#Chapter 70: By the Grace of Blood and Silver

DEREK It all happened too fast. Flashes. A shout behind us—rough and unexpected. Another rogue, charging out of the jungle like a spark dropped in a dry forest. Aiden jerked. The rogue holding him shouted something I didn’t hear— Then Elena screamed. And there was blood. Aiden slipped free, tumbling to the sand with a sharp cry that sliced through me like a blade. The world shattered. I moved. I didn’t think—I moved. Brock’s knife whistled past my ear. A blur of silver in the air. Joe turned, intercepting the rogue who’d rushed us from behind—just a grunt, a thud, a body hitting the earth. I went for the one with the dagger. I hit him like a freight train. He barely had time to raise the blade before I had my hands around his throat. I drove him backward, tackled him into the sand, and squeezed. No questions. No threats. Just my hand and his windpipe, collapsing like dry bark in my fist. He made a horrible sound—wet and choking—and then nothing.