Page 78 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

At least the beast won’t be able to harm Max.

With a jerk, my ascent stops. Hanging in the air, blackness starts to bleed into my sight as I fight to stay conscious. No. If I lose unconscious, the beast wins.

Fighting against the pull, I’m flung low, the Fury tight to my back. Pain is gone as debris hits my face, the wind whipping past my nose.

Then, a blessed sight: Max in front of me, fingers raises, knuckles cracked, hair billowing behind her. Eyes bleeding, nose smeared, her she holds me captive in her gaze.

Gods, she is a rare sight. Fierce, bloodthirsty and terrifying.

This is the monster people have feared. She is the same as me and I can’t help but smile at the connection. Two brutal monsters and my only chance of surviving is in her hands.

I’d trust no one else.

Twitching, her fingers bend and jerk, pulling and flickering with purpose. It’s haunting how beautiful it is, how mesmerizing she looks. With a quick flick of her wrist, the Fury drops me and I crash into the cliff, knees cracking.

The Fury caws, but it’s choked, broken. Glancing up, my bleary eyes take in the beast floating midair, wings outstretched. Her beady, hard eyes are focused on Max with a hatred not born of this world.

To the Fury, Max is the most vile thing to ever grace her domain.

I think she looks like a fucking goddess, come to rage.

Expertly, her fingers whirl and the blood runs freely down her cheeks, staining her flesh a bright pink. The Fury struggles against the pull of Max’s magic, but it’s too much—Maxis too much.

She screams, kicks, but Max doesn’t relent. Blood drips off her chin, as the creature fights. Her wings flutter and she caws once more before a harsh pop echoes around the cliff.

The grinding of bones and soft tissue follows and she gurgles, as a dying breath escapes her mouth. Without thought, Max lowers her hands, swaying as the Fury falls into the canyon without another sound.

The last thing I see is Max’s concerned, blood-soaked face hovering over mine, before the darkness claims me.

Chapter 28

Max

“Kaden!” I shout, rushing to his side.

He’s not moving.

Shit, shit, shit.

Cradling his head into my lap, I take in the bruise on his forehead and the shredded skin of his back. Blood drips into the dry dirt, caking around us and I brush back his hair from his spilt lip.

Every inch of him is cut or sliced.

Because he fought forme.

The arrogant asshole. He risked his life for mine.Again.

If he hadn’t kissed me, I would be suspicious of his true intentions, but it seems clear why he stays. Why he fights. Why he irritates me. Maybe he does like me?

Later, Max. Right now he needs help.

How inSeti’s Hellam I supposed to move him?

The Dark Fae is large and heavy, from years of training. But he needs to be mended. I can’t drag him down the cliff and I don’t trust leaving him here. What if the Fury wasn’t alone?

Panic wells as I shake the heir, willing him to open his eyes.

“Wake up, heir.” I slap his cheek lightly. “If you do, I’ll tell you all about my first night with the bard.” I’m bluffing but considering howjealous he was at knowing the bard and I had been together, it was worth a shot. “All the gory details. More than you could ever imagine.”