Choice

The golden-haired man's eyes swept over the room. No one had moved. His command had gone ignored.

Annoyance flickered across his features. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll do it myself."

Then—he moved. In the blink of an eye, he lunged forward at terrifying speed.

Julius reacted instantly, surging toward Maverick.

From the sidelines, Abigail stood frozen. The moment she laid eyes on the golden-haired man—his attire, his visual—her breath caught in her throat. Her heart pounded.

"No…" She barely found her voice. "Julius! Don't fight him!"

But Julius couldn't hear her. His entire focus was split between Maverick and the golden-haired man.

With a flick of his wrist, Julius willed the silver weapons scattered around the hall to rise. They shot through the air like a storm of blades, some targeting his opponent, others aimed at Maverick—to keep him restrained, to stop him from losing control and shielding him from the enemy.