Chapter 112

Aurora's POV

The armory doors slammed open. Kane burst through with his team, weapons clattering as they distributed crossbows and silver-tipped arrows. I arrived seconds later with my rescued court members, breathing hard.

The armory was well stocked. Weapons of every type lined the walls—ancient swords beside modern crossbows, ceremonial daggers next to military-grade silver arrows. Beautiful and terrifying.

"Aurora." Relief flooded Kane's voice when he spotted me. His eyes did that quick scan thing, checking for injuries before snapping back to business mode. "Status?"

"Thirty-seven court members secured in the east wing," I said, accepting the crossbow he shoved into my hands. "Most are civilians, but Lady Margaret has military training. Lord Vincent served in territorial guards too."

Kane immediately started calculating. You could practically see the wheels turning as he processed our resources. "Good. We'll use them for defensive positions while we clear the courtyard. Margaret's siege experience could be invaluable."

Heavy boots echoed through the corridors. Our attackers were getting closer, moving with the kind of coordination that meant serious trouble. These weren't random thugs looking for easy targets.

Kane was already moving with that deadly efficiency that made him so damn good at his job.

"Listen up," Kane addressed our ragtag group of guards and volunteers. His voice carried that natural authority that made people want to follow him into hell. "These aren't ordinary rogues. They're trained killers with military-grade equipment. But they screwed up."

He sketched a quick map on the armory wall. Despite being rushed, the drawing was precise—showing every detail of the fortress layout. The guy's tactical mind was scary sometimes.

"How so?" Lady Margaret stepped forward. Her fancy court dress was torn and bloody, but her bearing screamed military training.

"They expected easy targets," Kane replied grimly, checking his crossbow with practiced movements. "They didn't count on organized civilian resistance."

That familiar thrill shot through me. Working alongside Kane felt like coming home, even after all the emotional chaos between us. Our tactical coordination was still flawless. We moved like we shared the same brain.

"Standard guard responses are predictable," Kane continued, his weapon inspection revealing nothing but deadly competence. "They won't be ready for coordinated civilian participation. That's our advantage."

Lord Vincent hefted his crossbow like he actually knew how to use it. "What about the Alpha King?"

"His personal guard got him to the inner sanctuary," I answered. "Our job is eliminating the threat and taking back control."

Kane met my eyes across the armory. I saw complete trust there, the kind that had been rebuilt through honest conversation instead of professional politeness. The mask he'd worn for weeks was finally gone.

"Ready?" Kane asked.

"Always," I replied.

We exploded from the armory in perfect sync. Kane laid down covering fire while I charged toward trapped court members in the central courtyard. The attackers weren't expecting our sudden offensive. Their organized positions started crumbling immediately.

The courtyard was chaos. Ancient stone fountains provided natural cover while attackers had positioned themselves in formations that screamed tactical training. But Kane was right, they hadn't counted on the court members fighting back.

Kane's crossbow bolts found targets with surgical precision. His military training showed in every movement—fluid, efficient, absolutely lethal when protecting people he cared about.

I focused on reaching the terrified nobles huddled by the fountain. Stone provided decent cover while Kane eliminated threats from elevated positions. Several attackers moved to intercept me, but Kane's protective fire kept them busy dying instead.

"This way!" I shouted to the trapped court members, gesturing toward the corridor Kane had cleared. "Stay low and move fast!"

The court members surprised me. Many revealed more training than their noble facades had shown. Even the ones without combat experience followed orders precisely. Survival apparently demanded coordination over panic.

As survivors streamed toward safety, I caught movement on a balcony overlooking the courtyard. One attacker was raising his weapon toward Kane's exposed position. He had his rifle trained on Kane with deadly intent.

I didn't think. Just moved.

I managed to knock the rifle out of the attacker’s hands and throw him off balance. He managed to quickly recover and counter with a knife I didn’t notice until it was too late.

The silver blade punched into my shoulder like liquid fire. The pain was immediate and excruciating—silver weapons were designed to cause maximum damage to our kind. But seeing Kane safe made the agony worth it.

Kane's roar of fury echoed across the courtyard. His professional composure shattered completely, replaced by protective rage that made him absolutely devastating. Three attackers dropped in rapid succession as Kane fought his way to my position.

"Aurora!" His hands shook as he pressed fabric against my wound, trying to stop the bleeding while staying aware of threats. The raw fear in his voice broke something inside my chest. "Stay with me. You're going to be fine."

"It's not that bad," I managed, though the silver burn felt like someone was holding a blowtorch to my shoulder. "We need to finish this."

Kane's eyes were wild with fear and fury. His controlled demeanor was cracking under pressure. "No. You're hurt because of me, because I couldn't—"

"Because I chose to protect you," I interrupted firmly. "Because that's what partners do."

The truth seemed to ground him. Kane's training kicked back in, but now it was channeled through protective love instead of cold duty. He fought with controlled ferocity that was breathtaking to witness.

Working together despite my injury, we systematically eliminated the remaining attackers. Kane's strategic mind combined with my knowledge of the stronghold's layout created an unstoppable combination. We moved like a single organism.

Lady Margaret's covering fire from the north tower provided crucial support. Her military training showed in every precise shot. Lord Vincent's team held our escape routes secure, proving court members were more capable than anyone expected.

The battle reached its peak as we cornered the last group in the main hall. Their leader—a scarred man who'd orchestrated this whole mess—made a desperate last stand. Ancient tapestries provided dramatic backdrop to what felt like civilization versus chaos.

"Surrender and you'll live," Kane called out, crossbow trained on the enemy leader. "Keep fighting and I'll show you why the Alpha King chose me for his elite guard."

The scarred man laughed bitterly. His weapon wavered as hopelessness set in. "You think this ends here? This is just the beginning. The Rogue King has forces you can't imagine."

"Too bad you won’t be around to see how things end," Kane replied coldly.

The final confrontation was over fast. Kane's military expertise and protective fury proved overwhelming. My tactical support made sure that no enemies escaped. The ancient hall fell quiet except for our ragged breathing.

As the last attacker dropped, silence settled over the bloodstained courtyard. The Alpha King's stronghold had been violated for the first time in centuries. But we'd held it. Most importantly, we'd held it together.

Kane rushed to my side once the immediate danger passed. His hands were gentle but efficient as he examined my wound. The silver had burned through my skin into the muscle beneath. At least the bleeding was slowing down.

"We need to get you to healers immediately," Kane said, voice tight with concern.

"We need to secure the perimeter first," I protested, though the silver was making me dizzy.

"The perimeter can wait," Kane said firmly, lifting me carefully. His strength was reassuring, his touch gentle despite the urgency. "You saved my life, Aurora. Now let me save yours."

As he carried me toward the medical wing, I realized something had shifted between us. The barriers Kane had built were crumbling under the reality of nearly losing each other. For the first time since his emotional retreat began, I saw the man I loved without walls.

The war with the Rogue King was escalating. But Kane and I had proven we were stronger together than apart. Whatever came next, we'd face it as true partners, united by trust instead of divided by fear.