Page 52

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

-Clay-

THE WALKWAY RATTLED beneath my feet as I ran, pushing every ounce of energy into moving faster, faster.

Ulgar heaved himself up behind me and the walkway shook at his pounding footsteps. I lowered my head and sprinted with all the fear and fury I had in me.

When Ulgar let go of me, I’d moved without thinking, acting on pure instinct. My plan didn’t go much further than ‘ stop him hurting Arcay’, and now I was running out of time and space way too quickly.

Why had I run this way instead of out of the observatory? I wanted to make Ulgar follow me away from Arcay, yeah, but now what? I cursed. If Ulgar got me, we were both dead.

My breath sawed in and out of my lungs as I pumped my arms and legs and my mind raced.

I needed to get help. If I could just make it back down to the door, maybe I could get someone’s attention, get help.

Ulgar growled and grunted behind me. I set my eyes on the far end of the walkway, willing it to be nearer, pushing my aching muscles to the limit as my chest burned and my head swam.

All I had to do was reach the rungs and—

My leg was swept out from under me. My arms wheeled, and I was falling, the world tipping end over end. I landed face-first on the metal walkway and rolled to a stop with my legs hanging over empty air. I only had a moment of sickening vertigo, before a huge, clawed hand slammed down on my back and twisted into a fist. The claws scratched my skin through the thin fabric and I shouted. Ulgar hauled me up until I was level with his face, my feet kicking in the air. The fabric shifted and twisted in his hands, bunching under my arms and my jaw, and he shook me violently. Stars sparked across my vision as my teeth clashed together and I tasted blood. I cried out again and held onto his wrist with both hands, trying to steady myself.

“I will knock some sense into you, omega,” he bit out.

Then he fisted his other hand in my hair and yanked my head to the side. Sharp pain tore across my scalp as he ripped hair loose and I screamed. This was it, he was going to kill me. I only hoped I’d allowed Arcay some time to get away.

He dipped his head and ran his mouth over the base of my neck. My skin prickled when he dragged his tongue over Arcay’s mark, my stomach rolling. He sank his teeth in, covering Arcay’s mark with his own. I screamed and kicked out frantically. All it did was make his grip tighten, biting down harder, slicing my flesh with his fangs, and hot blood trickled down my chest. It was too deep. He was going to kill me.

A deep growl was the only warning I got. Then Ulgar’s grip lurched, his teeth tore from my neck, and I was thrown violently. The world spun and hit the walkway hard. The edge of the metal punched into my chest and winded me. My legs free-wheeled in open air. I desperately scrabbled to get a hold as I slid backward, pulled over the edge by the weight of my own legs. Stars danced in front of my eyes and I fought to draw air into my spasming lungs as my fingers slipped, desperate for purchase and finding none. I was going to fall and crack below like an egg. My hands grabbed uselessly at nothing as my stomach slid over the edge. Then my chest. Then my fingers found the lip of a joint between two metal plates and I dug them in. I stopped with the edge of the walkway digging into the top of my chest and armpits as the rest of my body swung wildly over the abyss.

The walkway shuddered and swayed, and I looked up to see Ulgar sprawled on the floor with Arcay hunched over him, slashing and tearing at him with his claws in a frenzied attack. Arcay’s eyes were blown wide, his pupils tiny pinpricks of rage, lips pulled back over his fangs as he struck Ulgar again and again in the neck and chest.

I wheezed, unable to get enough air to call out. Sweat slicked my palms, my fingers slipped and I shifted, my body swinging precariously. Dragging my gaze away from them, I searched wildly for anything I could save myself with, and my eyes landed on a small strut that protruded from the walkway a short distance from me. I shifted my weight, but if I let go with one hand to grab it, I’d fall. I started to swing my body, trying to bring my leg up high enough to hook around it.

Above me, Ulgar bucked wildly and knocked Arcay off balance, then twisted and struck out, slamming his fist into Arcay’s throat. Arcay choked and reared back, clutching his neck. Blood spattered to the ground around him. Ulgar jumped to his feet and followed him, striking again at his stomach.

No.

I swung wildly, grunting at the effort, and heaved my leg up. My heel hooked on the edge of the strut. I took a split second to suck in as much air as I could, then heaved and pushed. My foot slipped over the strut and I kept pushing until it hooked snuggly in the bend of my leg.

Ok, I could do this. As the fight went on above me, I gritted my teeth and leveraged my upper body higher, using my fingers and leg, tensing and lifting myself. Just then, Ulgar roared and drew his arm back aiming for Arcay’s neck, his face a mask of sheer hatred.

