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It all happened in a flash. Ander had enough time to see the crimson sleek blade in her hand, and then she was on him, wrapping her arm around his throat from behind, just like Garten had done an eon ago. He felt her body press up against his back and the warm rush of her breath against his ear as she whispered: "I am about to stab you in the heart. If you want to live, I suggest you catch it."

What the - ?

She moved so fast he couldn't even finish the thought, swinging her blade in a sideways arc directly at his chest. He got his hands up just in time to catch her arm, stopping her dagger so close to his body the tip was actually brushing up against his fur. The pain in his shoulder flared up to excruciating levels as he tried to push it away, but there was something strange going on here. His right arm was practically useless, and yet Nilia hadn't managed to overpower him yet.

"No, hold your fire! You'll hit Nilia, you fool!"

Ander looked up at the one who had shouted, and what he saw made his blood run cold. There were at least a dozen Wolves in the crowd with bows and arrows at the ready, desperately looking for a clear shot. In his crazed bloodlust, he didn't even notice. If Nilia hadn't thrown herself on top of him just now, they would have...

Ander turned his head as far as it would go, unable to believe what was happening. He could see Nilia's face just above his left shoulder, bathed in firelight, contorted with the effort of pushing against his grip. She was strong, very strong, but even though she should have been able to overpower him easily, she was instead matching his strength.

"Nilia, what are you doing?"

"Shut up and do exactly as I say," she whispered in his ear, her lips barely moving. "Twist my arm around. The moment my palm points to the ground, I'll drop the dagger. Make sure you catch it. Once you have it, we stand up immediately. And no matter what happens, no matter what I say, do not let go of me. Understand?"

What in the world? "I don't know if I can stand."

"Then I'll have no choice but to snap your neck. Make no mistake, Ander, I have no intention of dying with you tonight. Twist my arm. Now."

The Wolves were cheering her on, chanting her name, urging her to end the execution.

"Go Nilia! You can do it!"

"Stab the traitor!"

"Do it for Garten!"

The spiky haze threatened to wash over his mind again, twisting their faces into red-tinged spectres, completely distorted, as if he were looking up at them from inside a drowning pool.

And then Nilia's voice was there, soft, but urgent. Desperate. "Please, Ander, don't make me kill you."

He felt the tip of the dagger touch his chest, icy cold despite its sheath of blood. He watched it run down the blade, over the guard, and pool against her fingers. His blood. Garten's blood. All mixed together. So much blood had been spilled this night.

He twisted her arm and she gasped out loud, a warm puff of breath against his cheek, and she dropped the dagger.

Ander made a grab for it, almost fumbled, somehow closed his fingers around the haft, and all the Wolves screamed as one: "Nilia, get away from him!"

For one terrifying moment Ander genuinely didn't know if he would be able to stand. His legs simply refused to work. He could feel Nilia's grip tighten around his throat, and he knew she wasn't kidding when she said she'd snap his neck. She'd have no choice. He gritted his teeth and forced his legs to straighten out, pushing through the pain and exhaustion and... was she helping him up? It was just a little bit of a pull around his neck and arm, but yes, he thought she was.

"Take the shot!" someone yelled, and then came a sound, very soft, a sound he knew well. The creaking of wood, the stretching of string. It was the sound of many bows being pulled tight, of arrows ready to fly.

Nilia screamed, twisted her body around, and suddenly she was in front of him, with her back pressed up against his belly as if he had jerked her forward with some bizarre dance move.

"Hold your fire, hold your fire!"

A dozen bows lowered, a dozen strings went slack, and hundreds of Wolves stared at the scene in front of them in shock and horror, their jaws agape.

Nilia craned her neck and Ander looked down at her eyes, staring back at him from her upside-down perspective. They were green. Very dark.

Pretty.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" she yelled, startling Ander so badly he almost did just that.

"H - He's got Nilia!"

"He's gonna tear her apart, I just know it! By the Cora I can't look..."

She struggled against his grip, undulating her supple body, but not quite hard enough to break his weak hold.

No matter what happens, no matter what I say, do not let go of me. Understand?

He understood.

Ander pressed the dagger against her throat and bellowed, "Get back! All of you, get back right now, or I swear to the Cora I will slit her throat where she stands!"