Page 68 of Night Meets the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen #4)

Hold onto me. Valeen wrapped her arms around Hel’s neck, and they shot into the air.

Beasts snapped at their heels, just out of reach.

The giant hound ran up the fat monster and launched at them, latching onto Valeen’s boot.

She screamed and swung Soulender, slicing into the back of its neck, severing the spine.

It dropped like a stone to the ground and green blood splattered all around its body.

The others dove in and started eating it, tearing into the flesh, crunching bones and ripping limbs.

She moved her foot around to make sure she felt no sting and breathed a sigh of thanks that the teeth hadn’t cut through the thick leather.

“Did the bite get through?” Hel sounded almost frantic.

“No, I’m alright… We’ll come back for your mother.”

“If that was truly her, we’ll return.”

Hel weaved between trees and rose above the black canopy of the forest into the deep blue-black sky. There was no sun or moon here to guide them, only an eerie glow that seemed to come from nowhere in particular.

“You’re not the only thing that can fly down here, Hel!” Varlett let out a cackle that sent a chill down her back.

I hate that wench. And now she’s a princess. A demon but still a princess.

A swarming dark cloud came up behind them. At first, she thought they were bees but there were at least a thousand bats. They twisted and turned as if they were one mind. The screeches and bellows grated on her sensitive ears.

The buzz of magic in her veins was but a whisper of what it could be. Not even enough to conjure lily at this point. If hers was still this weak, it was a miracle Hel was even able to bring out his wings.

His muscles tensed as he held her tightly around her middle. Determination hardened his features. “I wanted to bring the ring back to save you, not make her a fucking princess of the underrealm,” he muttered.

“I know.”

“Hold on.” His arms tightened around her, she hooked her heels behind his back, and he rolled left. Her stomach clenched, and she squeezed harder around his neck and hips. He twirled again and she held in a squeal. “Sorry. I had to get around that thing. Whatever it was.”

Behind them, a giant gray monster with only a mouth on its misshapen head, chased after them, taking down trees in its way. It roared and jumped, massive three-fingered hands reaching for them. “UP! GO UP!”

His wings beat hard, taking them higher. The monster jumped again, propelling upward with an unnatural force. Valeen squealed through her teeth, leaned back, and swung down with Soulender, slicing through the monster’s fingers. It roared, not in pain but in anger, barely missing Hel’s boots.

The swarm of bats was gaining on them. Together, their wings sounded like a hive of bees, and the closer they came, the louder it was.

She reached into her belt and threw a star at a fanged bat with a wingspan as wide as she was tall.

The star lodged into its neck, and it went down with a screech.

But she only had four more and there were too many to count.

Suddenly, Hel roared. There was a snap , and they were falling. The breath was pulled from her lungs at the rapid plummet.

Hel, what happened? Hel!

His face was twisted in agony, but he wrapped her tighter and angled his back toward the ground as they fell faster and faster.

Tree branches broke and buckled beneath their combined weight.

She tried to call on her vines to halt them, but nothing came—the spark of her magic wasn’t there.

Shadows, vines, anything! Branches whipped her face, cut into her cheeks and tore at her hair.

Hel hissed and grunted, taking the brunt of it all, until they smacked into the ground. He released his hold on her and rolled onto his side, coughing and gasping, trying to suck in shallow breaths.

“Hel!” His wings, gods, his wings. White feathers slowly fluttered from the trees and landed around them. The left one was broken in two places, half covered in black soot. The right side’s feathers were smeared with blood. He cradled his right shoulder and repeated “fuck” at least ten times.

Horrified, she knelt helpless beside him. “Can you tuck your wings away?”

The sound of the swarm grew louder. The stomping of that giant creature shook the ground. The howling of the hounds echoed all around them.

“No,” he wheezed. “They’re not— fuck —I can’t.”

Tears burned. “We have to go. Take my hand.”

Reaching out with his left, she pulled and draped his arm around her shoulder. He outweighed her by about a hundred pounds with those wings, and she felt the pressure of it too. “We’re almost to the door. We can make it.”

Carrying the brunt of his weight slowed them down. The ground rumbled beneath their feet. The black muck and protruding roots slowed them even more. Her heart slammed in her chest, booming in her ears. They’re going to catch us, she thought. “Faster, Hel.”

