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I run to where his body slumps to the ground, every inch of me shattering. “No. Please, no.” He’s on his side, and I help him onto his back. He clutches the wound gushing with blood. “Gods, Corvin,” I cry, tears already blurring my vision.

“Your turn, bitch,” the Gamemaster snaps, his foot kicking into my side, shoving me onto the ground. I groan, fury surging through me, and I yell out toward my dragonfly, “Kill the Gamemaster. I want him dead.”

In that moment, she swells, her wings stretching until she casts a shadow over the clearing. Flames lick at the edge of her wings, releasing sparks into the air.

And everyone stops to stare.

Her mouth gapes open, and a blaring roar follows. Then she moves with swiftness despite her size.

The bat swings toward her, but with one snap of her jaw, she eats the damn thing in a single bite.

My eyes bulge as the Gamemaster shrieks. He grabs at his chest over his heart, terror twisting his expression. The skin over his chest turns gray and decayed as he drops to his knees, wailing. “What have you done?”

But I’m crawling back to Corvin, my heart broken as he gasps for air, blood sliding out from the corner of his mouth. I place my hand on the wound to help stop the bleeding.

“You’re going to be all right,” I say. “Don’t even think of leaving, understand?”

He just stares at me, slowly blinking, the color draining from his face.

In that same heartbeat, the dragonfly rushes down from the sky, wings tight at her sides, and swoops outward at the last moment, biting down on the Gamemaster’s head and ripping it completely off his neck.

Blood splatters across the wall of the cabin, then his body drops forward.

I flinch, bile hitting the back of my throat, and my dragonfly rushes over to where Kazak and Lian are, taking out the Gamemaster’s men just as quickly. They’re yelling and running in every direction, while my men hurry back toward us.

“Corvin’s been stabbed,” I cry out, my breath catching in my lungs. His clothes are stained with blood, cuts across his arms and chest, and his hair is a mess.

“I-I’m fine,” he whispers so softly that I barely hear him.

I cup his cheek as the fire in his eyes fades. “Stay with me. We’ll get help.” Fear sinks through me as I can’t look away.

Kazak and Lian fall to their knees on either side of him, and I’m crying.

“Dramatic all the time,” Lian jokes, but even his voice betrays him, as it’s broken, and his face crumples. Kazak inspects the wound, grunting, and not in a good way.

“It’s deep, fuck!”

“We need to get him to the city,” I say.

Kazak’s shaking his head when Lian reaches over, grabbing my shoulder. “Dawn, you can fix him. Remember us in the heated pool? Fuck, it just occurred to me, but if you hurry, maybe having sex with him will heal him.”

I don’t even know how to respond to that when the last thing on my mind right now is being aroused. My heart is shattered, insides burning.

“Dawn, Corvin doesn’t have long. If there’s a chance…”

Corvin coughs more blood. “Do it,” he mouths.

“You heard the man,” Lian says. “Let’s save my brother.”

My world spins as I glance around. “Hell, we’re surrounded by corpses. How am I supposed to do this? What if he’s not… ready?”

Lian leans in closer. “Trust me, even on his deathbed, a few dirty whispers will get him hard. As the saying goes, ‘Save a life, ride a monster.’ ” He winks and gets onto his feet, but I’m certain that’s not the saying. “Kazak, help me move some of these bodies.”

They both spring to their feet despite their own injuries, and I glance up at my dragonfly circling us. “Return.” She zips down instantly, her size deflating just as fast, and then she’s on my chest. I couldn’t have her watching, either.

Corvin’s hand grabs my wrist. His grip is weak against me, and I lower my gaze to him. “I love you.”

“Gods, Corvin, I love you so much, but you can’t leave me.”