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War caught up to her side, running along with her. “Is that Presco?”

“Yes.” A searing hot pain ripped into the back of her thigh, nearly dropping her to the ground. “Ahh!” she screeched through gritted teeth and stumbled forward, gripping her hands around her leg. War caught her around the waist before she fell and held her up.

“Holy Maker, you’re bleeding.” He tore the sleeve off his left arm. Down the back of her thigh a huge gash opened, spilling blood down her leg onto the grass. No one had snuck up on her. No arrows flew by.How in the realms did that happen?

She looked across the grounds as the horses broke through the fence, their hooves thundering in a stampede, and the hound turned its attention to the guards running at it. Servants ran past Valeen and War to escape into the castle. One young lady’s dress was torn at the bottom and blood splattered across her face.

As War stooped down to tie the sleeve around her thigh, another burning sting slashed across her abdomen and she doubled over, slapping her hand over a tear in her top through her vest. Blood oozed out from beneath her palms. “Ahhh,” she groaned. “War, what’s happening?” It felt like icy fire burned through her midsection and the pain made her woozy.

His eyes widened in horror as he took in the blood spilling into the fabric of her top. “I don’t know, but it’s alright, I’ll heal you. It will be alright.” He sounded like he was trying to be calm for her sake and that scared her even more. He pulled his shirt off and pressed it to her belly. “I need you to lay back. You won’t heal fast enough on your own.”

“We have to get up there and help him.” She pushed against his shoulders and tried to step back.

War gripped her waist, holding her from escaping and pressed his bundled-up shirt harder against her. “Valeen, sit down. Hel can handle Varlett on his own.”

Up high among the clouds, Hel slashed at Varlett with his illuminated blue magic sword. Her fierce claws swiped at him, cutting through the air but missing his agile movements. On her underbelly was a gash…

Varlett’s fire breath blasted in an arc of orange flame. Hel tucked his wings and rolled, disappearing entirely, and reappeared then stuck his sword through her left wing and jerked the blade up, tearing through it like it was paper. Another pain stung Valeen’s back, as if he’d slid his sword across it. Valeen cried out in sync with a roar from the dragon shifter.

No.Valeen shook her head in disbelief.No, no.Her head swam as realization struck her, their bargain. The price. Her good leg wobbled, and she gripped War’s shoulders for balance.

“How do I stop this?” He put more pressure on her wound and it knocked the wind out of her. Her mortal elven body was inferior to her goddess form in almost every way. “How is this happening?”

Hel, stop hurting her,she called to his mind.

Another gash split on her arm, and War cursed. “Tell me how to stop this!”

“It’s Varlett!” she bellowed.Every time you hurt her, you hurt me,she shouted in Hel’s mind.STOP!

His wings whooshed, driving him backward, creating distance between him and Varlett.How is that possible?The horror in his voice was evident even in her mind.

Varlett’s dragon suddenly shifted to human form, and she was free-falling from the clouds, every second bringing her closer to impending death. Her golden hair rippled upward like waves of amber wheat dancing in a storm.

All Mother, give me strength.With a surge of energy, the pain dulled,and she shoved away from War and ran as fast as her injuries would allow.Get to her, get to her before she hits the ground,she chanted, keeping her sights fixed on Varlett dropping faster and faster like a stone. Her body was curled inward, and her arms and legs were still like she’d gone unconscious.

“Presco!” Valeen hollered but he was high up and she didn’t know if he could hear over the chaos of demon snarls, swords clashing, and the screams.

A hulking black form caught the corner of her eye. Her focus shifted, and a demon hound barreled toward her, teeth gleaming red with blood dripping from its mouth. She clenched her jaw and altered into shadow, calling Darkbringer to her palm. The hound charged head-on, and she dropped onto her knees, leaned back and as the hound ran over top of her, she slid her goddess blade through the underbelly of the beast. No howls came, no cries. It stumbled through its last steps and collapsed behind her.

Varlett’s life is tied to mine, Hel! Get her!

Varlett was seconds from hitting the ground and Valeen wasn’t close enough to make it. But her vines could. They ripped upward ready to catch and wrap around her, and then a blast like an ocean wave slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. She lost control of the magic, but Hel swooped in and grabbed Varlett, cradling her in his arms.

“Hello again goddess,” came the gravelly voice of the demon prince Morv, pulling her attention.

Pushing up to her feet, she turned to face him, this time with courage, not fear. But black spots flitted across her vision. The wounds on her body weren’t healing fast enough and the expenditure of power and energy weakened her. The rush of the fight had kept the pain at bay momentarily, but it all caught up to her. Waves of unbearable agony rocked her core and her legs buckled. She dropped to her hands and knees, barely able to draw in a breath. Blood plopped onto the grass, below her,drip, drip, drip.

Where is War?she wondered.Where is Hel?

A deep laugh made her skin crawl. “What a sight to see the goddess of night as such a feeble thing. It almost takes the pleasure out of killing you. Almost.” The demon prince’s horns protruded out of messy white hair, and those bright red eyes pinned on her with disdain. He was immortal and her goddess blade wouldn’t kill him, but it would send him back to the underrealm… if she was strong enough to wield it against him. The black spots in her vision grew darker and spread more.I cannot pass out. Stay awake. Stay awake.

All seven feet and powerful muscle of him strutted toward her with his magical staff in hand, and another hound at his side. There had been three, and she only killed one. That meant another one was around somewhere.

Shit. She gripped Darkbringer and debated on calling forth Soulender, that would end him for good, but he could easily turn it against her, and then not only would she be dead forever, but he’d also be the most feared being in the realms. She couldn’t allow him the chance to get it.

Boots hit the ground with a heavy thud beside her, and Hel tucked his wings away. “Your first mistake was coming formy fuckingwife. The second was believing you ever had a chance.”

She smiled.Hel.His name was all she needed him to hear to know the relief in her voice.