Page 12

12

Kaebl

My claws slice past my fingertips, digging into the cool stone of the dungeon floor, still trembling in the aftermath of the great blast that shook the castle. I stare past the shadows into the corner of the room where Fenryr is sitting, checking for any sign of movement. His bright green eyes stare aimlessly at the far wall unblinking, his chest rising and falling imperceptibly with each shallow breath. He looks more like a corpse than a living creature, but I know it’s due to the arachnyx venom Malice injected into him earlier. The only concern is how long it’s taking him to return to normal.

Just as I consider going to him, another explosion emanates from down the hall, causing spiderweb cracks to spread along the ceiling. The stone shudders, attempting to withstand the blows to the foundation, to keep the castle standing. The blast cones on so strong, so sudden that I nearly prick my skin with the arachnyx tooth pinched between my fingers. I readjust my grip, breathing past the spike of adrenaline as pieces of rubble rain onto my shoulders and head.

What sort of creature could have caused an explosion so powerful?

I only need to think about it for a moment before the answer comes to me. Dagny. It could only be my mate.

I push to my feet on quaking legs, using the wall for support. The room fades in and out of focus. Agony flares in every part of my body as my wounds pop open, sending a river of dark blue blood coursing to the floor. I take a step toward Fenryr, my chains clanking heavily and drowning out the rhythmic drip, drip, drip as the last of my life runs from my veins. But I have to keep going. I have to wake Fenryr up before?—

“What do you think you’re doing, you little rat?”

Zairn’s grating voice echoes off the walls, stopping me in my tracks. I turn my head slowly, finding his milky-white gaze narrowed in hate, a bloodthirsty snarl pulling at his lipless mouth. “I know what you all are up to,” he sneers, pointing an accusatory finger through the bars. “I know the red-eyed freak is behind all of this! That the explosion was just a diversion, a way to get me away so you can escape.” He shakes his head, his hand curling into a fist at his side. “Well, I won’t allow it! I know your secret—that if I kill you, all the others will die.” His snarl turns to a cunning sneer as he continues trying to get a rise out of me. “And then when you’re all dead and gone, your sweet little halfling pet will be at my mercy. Oh, but I won’t kill her right away. No, no—I know thousands of other uses for her.”

My beast rears its head, furious at the insinuation. I grit my teeth as my canines elongate, piercing my lower lip and adding to my list of injuries. Every molecule in my body wants to react, to lunge across the room and tear Zairn’s head from his shoulders for thinking about my mate in such a way. But I can’t. Not yet.

Fixing my face into one absent of emotion, I slide my hands out of sight, snapping off the tip of the tooth just like Malice showed me. Refusing to give Zairn the satisfaction of knowing his words affect me.

Frustrated with my lack of reaction, Zairn throws open the cell door with a vicious growl, so focused on my expression that he doesn’t notice me coating my claws in the venom. He storms across the floor, his eyes shooting fire, claws extended and reaching for my throat.

Just before he reaches me, Zairn steps into the pool of blood I left behind, placing the entirety of his weight on the foot resting in the liquid and sending him off balance for a moment—but it’s all I need.

I lunge for Zairn, my claws extended as far as possible, and a silent war cry builds in my chest. He jumps back at the last second, his eyes widening in shock as the tip of my index finger clips his arm. My body slams to the floor, agony spreading through my veins and stealing my breath, but I barely sense it. I did it. I won.

Zairn dusts himself off, his gaze filled with disdain and a touch of amusement. "Imbecilic Gylden slug. Do you really think a little scratch is going to hurt me? It will take…”

A rare smile tugs at my mouth as I watch Zairn’s face drop, his gaze shining with fright as his muscles are frozen in place. Shivers wrack his body as he slumps to the ground, foam frothing at his mouth as he fights against the poison coursing through his veins. He blinks once, twice more, and no longer—lost to the powerful paralytic.

Tearing my gaze from the sight, I reach into the wound on my side, wincing as the flesh bubbles and protests against the intrusion. My fingers curl around the small key lying deep within my flesh, and I draw it out slowly, my nose curling in disgust at the squelching sound that accompanies the movement.

