He opened the comm link that had stayed miraculously silent throughout the day.

It said something to Zar and the information was surprising, he had to admit. The harbinger had been certain that Roagh wouldn't be foolish enough to contact him in case he gave away his location, but the others he wasn't so sure about. Nayanor loyalty was a curious thing in the sense that it was mostly nonexistent, at least that was what Zar had believed.

Now, even after the truth had come out about him being partially responsible for The Reaper's wrath, his people were trying to protect him.

It seemed a poor way to thank them by contacting Roagh, but there was no other way. He couldn't go into the battle blind.

"Roagh," he spoke into the transmitter, confident that the one word was enough.

If the captain was alive and in any shape to speak, he'd answer.

Right on cue, the comm link came to life. The relief was almost palpable in Roagh's voice.

"Harbinger! You're alive."

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Zar asked, pleased that his second-in-command was still drawing breath.

Roagh laughed, his voice echoing strangely like he was in some great open space. Zar could hear no storm in the background, so the captain had to still be in the Black Hall.

"What about your fated, Harbinger?" Roagh asked carefully, clearly prepared to face his wrath if Ashley happened to be dead.

"She's fine," Zar said. "Report, Roagh. What is going on?"

There was a deep sigh from the captain, uncharacteristic for him, since one of the reasons Zar appreciated his company was never wasting time with uncertainty.

"It's a mess, Zar. When you went to see The Reaper, everything went to shit faster than you could imagine. No one really knew what was going on. Suddenly the gates were closing and you were nowhere to be found. The Reaper claimed you were dead but I doubt anyone bought that.

"Still, we weren't able to prove the lie so a lot of people are feeling uncertain. Harbingers from the other regions are anxious. They hate The Reaper as much as we do, but the Hall... everyone needs the Hall."

"Casualties?" Zar demanded darkly.

"Some," Roagh responded impassively. "The Reaper is coming for us. The warrior you set free didn't waste time in relaying your words. Somehow, miraculously, that information got to me and the other captains before The Reaper emerged again, the fucking coward.

"Gave us time to get most of the females and children into hiding. Warriors are fighting The Reaper's guards, but they're outnumbering us. It's chaos, Zar. There is fighting all around, some females have escaped into the depths of the Hall, other domains are afraid. And there are still thousands behind the gates. The storm is upon us.

"Are you back to lead us?"

Zar listened, gritting his teeth. A part of him had hoped that The Reaper wouldn't be as petty as to take revenge on him like that. At a time when they were actively trying to save their people, who was mad enough to leave thousands to die out there in the storm? No ship flew during the long night. They provided some shelter, but food and water were going to run out eventually.

The Reaper, that was the answer. The man who was terrified of losing the power and influence he had over other Nayanors. Without the Hall, he was nothing. The warlord didn't go on raids, depending on others and their need of him to bring his people the females they needed.

Zar realized The Reaper had known from the moment he set foot in the throne room what he planned, even before Zar himself did. Roagh had been right to warn Ashley about his temper getting them all killed. It was only natural that he wouldn't let himself be commanded, which left The Reaper to take every measure to protect the Hall.

By leaving his people behind the gates, he was keeping the other harbingers under control as well. Finally, proof that The Reaper was as good as his word – his threats in particular.

There was only one answer to Roagh's question after that.

"Yes," Zar said. "Assemble the warriors. Meet me at the end of the walkway. We are going to take the fight to The Reaper whether he wants it or not."

* * *

Ashley said very little as they left the cell. The fear he saw on her beautiful face was a sign that she wasn't as impervious to danger as she wanted him to believe.

It was also a strange experience for Zar.

No one had ever really worried about his well-being and survival, not like his fated, at least. It had been a surprise to him that his people relied on him so much, to the point where another warrior simply hadn't taken his place, presuming him dead. Roagh was one of the few people Zar would have called a friend, someone who probably would have been saddened to hear of his death.

That was all different, basic choice between preferring him to be alive rather than dead. None of them worried, or actually believed he could die.

Ashley wasn't a Nayanor, of course. It wasn't natural for her to trust in his martial capability, but there was more than that. His fated had come to love him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him to survive and win the fight with The Reaper. She feared for him, because she couldn't bear to lose him.

It made Zar regret his hasty decision to allow Ashley to come with him. It would have been safest to leave her in the cell with the promise not to leave, but he couldn't risk losing her at the moment when they stood to gain everything.

Even so, with Ashley, he needed to make sure.

"Our little deal," he told her. "The one about truth."

"You mean the policy that only applies to me?" Ashley asked, smiling softly. "What of it?"

"I need your word that you will not do anything to endanger yourself," Zar said. "When I leave you with your friends, you stay there until The Reaper is dead."

"Yes," Ashley sighed tiredly. "I told you. I have no stomach for bloodshed, you saw that back on the Foront. I will be happy to stay with the women, make sure they're safe. Keep the order among my own, if you will."

The tone of her voice said some of it was meant to be mocking, but Zar let that be. It was most important to him that Ashley was safe. Until the Hall wasn't his, there were always bound to be Nayanors who thought they could win favor with The Reaper by turning her over to him.

He stopped the carrier at the safe location Roagh had told him about. There were Nayanor warriors waiting for him, looking positively glad to see him. Roagh was coming their way, standing taller than Zar could remember him being. The captain wasn't usually that respectful of his rank. It showed The Reaper was putting up heavy resistance and they were happy to see him returned to them.

Zar helped Ashley off the carrier, resisting the urge to simply hold her in his arms until he'd taken all her fear away. He could see right through her plays of uncaring humor. The light in her eyes exposed the lie at once.

"Promise me you'll be back," Ashley said quietly. "Don't you dare die."

Zar laughed, kissing her deeply.

"I promise," he said, his deep voice filled with emotion. "By tonight, the Hall is mine and I will have you in our bed, in my arms where you belong."

He watched Ashley go off to her friends before turning away and leading Roagh and his warriors to where The Reaper was holding his line.

He would never have believed that he'd fight his own for the sake of a female, but that was before he'd met Ashley. Now Zar couldn't believe he had ever doubted he would give her everything.

The Reaper's head and the Black Hall would do for a start.