead. But the prince did it for me. "How many rebels?"

"Two."

This time, a sob really did get free.

"Leave the dead," Prince Theodred decided. "Take the others to the barge waiting down the river. Escort them to Lord Lasker's castle."

"No," I gasped.

"What was that, Rebel Claws?"

"It's Lady Mask," I seethed.

"Are you sure you don't wish for one of us to stay?" the drengr asked, his eyes lingering over me with curiosity.

"No. I'd like to have a chat with Miss Claws here."

My anger turned bright hot, but I wouldn't let him see it. Wouldn't let him know how much the nicknames infuriated me. That would only make him happy.

"Very well."

My eyes darted around the yard, the bodies on the ground. I breathed a sigh when I saw Edric, his hands bound behind him, with the rest of the group of our operatives. They were all bound in the same way. Edric's eyes were on me from across the yard, and true fear was written there.

Don't worry about me, I tried to tell him, mouthing the words, hoping he'd read my lips fro this distance. He gave a brief nod, then settled in to wait. The prince's four drengr began escorting them away.

I stood rigid, trying to think of a plan. I could have done something against the lord's mercenary guards. But...against a drengr? Never mind five of them. I was completely useless. Hot shame clawed up my throat and tasted a lot like bile.

"Now then," came the deep voice, purring beside my ear. "Where were we?"

"I'm not kissing you," I hissed. And yet, even the thought of it had something hot and eager dropping low in my belly.

The prince tsked. "Are you really so stubborn? You'd rather let me take you straight to Lord Lasker, right this moment, than kiss a prince and earn yourself the possibility of escape?"

"I doubt you'd let me go freely."

"No. I wouldn't. But I would give you a thirty second head start as I promised. I do enjoy a good hunt."

My breath caught. Maybe...maybe I could do this. Maybe I could take the chance.

His laugh was a scoff. "I should have known—"

"I'll do it."

That stopped him mid-sentence. "Interesting." The change in his voice was immediate.

"But removing my mask isn't part of this deal."

"Fine, I'll just remove it regardless, you now. But, all right, I'll play along, for now. I've never kissed a rebel in a mask."

"I'm surprised," I scoffed. The breeze rustled my hair as I was quickly spun around to face him.

"Oh, and one last requirement."

"What's that?" I asked, infusing my voice with wicked sweetness.

"You have to make me believe you actually want to be kissing me." I snorted. "Otherwise I will not be letting you go."

My jaw clenched. Fine. I could do this. Except, as I lifted my masked face to look into his, my breath caught. How was it possible that over the span of a few days, I'd forgotten how handsome he was.

"Sometime tonight, Claws." As he said the nickname, his mouth pulled into a crooked smile, an infuriating dimple pressing into his cheek. His hands were still wrapped around my wrists, pressing my arms to his chest.

I lifted my chin, then rose onto my toes and kissed him.

⭐🌟 DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!🌟⭐

My friends! 

I will be away at Yallfest for a few days, so there will be a pause in posting. I will return to posts around Monday-ish. Hope you are all enjoying the story!

--Mel