Segreti's eyes filled with tears, and he clutched Ezra's shoulders as a pained cry tore from his lips. Ezra released Segreti, and the man dropped to one knee, head hung, hands fisted around the hem of Ezra's tunic.
"I can't...." Segreti's voice was a hoarse whisper. "Please. No more."
Rayner couldn't stay here any longer. He couldn't wait for Segreti to make up his mind. Toka needed him. He was about to say so, when Ezra placed his fingers gently beneath Segreti's chin and lifted his face. He smiled warmly at Segreti and brushed his thumb over Segreti's cheek, wiping away a tear.
"Please, General. Do not damn your beautiful soul for a man so undeserving of you."
Segreti swallowed hard. He searched Ezra's gaze. Rayner could not hope to know what Segreti was looking for, but a heartbeat later, he seemed to find it. He stood, squared his shoulders, and met Rayner's gaze.
"Go find your foxling."
THE SECRET passage was small, which meant Pavoni would never fit, thankfully, as it only went in one direction. At the end of the narrow passage, it split into two paths. Toka sniffed the air, catching a faint whiff of some flowery scent coming from the left. He headed in that direction, and found himself out in the hall.
At the end of the long corridor, Pavoni thundered out of his bedchamber, a colossal brown bear with slobbering jaws. His black gaze landed on Toka, and he released a terrifying roar that shook the rafters. Toka darted off, running as fast as his paws would take him, dodging the guards who dove for him. He pounced on their heads, his barks shrill and alarmed as Pavoni released another thunderous roar behind him. The floor shook with the beast's pounding steps as he loped after Toka. He couldn't let Pavoni strike him. One swipe of Pavoni's claws, and Toka would be slammed into a stone wall. His slighter frame wouldn't survive the impact.
"Rayner, please help me." If Rayner wasn't in his tiger form, he wouldn't hear Toka's thoughts, but Toka had to try regardless.
Using his brush to help his balance and his claws to help his grip on the flooring, he dashed from place to place, scurrying under furniture and hopping over anything that crossed his path. Foxlings were skilled at bounding and jumping. The Orso guards who didn't rush out to meet the Soldati remained to give chase. The castle was so big, and Toka didn't know where he was going. Through the windows, he heard the roar of Orso warriors. It was odd and not the sounds he expected to hear when two fierce armies faced each other. It was more like arguing, the voices of several furious Orso reaching Toka's ears even with the annoying little bell jingling around his neck and giving away his position. Toka barked, hoping his cries reached Rayner.
Toka spotted the front gates and headed for them, but his path was blocked by half a dozen Orso. He took a sharp turn. There was only one place left for Toka to go. He darted up one of the wide winding staircases. It was a great risk, and he might have just sealed his fate, but there was nowhere left for him to run. He sped up, careful not to trip on any of the steps or he would lose the distance he'd managed to put between himself and Pavoni. At the very top, Toka saw an archway leading out into the light. Darting through, he found himself on one of the parapets between two towers. At the far end, two guards slowly approached, and behind him, Pavoni emerged from the doorway.
Toka barked, his foxling cries echoing in the air. He had nowhere to go. As Pavoni loped toward him, Toka arched his back, his fur bristling and his brush lashing back and forth. He bared his teeth, his ears pressed back against his head, his angry gekkering aimed at Pavoni. The guards behind him let out a series of strangled sounds, but Toka would not take his gaze off the giant bear looming over him. Pavoni rose onto his hind legs, massive paws up in the air ready to strike Toka dead, but the fierce roar of a tiger drowned out his bellow.
A shadow soared over Toka's head, and he scurried back as Rayner plowed into Pavoni, sending him stumbling back. Rayner snapped his jaws, sharp fangs plunging into Pavoni's neck. He tore at Pavoni's flesh as the giant bear flailed and swiped its paws at Rayner, catching him on the flank. Rayner roared at the pain, and Toka darted in, snapping at Pavoni's ankles and feet, tearing into the flesh and shaking his head fiercely to cause as much damage as possible. Toka might not have the deadly fangs of a tiger, but he could easily tear through flesh.
Pavoni screamed and roared, batting at Rayner and Toka, who did their best to stay away from his claws. Pavoni faltered, and Rayner reared on his hind legs, slashing at Pavoni with his razor-sharp claws. Rayner's body was sleek and powerful, his ears flattened against his large furry head, and his heavy tail thumping against the stone floor. Parts of his white fur were sprayed with Pavoni's blood. Toka rushed in again, twisted himself between Pavoni's back paws, and tripped Pavoni. The huge bear fell back toward the ledge of the parapet. Toka watched, stunned, as Rayner soared through the air and struck Pavoni with all four paws. He used Pavoni's body as a springboard, pushing off and twisting in midair to land on his paws as
Pavoni tumbled over the stone edge.
Toka shifted and ran to the ledge in time to see Pavoni hit the stone bridge outside the gates. He gasped in horror and was pulled into a strong, warm embrace. Toka turned and buried his head against Rayner's jerkin. It was over. Pavoni was dead.
"Are you all right?" Rayner pulled back enough to inspect Toka. He ran his hands over Toka's head, neck, and shoulders. "Tell me you're all right."
"I am, now that you're here." Toka threw his arms around Rayner and hugged him.
"Thank the goddess," Rayner said, breathless, holding Toka so tight he could barely breathe. Toka didn't care. He was in Rayner's arms, and Pavoni would never hurt them again. After what seemed like an eternity, Rayner pulled back. He looked frightened. "Did he...?"
Toka shook his head, the bell tinkling around his neck. Rayner seemed to notice it for the first time, and rage flashed through his eyes. He reached behind Toka's neck. Carefully, but with force, he snapped the collar's clasp. He pulled it off Toka, and with a sneer of disgust, he snapped it in two before tossing it over the side of the parapet. His expression filled with concern once again, and Toka took Rayner's hand in his.
"Princess Verity gave me a potion that made me ill for a day, and I faked the rest until today. I had no intention of letting him have me. I'm yours, Rayner. Only yours."
Rayner kissed him, and Toka relished the taste of him, his scent, the joy that overflowed from his heart. He could barely believe it. Rayner had come for him. His king had come for him, along with an army. They had risked everything... for him. Toka looked up at Rayner, his fingers needing to touch his lover's face, afraid this was all a sweet dream.
"How did you get Khalon to change his mind?"
Rayner took Toka's hand in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "Come. I will tell you everything."
A roar resounded, and Toka smiled. "Princess Verity has surrendered."
"She feared for her people, and with General Segreti refusing to shed the blood of his men for Pavoni, surrender was imminent."
Toka stared at him. "Pavoni's general surrendered?"
"General Segreti is an honorable man and an old friend of Khalon's father. I believe he's been at war with his own heart over his allegiance to Pavoni for some time. It took a little gentle persuasion, but Segreti knew as well as we did that Pavoni's arrogance would have led to countless deaths." Rayner led Toka through the archway and down the steps to the front gates. There the Orso kneeled before the Soldati in surrender.
Khalon approached, huge and imposing in his black armor, his black cape flowing in the breeze. He addressed the Orso, including the court and servants who were all flooding out of the castle. Khalon's voice carried far as he spoke.
"People of Dell'Orso, your king is dead. His reign of tyranny is over. As per Orso law, my victory allows me to claim your kingdom as my own."