“I’m trying, love.”

She glanced back and clenched her teeth. Red eyes were all around and gaining. “They’re almost to us. I’ll have to fight them off.” But she spotted light from the door through the forest of dark trees ahead.

“No, we’re almost there. Keep going,” Hel said, and seemed to regain some strength just seeing it.

The buzzing was above them now. She looked up, the bats dove like arrows, straight for them. “ Shit .” The door was only a few feet in front away. “We can’t let them out.”

“Fuck that, if they get out, they get out.” He took his arm from around her, wrapped his hand around the door handle and twisted.

She was right behind him, ready to push through the door—pain, searing, shocking pain through her center. A scream ripped from her throat. Hard metal stuck out from the center of her torso. No no no no no no.

“I hope you die and forget him again.” Varlett’s cold voice sent a chill down her back.

The sword was jerked free, and Valeen stumbled against the doorframe.

Blood poured down her torso, warm and wet.

No, she isn’t going to get away with that.

With a scream of rage, Valeen whirled and slashed her blade across Varlett’s face, slicing open a wound across her eyes.

From temple to temple a gaping gash opened up and streaks of blood ran down her face.

Varlett reared back, grabbing her wound as she started screaming, screaming so loud it rang in Valeen’s ears.

“She took my eyes! I can’t see! I can’t see! ”

“And you never will again.” The world around her seemed to sway and the blood pouring down her body was colder now.

Her feet slipped from beneath her and she fell back into Hel’s arms. He was saying something, but she couldn’t get words out of it.

It was like she was under the surface of water where everything was muted.

Light burst across her vision, so bright she couldn’t see.

The heaviness of the underrealm vanished.

Things came into focus. Sunlight filtered through the branches of the trees.

The stone circle was close enough she could touch it.

In the bright azure sky, a white puffy cloud shaped like a rabbit floated by. It was quiet. So quiet it was peaceful.

Was someone calling her name?

He sounded far away…

Hands gripped her face, and he was suddenly above her, as welcome as the sunrise. “Look at me, love.” His voice was clear now. He was terrified and that confused her. Hel wasn’t afraid of anything. “I’m so sorry. It should have been me. Hold on, alright? Hold on.”

Everything seemed to rush in at once. The agonizing pain was fire consuming her flesh.

The loss of blood made her cold body shake.

The last words Varlett said... Nausea rose up in her throat.

“Don’t let me forget you,” she cried, reaching for her bloody stomach.

“I don’t want to leave you, please. I can’t leave you again. ”

Hel pushed her hands away from the wound. “I won’t let you die. You’re not going to die,” he said it like a command.

She reached up and touched his beautiful face, ran her fingertips over the scar on his brow, memorizing it. How could she ever forget someone she loved so much? It was cruel, after everything they’d been through. After how hard they fought, Varlett was going to be the one to tear them apart again.

The tremors intensified. “Hel, I want you to know, I always loved you. Even after?—”

“Stop it. You’re not going to die.” He sounded agitated.

“I never stopped loving you. I will always love you.”

He grabbed her face in both hands and pressed his forehead to hers. “My magic is coming back. You’re going to be fine. You have to hold on. You will hold on. I forbid you to let go.”

Her mouth started to fill with blood. “Alright,” she whispered and felt warm liquid trickle out of the corner of her mouth. The sun warmed her face, and she thought of Katana. Katana was here. She couldn’t leave her again.

Thick black boots, then long dark hair came into view. Thane stood over her and dropped to his knee, taking one of her hands. “Val, hold on. You’ll be alright.”

The pain was searing, and her body shook from it. She gripped him so hard it was a wonder his bones didn’t snap. “It hurts, Thane.”

“Why aren’t you healing her?” he snapped.

“I’m trying,” Hel hissed.

In through the nose, out through the mouth, Hel chanted in her mind.

Breathe, love. I’m here with you. You’re going to be fine.

Warmth trickled through her veins, chasing the iciness away.

Pieces of black hair stuck to Hel’s forehead, his brows were puckered, and his mouth pinched in concentration, and even when he was furious and scared, he was lovely.

How could someone be so beautiful it hurt?

The edges of her vision started to fade. No, no, I can’t forget him, she thought. Hel is your husband, your mate. Hel is your husband, your mate … she chanted it over and over until everything went black.