Page 48 of Heir of Broken Souls (HOBF #3)

Chapter 48

Knox

D elilah disappears from view beneath the ship, but by the golden light shining through the blue, I know she’s still alive. She won’t stop her assault until the final water dragon is dead.

Delilah can handle herself; she’s proven so time and time again and it’s now my turn to show her the respect she deserves and trust her abilities. Who really needs me right now is Harlow. Her magic has spat her back into her true form as her body continues to bleed out, and I land unceremoniously beside her in the water, startling Naia.

My eyes are wild and frantic as Naia appears to be just as moved by the sight.

“She saved my life,” Naia whispers, repeating the phrase over and over again. “She saved my life.”

I don’t know why she’s so stunned, but that will be my concern for later. Not when Harlow lies here, a large chunk missing from her stomach.

I’ve seen some gruesome things, but even I get nauseous seeing my dear friend so injured. “I need all the help I can get!” I call out. “Naia, please,” I beg, craning my neck to look for Axel. I find him utterly frozen hovering above the pod. I notice why a second later.

There in the water, surrounded by her crying pod, bobs a pink mermaid, clutching the remains of another pink tail as she wails hysterically. Elysia flies beside Axel, shaking his shoulders and trying to snap him out of the trance, but nothing is getting through to him. Not as tears roll down his cheeks and he clutches his chest.

I tear my gaze back to Harlow and take a stuttering breath in.

“We’re not losing any more,” I declare, my voice thick with emotion.

That seems to get Naia’s attention. She places her hand on Harlow and grits her teeth, pushing power out of her palm that’s so blinding, I have to squint. “No, we aren’t,” she insists with such spite I give her a sidelong glance.

And despite Harlow clutching her stomach, her skin ashen and her eyes begging to roll back, I also notice how the golden glow has suddenly disappeared.

“Where is Delilah?”