Page 49 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

She would die today, but so would the king.

Lessia didn’t bother forcing the face of Merrick, Frelina, or any of the others she loved out of her mind.

This would hurt them, but the alternative was worse.

They’d understand like she understood why her father had done what he did.

Merrick… The others would keep him alive. She had to believe they wouldn’t let him fall in the darkness of despair.

I love you.

She whispered it every time she climbed another step, until she reached the top of the empty stairs.

A manic smile pulled up her lips when she saw a sword resting against the corridor wall leading out to the deck, where she could hear voices drifting toward her.

Despite her hand still bleeding, her fingers nearly numb, she gripped the hilt.

Perhaps fate wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter 9

Merrick

They’d only been watching Rioner’s ship for a few minutes, but Merrick couldn’t shake the feeling that they needed to get on board—that they needed to get Lessia and the rest out. Now.

Fuck, it was as if he hadn’t had centuries of training in war and fighting.

His entire being trembled as his eyes flew across the ship, one ear listening to Raine’s recounting of the minds he could connect to—not that it was likely to be accurate, given the king trained his soldiers against mental Fae—and the other trying to pick up anything from the ship.

But the water roared too loudly, and Ydren didn’t dare get out from behind the rock sticking up out of the water, offering them some protection from sharp eyes traveling their way.

That feeling roiled within him again, and he hissed “Quiet” when Raine asked what he wanted to do.

Something demanded his attention, and it was as if the gods themselves turned his head toward the center of the ship, where a rusty door slowly opened.

Merrick could barely believe his eyes when a half-naked Lessia stumbled out of it, and he immediately froze, every nerveand muscle standing at attention when his eyes caught on the red hue tinting almost every inch of her bare skin as she pressed herself against the wall.

A growl built at the back of his throat, and soon it echoed within Raine, while the wyvern made soft noises of distress.

Merrick didn’t need the scent of iron that tinged the wind to tell him how injured she was, but when it touched his nose, that growl within him tore from his lips so swiftly and viciously Ardow and Ydren jumped.

And when she limped, dragging behind her what looked like a sword that would be too heavy for her under normal circumstances, he couldn’t stand it.

He couldn’t read her, but it wasn’t difficult to understand what was happening.

She was out of options.

Lessia was desperate—willing to do whatever she could attempt in her fragile state.

Another warning growl rumbled in his throat, his vision tinting with darkness, and those souls began their whispers when Raine’s eyes found his.

“Don’t say it,” Merrick hissed. “We go now!”

He knew Raine wanted to plan.

Merrick would probably have suggested it himself if it hadn’t been Lessia walking there.

If what she was doing could be called walking…