“Arcay,” I shouted with what little air I had.

The blow landed. More blood sprayed across the walkway, spattering my arms, and I screamed.

Arcay wavered. But by some miracle, he stayed on his feet. I stared. That blow should have killed him outright, but instead of crumpling to the ground he took one faltering step forward, and then another. Ulgar looked just as surprised as me, and his surprise only increased when Arcay screamed like a wounded animal and lunged. He moved like a force of nature. Unstoppable and inevitable.

Arcay knocked Ulgar’s raised arms aside and kept going. His fangs found the flesh of Ulgar’s throat and closed around it. He bit down. Ulgar screamed, raking his claws along Arcay’s sides, desperately trying to tear him free. But Arcay was latched on. He twisted and tore, then jerked back, taking a chunk with him, gore running down his chin. Ulgar’s eyes bulged and his scream turned into a bubbling gurgle as he staggered backward, hands rising to cup his gaping throat. Blood oozed between his fingers and poured down his chest. His back bumped up against the railing, his foot stepped back into open air. He tipped, toppled with a rasping cry over the railing, and fell from view. A second later, there was a meaty smack as he landed far below, and then silence.

Arcay’s shoulders heaved as he stared down at Ulgar. Blood was everywhere. It dripped from his chin, soaking his white hair where it stuck to his face and neck in stray swirls, and poured down his battered body, pooling on the floor at his feet. He turned towards me and his eyes widened when he saw me clinging onto the walkway for dear life. His legs shook as he moved towards me, his arms stretched out to me. But before he could reach me, he shuddered, and his legs collapsed under him. He dragged himself the rest of the way, arm over arm and I realized nothing in existence could keep us apart. We’d crawl back to each other, drag ourselves on our bellies if we had to, every time.

He reached me and gripped my arms, his palms slick and red. With a heave, I slid up over the edge and we rolled, landing in a heap of heaving chests and trembling limbs. He felt so hot against me, like a fire was raging under his skin.

I pressed my shaking hands to his beautiful face, checking for wounds. I didn’t need to bother, there were plenty, but I didn’t know what else to do. There was so much blood everywhere.

“Arcay, are you alright?” I gasped. What a dumb fucking question. It was obvious he wasn’t. But I was panicked and stupid. His face was calm though. Somehow peaceful despite the pain he must be feeling.

“You came back,” he rasped.

“Of course I did, I couldn’t just leave you.”

He smiled weakly.

I struggled to my feet. “Come on, we have to get you out of here.” I hooked my hands under his arms and tried to haul him to his feet, but he was pure muscle and weighed a ton. I strained anyway, sweat and blood stinging my eyes and desperation burning in my chest, before I straightened and wiped my face with my arm. “You might have to help me out a bit here, Arcay,” I said through gritted teeth, trying to keep the emotion from breaking through.

His eyes drifted closed, and panic surged in me for a second, before he grunted and somehow summoned the strength to roll over. He wobbled on his hands and knees, groaning, and I steadied him. He trembled under my hands. He was so weak, how had my big, strong Arcay been reduced to this? My throat constricted and the world blurred, but I pushed it down. No, there was no time for that. I could fall apart later, when Arcay was ok. But first I had to get him out of here and get help. He needed a healer right fucking now. Some of that magic goo, and he’d be as good as new, I knew it. He had to be.

I ducked, pulled his arm over my shoulder, and threaded my other arm around his waist, taking as much of his weight as I could. He managed to rise to his knees, but then wavered and slumped against me. It almost made me topple, but I could tell from his twitching muscles that he was trying to support himself as much as he could, trying not to weigh me down.

“That’s good,” I said. “Just a little bit more. Can you get on your feet?”

“I think…this is the best…I can do,” he said, wavering dangerously. Blood dripped from his lips as he spoke.

“Ok. Ok, I can work with that.”

I dragged him forward and he used his free arm to crawl, letting me take some of his weight. He grunted with each movement and I had to bite the inside of my lip at the pain and effort on his face.

We made it halfway along the walkway before he stopped, breathing heavily.

“Come on,” I urged. “Just a little bit further, we’re almost there.”

“I…cannot…” he said.

I growled, but it came out wet. “Yes, you can . Don’t give me that bullshit, Arcay. You’re the strongest person I know,” I snapped.

His body trembled harder and he coughed. It took me a moment to realize he was laughing . “You never…listen to me…”

“That’s right, asshole, and I’m not starting now.”

