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From a few feet beside me, Draven let out a low growl of pain and fury. “Gawain.”
His hands were curled into fists by his side. He hadn’t even reached for his blade.
I closed my eyes, knowing what I might have to do.
And then the choices were removed from the table.
Gawain sprinted towards Draven like a feral beast, snapping and snarling, spit dribbling down a ravenous face that was no longer close to human.
Like a flash, Draven had moved, letting Gawain barrel past him.
But the man-turned-beast would not be put off. He was slower, more awkward, but nonetheless deadly.
We could not let him return to the camp like this. This... This was beyond any healer. I knew Draven knew it, too.
I turned to my sister. “Is there a cure?” I shouted towards her. “Give it to me, and I swear I will return with you.”
But she just smiled, her hands clasped in front of her pristine white gown, looking beautiful and innocent as if she hadn’t just murdered my mate’s best friend.
Swearing, I turned back to Draven.
Gawain was hurtling towards him again.
Draven glanced at me. Just once. It was enough. My heart tore apart at the look in his eyes.
He knew what he had to do.
I lifted my hands. I could use fire. But a blade would be quicker. Kinder.
Draven’s claws were out, I now saw. As Gawain ran towards him, Draven caught him by the shoulders, digging his claws in to hold his friend at a distance.
Gawain howled. A cold shiver went through me.
Our friend was gone. In his place was something worse than an animal. There was nothing in his eyes. Nothing but blind rage and hunger.
I watched as Draven released Gawain with one hand, holding him back with the other as Gawain spit and clawed, tearing at Draven’s clothes, narrowly missing his face.
There was a blade at Draven’s side. He slid it out slowly.
I refused to close my eyes, to look away. I stayed where I was, watching, witnessing.
Gawain let out another howl of rage as Draven’s claws dug further into his shoulder, holding him captive, holding him steady.
And then to my shock, a second howl joined the first, and I saw my mate’s lips were parted.
He howled with Gawain, a sound of grief and rage and torment like nothing I had ever heard.
Their voices joined in an incongruous harmony. A death song.
Then the blade slid home, hard and true.
An expression of pure shock came over Gawain’s face, and for a moment, just an instant, he looked almost human again.
I let out a gulping, heaving sob and ran forward as the big man slumped to his knees with Draven’s arms around him.
Gawain’s eyes were already vacant.
His lips parted, as if in shock, as his chest lifted and fell once, then twice, then one last time. And then he was gone.