I insert a blood-coated key into the lock on my wrists, sighing in relief when the cuffs spring loose and clatter to the floor. I unhook my ankles and neck next, setting the heavy metal collar lightly on the ground so as not to arise any more suspicion.

My vision tunnels as I straighten, but I fight against the agony spreading to my fingers and toes, focused on one singular task—freeing Fenryr.

He stays utterly still as I unlock his chains, leaving the muzzle for last. Just as I insert the key into the side, heavy footsteps sound down the hall, heading in the direction of this cell. Before I get the chance to remove his muzzle, a dozen of Slaine’s soldiers pour into the room, their claws bared and gazes full of bloodlust.

The entire horde jumps on top of me, attempting to pin me to the floor and put me in chains. I kick against them, slashing wildly in an attempt to take out as many as I can before they kill me, before I get to see Dagny one last time. I fight and fight, getting lost to the sounds of screeches and screams, choking on the scent of blood filling the air, drenching the tattered remains of my armor. Before long, my muscles weaken, the last of my energy sapped from my veins and joining the pool of blood growing beneath me. And I know soon, their attacks will overwhelm me.

Suddenly, the soldier to my left freezes, muscles locking and expression settling into stone as his body slumps to the floor. One by one, seven soldiers follow, dropping to the ground like giant white flies. But as soon as they fall, the last five take their place, pinning my arms and ankles while the fifth crouches by my head, pulling out a long curved blade meant to separate my neck from my shoulders.

The demon’s muscles tremble as he lowers the weapon, but just before it makes contact, a ball of dark green shadows flies through the air, connecting with the demon’s side with enough force to knock the blade from his hands. The metal clatters to the floor as Fenryr’s ear-piercing screech echoes off the walls, accompanied by a wet squelching noise that has my gut churning.

I look to the side just in time to witness Fenryr pulling his arm from the soldier's chest, his skin covered in dark blood and a beating heart clenched tightly in his fist. The soldier’s eyes roll to the back of his head as his body slumps to the floor, a sea of purple spreading out from the hole in his chest and seeping into the surrounding stone.

Two of the demons that were holding me rush to subdue Fenryr, leaving one of my arms unattended. While the remaining soldiers are distracted, I lunge for the one holding my other arm, sinking my claws deep into his arm before slashing the second. It’s only a nick, but it’s enough, and after a few moments, they fall to the floor, immobilized just as the others.

With the last of my strength fading, I push into a sitting position, desperate to help Fenryr. However, when I blink away the haze coating my sight, I find Fenryr standing over the bodies of two headless soldiers, his chest heaving and splatters of dark blood coating his arms, face, and chest.

A low, vibrating growl echoes from his chest as he turns slowly, blinding emerald orbs piercing me through the shadows, promising a painful end.

Fenryr, it’s me. I call into his mind, but once again, he doesn’t seem to hear me. His head lowers as his shoulders hunch, muscles straining with each predatory step he takes toward me.

Fenryr, you have to stop!

Still, my words have no effect. I blow out a sigh, racking my brain for something—anything—I can say to him to bring him back to reality.

I know where Dagny is. I can take you to her.

The green-eyed beast stops dead in his tracks, rising to his full height and tilting his head to the side. “ Dagny? ”

Yes. I nod for good measure. You want to see her, don’t you? You miss her?

A low whine replaces the vicious growl from just moments ago, and a flash of humanity replaces the mad glint in his eyes. “ Take me to her.”

I nod once more, focused on taking deep, steady breaths as I attempt to pick myself off the floor. To my surprise, Fenryr appears at my side, his arm outstretched. “The faster you move, the faster I get to my mate.”

Right. I take his hand, allowing him to haul me to my feet. I brace one hand on the wall, the other on Fenryr’s shoulder, and lead him out of the cell. To finally—finally—be reunited with my mate.

I can only pray to the gods that she’s still in one piece.