Beyond the Storm: A Sons of the Fallen Companion by Jaclyn Osborn

Author:Jaclyn Osborn [Osborn, Jaclyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-22T16:00:00+00:00

***

Steel clashed against steel. The clang of shields and shouts from the wounded echoed around the battlefield. The smell of blood filled my nostrils, as did the stench of the fallen as their bodies heated beneath the relentless rays of the sun.

We had reached Corinthian territory in the early hours of the morning when the sky had still been dark. The anti-Spartan league had gathered to discuss who should command the coalition while the soldiers made camp. Daman and Castor had found the possessed soldiers, and Gradyn had clipped their heads from their shoulders without a sound.

However, our presence had soon become known. The demon possessing one of the commanders was of a high rank and summoned more demons from the underworld before we could stop him. Those demons massacred several of the Athenian, Corinthian, and Boeotian soldiers before inhabiting their corpses.

And at daybreak, with the Spartan army marching through Corinthian territory, the battle was set into motion along the dry bed of the Nemea River. With the demons mingled within the ranks, far too many for us to eliminate before the sun rose, my brothers and I’d had no choice but to fight alongside them.

“Only target the demons,” Alastair said through our mind link. “Do not harm any of the human soldiers.”

“And if they attack me first?” Galen countered. “You expect me to allow them to live?”

“I expect you to follow orders, Wrath.”

Galen roared before twisting the head of one of the demon-possessed Thebans, snapping his neck. He then tossed the body aside and lunged at another. When a human soldier sliced his blade across Galen’s back, my brother gritted his teeth as anger rippled through his large body.

“Galen,” Alastair warned. “I gave you a direct order. Harm no humans.”

Galen’s head twitched to the side, and his eyes flickered from gray to black, then back again. He battled against his inner beast just as strongly as he did our enemy. Fortunately, he regained control over his sin before he could tear the human apart. The soldier stared after him in confusion as Galen only snarled at him, then moved on.

The Spartan army had been perplexed by our presence on the battlefield at the start, but once realizing we were fighting their enemies, they fought beside us, as did the force of allies they’d collected on their march to Corinth.

I lodged my spear into a demon’s chest before pulling it free and impaling a second. When in closer range, I switched to my sword.

“You are Spartan?” a gruff voice came from my left. The male wore a blood-splattered helmet, shielding his face, but the creased skin around his eyes and beard told me he was one of the more experienced warriors. Younger warriors were not allowed to grow beards. Something about him seemed familiar.

I tried to say yes, but the word caught on my tongue, refusing to pass my lips. “At one time, I was,” I answered instead. “But that was many years ago.”

“Once a Spartan, always a Spartan,” he said before driving his spear into a Theban’s throat.

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