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Wynvail groaned, propping himself up so he wasn't prone and vulnerable on the floor. "Well, someone better hug her first, or I'll do the job myself."
"I'm fine," I snarled, baring my teeth, my wings trembling behind me. But when Emlyn swept me into a bear hug, my whole body buckled. "I'm fine," I sobbed, resting my head on his chest, the strong thump of his heart as much a reassurance as the hug. A tear squeezed out of my closed eyes but I pretended not to notice. "Really."
Em didn't even argue, my claims so obviously a lie. He just wrapped me up in him and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. "He's alive."
I swallowed, my throat burning, eyes stinging.
"Harvey!" Kai shouted, starling Em and I apart.
"No,"I breathed, jerking forward when Harvey slumped, Kai catching him before his head could slam into the hard stone floor.
Arms shaking, I pulled him close, protectiveness mixing with panic and grief.
"He gave too much," Kai spat accusatively at Wynvail.
"He was mostly dead, Kai," Emlyn sighed, scanning Harvey’s body for hidden injuries and finding none. "He had no control over Harvey's actions; you can't blame him."
"But you can blameme,"I said in a small voice, my breathing sharp knives in my chest. "I begged him to help."
Kai softened instantly, a rough breath leaving his chest. "It's not your fault, my rose. He's been running on practically empty since we entered the damn Labyrinth. This is allCronus'sfault."
As if the bastard himself was listening, enjoying watching us suffer, a thunderous roar made us all jump—the nerve-shredding grating a new passage opening in the maze.
I didn't want to fight another mythical beast. Didn't want to endure a new harrowing trial. I just wanted to go home.
But no way would he let us just walk out of this place. So I scrubbed my face dry and straightened my spine. I'd fight my way out. Fuck Cronus.
21
"Go fuck yourself!" Kai screamed at the sky, which was probably not helpful, but I agreed with the sentiment wholeheartedly.
"With a cactus," Wynvail added, wheezing as he pushed to his feet, concerned silver eyes on his brother. "I'll carry him."
"Likefuckyou will," Kai exploded, throwing himself at Wynvail, hands raised to strangle him.
"Kai," I sighed, exhausted as I rose unsteadily, clutching Harvey to me. Fuck, he was heavier than I remembered, allsleek muscle and feral brawn. Or maybe it was all the luscious hair. "Please."
"I hope you know," Kai said to Wynvail in a soft, deadly voice, edging uncomfortably close to him, "the only reason you're still alive is because my rose wants it that way. The second she changes her mind—"
"Which she won't—" Wynvail argued coolly, looking so alive, sohealthy,that my face nearly crumpled again.
"—you're dead."
"Can we focus on the maze?" Emlyn rumbled, lifting Harvey into his arms and peering worriedly into his slack face.
I needed my mate bonds back now more than ever, but they were still only whispers and broken strands. What good was I if I couldn’t comfort them with the bond? How would they know they were loved and safe with me and I’d eviscerate any threat to their lives?
"What are the chances of us winning another fight?" I asked in a raw voice, turning in the direction of the grating rumble of stone—at the far end of the second chamber. The hippocampi were both gone despite the maze being completely sealed. Did they vanish into the water itself?
"With you and those knives?" Wynvail replied, as if I'd been speaking to him. "We’ll win."
"What happened?" Emlyn asked, facing me, a knot between his dark brows. We all ignored the shifting maze; fuck Cronus trying to shepherd us to a new task. "How did they glow?"
I shook my head, clueless. "I tried to stab the hippocampus in its eyes, but I slammed into a magic wall and suddenly my knives were glowing red."
"The same colour your curse marks glow," Em pointed out, his eyes distant.
A slow touch ran down my spine and over my knife sheaths, making me shudder. I turned to face Kai, and saw exactly what he wanted to say but wouldn't with Wynvail listening. This was because of the prophecy marked down my back. Whatever great and terrible future I had involved my glowing curse marks and, somehow, my daggers.
