The blade in his heart shifted when he staggered toward Niall, who was carving his way through what remained of the rebellion. He was almost to Cole and extending a hand toward him when a craz crashed onto Niall’s back and dragged him from his horse.
Niall and the craz vanished as they rolled across the ground, with Niall battling the craz as they rolled over a hill. Cole released the dagger as he stretched a hand over his back for his sword.
A scream rushed up his throat and clogged there as the movement sent a wave of blackness across his eyes. Straining against passing out, Cole pulled his sword free.`
He panted for air as sweat ran down his forehead and into his eyes. He didn’t dare try to wipe it away; he’d probably pass out if he did.
Cole stepped toward where Niall vanished before his legs gave out, and he went to his knees. His sword fell at his side as he remained kneeling with his head bowed as he tried to draw air into his brutalized lungs.
With thick, fumbling fingers, he clawed at the handle of the blade in his chest as the blood seeping around it soaked his chest and dripped onto the ground. He no longer cared if removing it would cause him to bleed more; he couldn’t have the thing poking and digging into him every time he moved.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get it out. Giving up on trying to remove it, he lifted his head and gazed at the spreading fire as it leapt higher. Fae and horses fled from the slaughter of the craz as more of the birds dove from the sky.
Lexi. I have to get back to her.
He dug his fingers into the ground as he pushed himself to his feet. He couldn’t die out here on this field and leave her behind, not after what happened with the Lord and Malakai.
They would tear her apart.
The possibility of that happening propelled him forward a couple of steps toward the closest horse. Grasping the reins and the pommel, he tried to pull himself onto the saddle, but the blade in his heart made climbing onto the horse difficult.
He released the reins. Teeth clenched, he smashed his fist onto the hilt of the sword again and again.
He grunted, and blood sprayed from his mouth as the blade pierced out his back, and he buried it to the hilt in his chest. Clinging to the saddle, he swayed as he tried not to pass out.
Sweat dripped off his face, his vision blurred, and the horse leaned to the side as he slumped against it. But he didn’t pass out, and once he could see clearly again, he could move better now that only the hilt of the sword protruded from him.
Better able to maneuver, he grasped the reins and started to pull himself up when a craz hit the side of the horse. The animal screamed and lurched forward as the craz snapped at it. Rearing, the horse spun and hit Cole.
Flung back by the blow, Cole hit the ground and crashed into a couple of bodies before coming to a halt. The impact knocked the air from him.
He labored to inhale oxygen into his already brutalized lungs as his mind spun and weakness crept through his muscles. His fingers had gone numb, and he couldn’t feel his feet, but it wasn’t enough to keep him down.
His fingers sank into the blood-drenched earth as he pushed himself to his knees. The thud of something hitting the ground drew his attention as a craz landed three feet away from him.
The creature released a screeching bellow that sounded like a cross between a lion and an irate hawk. As it charged toward him, Cole reached for his sword again. It didn’t matter if he could breathe or not; he’d carve this thing to pieces.
It opened its mouth to reveal its flesh-rending teeth as it raced toward him on its two, stork-like legs. He managed to pull the sword free and rise as he braced himself for the impact of the nearly two-hundred-pound creature.
It was nearly to him when it released another screech that could shatter glass. And then, it began to dissolve even as it tried to take flight again.
Its skin sloughed off the side of its face, falling to the ground in a puddle that bubbled as it dissolved. Its wings flapped like a butterfly with broken wings, and it didn’t get an inch off the ground before collapsing.
From behind it, a large gray horse came into view as it raced toward him. What remained of his heart lurched when he spotted the red flowing around the horse’s neck. He couldn’t see her face behind the horse’s head, but he’d recognize that shade of red anywhere.
Lexi.
Chapter Nine
Cole openedhis mouth to tell her to leave, but she was already dismounting and running toward him. As she did, another craz landed and ran at her. She spun and threw a vial at it. When the contents exploded over the creature, its skin started to boil before peeling away.
Her long hair, having worked its way free of its braid, whipped around her face as the spreading fire ate the land with deafening intensity. As the dark fae scrambled to escape the battle and the craz, there was no one left to put out the fire. And he certainly wasn’t in any condition to do it.
The light of the flames playing over Lexi’s face emphasized not only her beauty but also the steely determination etched onto her features.
“Get out of here,” he hissed when she arrived at his side. It was difficult to get words out when he could still barely get air into his lungs, and every movement caused the sword to dig deeper into his heart.
“Not without you.”
