Page 178 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

His eyes stayed on Merrick’s, though, until they glossed, then went unseeing, then never moved again.

Chapter 40

Frelina

Frelina had always loved animals, but she’d have to reconsider her stance on birds as the vicious one before her snapped its beak at her again, and Frelina crushed herself against the stone to get away from the sharp bite.

It had already managed to rip into her, and her daggers had lain useless on the ground since the bird’s last strike. Blood trickled down both her arms and her side where it had taken a chunk out of her flesh.

Frelina whimpered as rocks bit into the wound on her side as she whirled to get away from another attack, sweat forming on her forehead and stinging her eyes.

When she’d thought of her death, she never imagined being eaten alive by a fucking bird. Weren’t they supposed to just eat plants and worms anyway?

“Fuck you!” Frelina screamed as the bird nipped at her shoulder when she wasn’t fast enough to avoid the next strike.

The bird screeched, almost as if in laughter, and it pissed her off even more.

As it came down on her again, Frelina jabbed out with her hand, and even though it wasn’t a hard blow, she managed to get a slap in, driving the bird’s face away from her own.

“Seems quite inefficient. Allow me, little one.”

She shot her eyes up at Kerym’s voice, and they widened at how his skin began glowing, how his hair started to shine and reflect the sun, and how the bloodshot lines in his eyes faded.

“Makes me look quite handsome, no?” Kerym grinned at her stunned expression, and her eyes swept over him, then moved to Pellie, who stood behind him, her eyes also wide, in not surprise but rather… vigilance.

They were as blue as Kerym’s as they moved from Frelina to the bird, and as Frelina followed them, she sucked in a breath.

In the bird’s place, there was now a woman. One who might be only a few years older than herself. One who appeared barely able to stand, letting out a sound of… sleepiness? Yes, it was a damned yawn that made the woman’s mouth form an O.

“What are you waiting for?” Kerym nodded toward the woman. “She won’t fight back.”

Frelina’s eyes went even wider. Did he mean…

Kerym rolled his eyes, and before even a muscle moved in Frelina’s body, he shot forward and slammed a fist into the shifter’s face, making her tumble to the ground, although her chest still rose and fell, almost as if she…

“She’ll be taking a nice, long nap.” Kerym reached out a hand when Frelina only stared at him. “You didn’t think I was going to kill her, did you?”

Frelina still only stared at him.

“You did.” Kerym’s eyes flew upward again. “It’s no fun when they can’t fight back.”

Fight…

Right. There was fighting.

If she strained her ears, she could hear it.

The screams coming from both the cliff and the ships beneath them.

She could smell the blood too. It must paint the water red now, judging from how much it tinged the air, from how the biting wind whirled the metallic scent all around them.

Frelina shook her head, trying to get her thoughts to gather.

But it proved to be a struggle, and she wavered as she finally stepped toward the Fae as he dragged a hand through his inky-black hair.

“You’ve lost a lot of blood.” Pellie was suddenly by her side, and then someone blonde…

“Come, you need to sit down.” Amalise snaked an arm around Frelina’s waist when her eyes snagged on Kerym again. “There is a spot here you can hide.”