Page 35

A terrified scream burst past her lips as she tumbled in the air, plunging toward her death.

Sky. Forest. Sky. Forest.

This was how she died.

His revenge was better than yours.

She caught a blur of movement a second before she slammed to a stop. Mer gasped, the wind knocked out of her, a band of steel wrapped around her waist. She clung to the king’s massive arm. Her eyes were wide as she gaped up at him, her legs kicking in the air as thefiileecaught the wind and swooped upward.

“What are you doing?” she wheezed, trying to dig her toes into the feline’s fur. The wind tore at her, and the rain sliced against her skin. All she had to do was fight past the panic.

“Why did you do it?” he shouted, his eyes hard as flint.

“Let me up!” Her limbs shook as she tried to find purchase against the side of the flying feline.

“Why did you do it?”

She glared at him through the rain, and Mer let her pride get the best of her. “Because it was deserved.”

The Methian king leaned down into her space and bared his teeth, real hate glittering in the depths of his silver eyes. “No one deserved that fate. Especially not the children.”

Children?

He shook her off. Mer caught the edge of thefiilee’swing but lost traction in the rain, flailing uselessly. Another terrified scream tore from Mer as she free-fell again, the wind tearing at her destroyed silk dress. Mer clawed at the air as if it could save her from what was coming. She tumbled until she faced the land. Bile burned at the back of her throat. The ground approached too quickly. She closed her eyes, praying that her death would be quick.

I’m sorry, Ream.

A roar caused her eyes to snap open.

The king darted beneath her, and Mer crashed into him right before she hit the trees. Pain ricocheted through her body, but she barely registered it. Panic had Mer wrapping herself around the king like an octopus. Somehow, her legs found their way around his waist and her arms over his head and around his neck. She locked her ankles together and knotted her fingers around the harness he wore.

“You deserve death!” he hissed in her ear, trying to push her away.

Oh, no, he didn’t.

Mer released his harness and wrapped her fists in the chains of the manacles before leaning back until the metal bit into his neck. He growled, and she noted with satisfaction that more blood trickled down his throat. “It’s not me who deserves death!”

He dug his massive hands into her thighs, attempting to pull her off, but to no avail. She gritted her teeth and held on despitethe pain. There was no doubt in her mind that if he dropped her again, there would be no rescue.

He abandoned prying her off and reached for a blade strapped to his chest.

I don’t think so.

Mer headbutted him as hard as she could, her limbs shaking with adrenaline and fatigue. Stars danced across her vision, and she swayed, barely holding on as he cursed. Maybe that wasn’t her best idea. She plastered herself against his chest, tightening her hold, and bit him on the neck just above the scarf as the world rolled. Still, she didn’t let go, even as the force threatened to tear her from the dreaded king. She could be sick later. Now was life or death.

The king froze, his fingers still biting into her ribcage. He panted hard into her ear.

“If you tear out my throat, I’ll throw us both over the edge,” he rasped.

Mer believed the crazy bastard.

She bit a little harder, but not enough to break the skin. He was in no position to make threats.

As if he heard her thoughts, he said, “We’re at an impasse.”

The feline banked to the left as Mer continued to shake. Bile flooded her mouth as the salt from his skin registered. She swallowed hard, her vision going in and out of focus.

Just hold on. Keep fighting.