Chapter 47
47 Chapter 47 Tonight We Burn Them All
Faye’s POV
The map stretched between us like a battlefield blueprint, every line and marking a potential death sentence. Allen pressed his finger against the
parchment, tracing the treacherous route that lay ahead.
“From the Scarlet Howlers border to this sector,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of command. “Dense forest covers every inch of this path. The recent storms have turned the earth to mud, and with more rain threatening, our movements will be sluggish at best p>
His finger paused at a narrow passage marked between two steep cliff faces. “This chokepoint between the rock walls represents our greatest vulnerability. Intelligence suggests the Raven Deons will funnel their assault through here. The elevation gives them a commanding view while their ground
47 Chapter 47 Tonight We Burn Them All
forces pin us down. Meanwhile, the forest at our backs provides perfect cover for a secondary assault. We’d be caught in a death trap with nowhere to run p>
Lieutenant Parker leaned forward, studying the tactical nightmare spread before them. Lieutenant Ethan and Lieutenant Selena flanked him, their expressions grim as they absorbed every detail of Allen’s assessment.
“We divide our forces here,” Allen continued, tapping strategic points along the route. “Each of you commands a unit through these sectors until we neutralize the cliff positions p>
Parker’s brow furrowed as he considered their
options. “If they believe we’re wounded and weakened, won’t that make them overconfident? Give us an opening p>
Hardy’s voice sliced through the strategy session like a blade through silk. “Absolutely not p>
Every head turned toward him, and I felt the temperature in the carriage drop several degrees. When Hardy spoke with that tone, smart people
47 Chapter 47 Tonight We Burn Them All
listened.
“The Raven Deons don’t make careless mistakes,” he continued, his words measured and deadly. “They’re apex predators who live for the thrill of the hunt. They want us desperate and broken, begging for mercy they’ll never grant.” His fist came down on the map with enough force to make the wooden table shudder. “That passage between the cliffs is where they’ll corner us for their final game p>
He straightened, his presence filling the confined space of the carriage. “Herbert will ensure the children reach safety while you three become the hunters
instead of the hunted p>
The silence that followed was thick with understanding. These weren’t just military orders, they were a promise of violence to come.
Hardy dismissed the lieutenants with a gesture, sending them to rally their respective units. The carriage had been rolling steadily away from Scarlet Howlers territory, each mile taking them closer to the confrontation that awaited.
Until the very moment they crossed the pack boundary, Alpha Marcus had maintained his facade of hospitality, never letting his mask slip to reveal the poisonous hatred underneath. The memory of last night’s attempted assassination still burned fresh in my mind.
Once alone, Hardy turned his attention to me. “Can you handle a horse p>
“Yes,” I replied, then caught myself. “I mean, I could before.” The truth was more complicated than that simple answer. Before my failure to shift, before everything changed, riding had been second nature. Now I wasn’t sure my body would remember the
motions.
Hardy rose from his seat, extending his hand with casual authority. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll ride with me regardless p>
Confusion flickered across my features. “We’re abandoning the carriage?” ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ.net
His smile held secrets and promises of violence. “We’re taking a different route entirely p>
I accepted his decision without argument. We pulled heavy cloaks over our shoulders, and the moment we crossed into neutral territory, Hardy led a powerful stallion toward the open trail. He mounted with fluid
grace,
then reached down to pull me up in front of him with effortless strength. My back pressed against his chest as he gathered the reins.
The horse maintained a purposeful pace, neither leisurely nor rushed. The landscape ahead appeared deceptively peaceful, which only deepened my curiosity about our sudden deviation from the group.
“Where exactly are we headed?” I asked, keeping my gaze fixed on the empty path stretching before us.
“The others are capable of handling themselves,” he replied with the finality of someone accustomed to being obeyed. His non–answer only fueled my questions.
After several minutes of silence, he leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. “Tell me, consort, do you enjoy watching things burn p>
The question caught me completely off guard. “What p>
My mind immediately flashed to the inferno that had consumed the cave, the way flames had danced and destroyed everything in their path.
“Fire has captivated me since childhood,” I admitted carefully. The burns had always healed under my unique ability, but fire remained both beautiful and terrifying. “Though flames can be incredibly
destructive,” I added, not wanting to say anything that might displease him.
Hardy’s voice took on an almost reverent quality, as if he were discussing a lover rather than an element. “Fire,” he said slowly, “devours everything within its reach. Timber, stone, flesh, it makes no distinctions. It
consumes whatever stands before it and reduces
everything to nothing but ash and memory. A single ember can transform order into absolute chaos, and within that chaos, people reveal their true nature.” I remained motionless against him, listening to the rhythmic creak of leather as our mount carried us forward. His monologue continued, painting fire as both weapon and art form.
“It spreads with terrifying speed. Fire doesn’t merely
destroy, it steals oxygen from your lungs, blinds you with smoke, traps you in a prison of heat and flame. Once unleashed, there’s no negotiating with it, no pleading for mercy. Fire burns until nothing remains to feed it p>
His words carried an intimacy that made my skin prickle with unease. I listened without responding, caught between fascination and fear as he described fire’s power to shift the balance of any conflict before weapons were even drawn.
Eventually the forest began to thin and the terrain leveled out. The sound of rushing water grew stronger until our horse finally stopped at a cliff’s edge. Below us, dark forest stretched toward the horizon, bisected by a river that wound through the landscape like a silver serpent.
Hardy dismounted first, then lifted me down with the same casual strength he’d shown before. His hands lingered at my waist as he set my feet on solid ground.
“We make camp here tonight,” he announced, his eyes scanning the panoramic view as if memorizing every detail for the battle to come. When his gaze returned
to me, his next words carried the weight of an oath. “And when darkness falls, we make them pay for every slight, every betrayal, every drop of poison they thought they could feed us p>
“You mean we’re returning to the Scarlet Howlers?” I
asked.
His smile was sharp enough to cut glass. “Not just
them p>
The words sent ice through my veins. I stared at that predatory expression, understanding for the first time why even the King treated Hardy with careful respect. The stories about his vindictive nature, about
councilmen who had died for single insults, suddenly seemed far more plausible.
The Raven Deons had struck at us repeatedly. Alpha Marcus had tried to murder us with poison in their own camp. Whatever reputation preceded Hardy, I couldn’t imagine him letting such offenses go unanswered.
His smile never wavered, only grew more dangerous. “Tonight,” he said, each word a promise of destruction,
“we burn them all p>
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.