Arcay let out another choking laugh that racked his body. It was painful to see. I blinked quickly, bracing him.

“Hey, easy now. No more of that until we get you seen by the healers, ok?” I started to pull him forward again, but his other arm gave way under him and he collapsed. “No, no, no. Come on, Arcay, you have to keep going. Please. I can’t lift you on my own.”

He didn’t reply, just groaned. I got my arms around his chest and heaved, but all I managed to do was pull him half on top of me before I fell, his head on my chest. He shifted around, twisting with slow painful movements, until his head lay on my shoulder, his face pressed against the side of my neck. I wrapped my free arm around his broad, hard chest.

“Come on, Arcay,” I said. “Please. Please. Don’t give up now.”

He breathed deeply and murmured, his lips moving softly against my neck and his warm breath gliding over my skin. “Are you going to leave again? Are you going home?”

I gulped and chewed my lip, trying to stop my voice from choking off. “No. I thought I’d stick around here for a bit,” I said. “Who else is going to keep you out of trouble?” Plus, the wormhole was closed now, so I literally couldn’t go back, but that was beside the point. I looked around. Ok, if he couldn’t move, we could just sit tight here until someone found us.

His lips slid against my neck again. “But you do not want to be here,” he murmured.

“No, I do, Arcay. I do. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean all those things I said. I was just mad, and I was scared. Because I didn’t have a choice. But I do now. And that makes a difference.”

He rolled his head to the side and squinted at my face, trying to figure out what was going on in my head. Without the bond, it wasn’t so easy anymore.

“Do you miss it?” he asked.

I didn’t have to ask what he was talking about; the emptiness between us was painful in a way I never thought it could be.

“Yes,” I said simply.

He studied me and then turned his face back into my neck. “You…do not need to lie for me. What you want is important…I am sorry I did not…understand that before. But I do now...” His voice trailed off like he was talking to himself.

I shook my head. “I’m not lying, Arcay. I mean it.”

He grunted. I didn’t know if he believed me or not, and without the bond, I guess he felt the same. “You were trapped…why did you come back?” He seemed genuinely confused.

I sniffed, surprised at how angry I felt. At him. At myself. At Ulgar. At everything. “Maybe I like being trapped with you.”

His lips moved again against my neck, but he didn’t say anything. I kept talking, afraid of what would happen if I stopped.

“Why would I want to be anywhere else, when I could be with you? I’ve always run away from commitment, but…you know…” I gulped as my voice broke. “Maybe it’s not so bad. If it’s with you.” I shifted, leaning away so I could see his face. His eyelids fluttered weakly, but he stared up into mine; molten amber. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’d rather be trapped in your world with you, than live without you in mine. I don’t want to be free. I want to be with you.” This time, I couldn't stop the sob that tore through me as tears trailed down my cheeks and my voice hitched. “I’m sorry that it took me this long to realize. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here with you. And you have to stay with me too. Please.” I breathed the last word, sending it out into the air. A plea. A prayer.

Arcay smiled and closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath.

“Arcay?” I said, sniffing.

He’d gone still. Far too still. He was limp in my arms.

“Hey. Arcay.”

I shook his shoulder, the only place I could find that wasn’t drenched in blood. His head flopped to the side, away from me.

No.

“Arcay? Arcay! Shit, Arcay, please hang on. You can’t leave me. Please.”

He didn’t move. I looked around desperately, then curled around him, shaking.

No no no no no no.

I pressed my lips against his, warm and still. “Arcay, I refuse to let you go,” I whispered, my tears falling on his cheeks. “I love you.”

Tears streamed down my face. No. Arcay. Please—

Happiness blossomed in my chest with a spreading warmth, making me blink through the tears. I didn’t understand what was happening. How could I be happy when my world was crumbling around me? But nonetheless, it spread through me, easing the pain that stabbed and pulled at the hole in my chest where our soul bond used to be.

I gasped as realization hit me. It wasn’t my happiness.

It was his.

I stared down at him as more tears littered his cheeks, running together to track paths through the blood on his grey-tinged skin.

The hole inside me filled with his happiness, gradually at first, and then all at once. Until it was entirely gone, replaced with the flowing river of feelings coming through our bond. I didn’t know how, but I could feel him again. Our bond had reformed itself. Where our souls had been torn apart, they were now joined again. My eyes widened.

“I love you,” I said again.

He didn’t move. He didn’t respond in any way, but the happiness grew until it enveloped me entirely in its warmth.

And I held onto his body and cried.