(13 July 2021) Time to CELEBRATE #TeamReth: Tomorrow is this month's win-win mass release for BEAST, so you can look forward to FIVE chapters released between 4:30-7:30pm Pacific (Los Angeles time). ENJOY!

*****

RETH

Tobe had returned quickly to tell Reth that the appropriate guards had been called in to help interrogate the prisoners, and they'd been split into two trees that Tobe ominously pointed out were too far away from each other for the prisoners to hear each other speak, though they'd catch any screams.

Reth's stomach turned.

"You've done well, Tobe. You're to take the Captain's role until he's back on his feet.

"

Tobe's eyes widened, but he saluted and stepped back from the table.

"Thank you, Reth,

" he said slowly.

"I mean, Sire.

"

Reth huffed.

"Reth is fine. We're going to be in each other's short and curlies before this is d—

"

"Where is he?!

" The voice was high and quiet and allowed no room for delay in answering.

Reth turned and smiled as Hollhye, appeared in the mouth of the cave.

Tall and elegant, her dark hair was prematurely peppering with white that from a distance made it look a deep steel gray. She ignored everyone but Aymora, who stood at

Behryn's bedside at the other end of the cave.

"He's asleep,

" Aymora said quietly.

"No, I'm not,

" Behryn muttered, his voice a bare husk with pain and sleep.

Hollhye made a little noise, but moved swiftly and gracefully through the cave, not even making eye contact with Reth as she passed.

His chest tightened.

Aymora stepped back as she reached Behryn, taking his hand and pulling it to her, leaning over him and stroking his hair.

Because the arrow had entered at his back, Behryn was forced to lay on his stomach, his head twisted away from the wound. Aymora and the others had propped him carefully, so his chest was higher than his feet, and his shoulders rolled forward, not taking his weight. But his knuckles whitened on his mate's hand and he whispered things to her when she crouched so they were eye to eye.

"If you die,

" she said quietly after he'd finished,

"I will avenge you.

"

"You will do no such thing,

" Behryn growled, sounding more like a predator than Reth had ever heard him.

"Someone needs to stay here to kill Reth.

"

Hollhye's dark eyes flashed, but she still didn't turn to look at him. Reth sighed and got to his feet, dismissing Tobe at the same time Aymora sent the other two wise-women out of the cave.

Hollhye leaned her forehead on her mate's, murmuring comfort to him, a sad smile on her face as she continued to stroke her fingers through Behryn's hair until they had all gone, closing the door to the cave as Aymora had requested, so the guards were stationed outside.

When the cave was still, Reth heard her whisper to Behryn,

"I think I'll kill him now, to save us both the trouble.

"

Behryn huffed, then groaned.

Aymora cut Reth a look, then walked back to the bench where he'd been sitting earlier. Reth walked with her, but didn't sit.

He needed to be on his feet when Hollhye was ready to speak.

A few minutes later, Behryn's breathing slowed and evened out. Hollhye was still murmuring to him, still stroking his hair, until he no longer stirred.

Then she placed Behryn's hand gently on the bed beside him, stood slowly and turned to face Reth, her eyes afire in a way that made his beast sit up and perk its ears.

She strode down the cave, all tension and hellfire, until she reached them at the other end.

She looked at Aymora first.

"Thank you for having someone find me so quickly.

"

Aymora nodded.

"I'm sorry we didn't get there sooner. I thought you were at the market today.

"

But Hollhye turned on Reth then, her jaw set.

"I told you this would happen.

"

"It's good to see you too, Hollhye,

" Reth muttered.

She was fast. He barely saw the blow coming before his ear was ringing from the open-handed slap she'd laid to his face.

Reth growled, and caught her wrist before she did it again.

"I told you this would happen,

" she snarled through her teeth, keeping her voice hushed to allow Behryn to sleep. If she'd been in beast form, her ears would have been pinned back, and her teeth bared, hooves flashing for his head.

"It was a surprise attack, Hollhye, snipers at the Royal cave—

"

"I don't give a **. I warned you. I've told you for years. And now here we are.

"

"He's the Captain of the Guard. And my best friend—

"

"Oh, I'm aware, Reth! I'm aware of all the nights he doesn't come home until high moon, then he leaves my furs to be your side at dawn. I'm aware of the day everyone was told you were going to bears, but you had him take you and Elia to the portal—you couldn't even have warned me, Reth? When you didn't get back, I thought the worst had happened!

" she whisper-screamed.

"I'm sorry. We had to make sure no one knew—not even the guards—

"

"That's exactly my point! He took all the risk for you and your mate! Alone! And you almost got him killed then! Now he's taking arrows meant for you? What is next, Reth? The human world? Do I sing the funeral dirge while you dance on his grave with your mate?

"

"I would never—!

"

"You have never valued his life as highly as your own—or now your mate's—and this is what comes of it. He throws himself in the way of whatever you chose in your recklessness, because he wants to stop you from being hurt by your own decisions! He believes in you, then gets himself… gets himself…

" her eyes welled and she swallowed, finally looking away to get control of herself.

Reth frowned, but softened his tone.

"Hollhye, you know I love him. I don't ever want to see him hurt. Especially on my behalf.

"

"Then stop putting him in the line of death!

"

"He's a soldier!

" Reth growled.

"It's his job!

"

"Then give him another job, Reth! You have the power to do that!

" She stamped her foot, and Reth let a growl of warning putter in his throat.