Salvation (The Captive Series Book 4) by Erica Stevens Page B

the man that had been in the cell next to Aria’s empty one. “Your brother ,” the word was spat at him. “ Came for her.”
       “Caleb came into the dungeons?” Braith asked in disbelief.
       “He did.” Mary moved hesitatingly toward the bars. “He attempted to put the chain on her.” A cold chill flitted down the back of Braith’s neck as beads of sweat began to coat him. Knowing his brother, Caleb may very well keep it on her until the day she died.
       “She got away though.” There was amusement in the man’s voice and a few chuckles emerged from the cells surrounding them. “Kicked his ass actually.”
       Braith didn’t know if he was more proud or terrified by that revelation. He did know that he couldn’t let Caleb get his hands on her again.

 
    CHAPTER 9
     
     
       “Concentrate on the ones behind us, we can take them!” Jack yelled above the twang of arrows and the growing shout of voices erupting from the crowd. He pushed his way through the horde, heading toward the group that had turned to focus on the enemy approaching from the back. He grabbed hold of Ashby and pointed to the top of the battlements. “We need to get some men up there.”
       Ashby stared at him as if he’d just sprouted a horn from the middle of his forehead. “Jack…”
       “Just do it Ashby!” he barked. “We have to keep them occupied if Braith is going to have any chance of slipping in from behind.”
       Ashby was unmoving for a moment before he visibly paled and rushed into the crowd of bodies. Jack could hear him calling for vampires and humans to follow him as he ran toward the wall. David appeared at his side and reclaimed his bow and arrow. He turned and slipped away toward the soldiers encroaching on their backside.
       A loud shout rose up from both armies as they collided with a loud crash of bodies and metal. Jack grabbed hold of one of his father’s soldiers and flipped him over his back. Slamming his foot down on the man’s throat, he drove his wooden spear through the man’s ribcage and into his heart. The man thrashed for a few moments before going still.
       Jack ripped the spear free and turned in time to face the next threat barreling down on him. He spotted Calista within the throng; blood already coated her dark skin and faded clothing. She was grinning savagely, thoroughly enjoying the mayhem as she stepped back and heaved her spear at a soldier that had made the mistake of thinking she was more vulnerable because she was a woman.
       Two of their own vampires fell arou nd him, but the tide was turning in their favor as the militia battled through the soldiers with ferocious glee. They wanted this more than his father’s men did, Jack didn’t think that alone was enough for them to win, but it was enough for them to fight harder. Assured that Calista and the others had this under control, Jack broke into a run as he hurried toward the pack still concentrating on the wall. He snagged a bow and arrows from a fallen human and took up a stance beside the scattered line of archers.
       Ashby, and the men he had gathered, had managed to distract the attention of the guards on the wall. He hadn’t expected Ashby to go up there himself, but he was climbing with a swift and deadly purpose. Someone shouted as one of their men fell from the wall, an arrow was embedded at a downward angle through his shoulder. Even before he hit the ground Jack knew the man was dead. Another fell seconds later, and then others began to topple off as the king’s soldiers turned their attention to the new threat scaling the wall toward them. They weren’t going to be overpowered from behind, but unless Braith managed to get his group inside, Jack knew they weren’t going to make it into the palace either.
       Jack leaned back on his heel , but this time he didn’t aim for over the palace walls, but at the soldiers gathered on top. He focused on one about to fire at Ashby and released