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Gadreel has my wife.
I see red. I’m no longer a man, but a beast intent on eliminating the enemy. I dive for him, talons ready to dig into flesh, and rip. I’ll rip each limb off if I have to. Gadreel sees me diving for him at the last minute and hisses. He moves, but not enough, and my talons dig into the side of his head, just shy of his good eye.
Gadreel roars, jerking his giant body off the ground. In the process, he opens his palm, and a limp body falls from his grasp. I catch a glimpse of auburn hair. “Rose!” I roar. She’s falling to the ground faster than I can get to her. The drop will break her body if Gadreel hasn’t already.
I pump my wings faster, willing myself to get to her. But I’m too far away. Too much distance between us.
Just when I think I’m about to fail my wife and watch her die, a dragon swoops in just in time, catching Rose on her back. I hear the breath leave her lungs, and a small groan of pain. The small sound fills me with palpable relief.
Vivia drops to the ground, and I follow suit. I shift the moment my feet touch the ground and sprint the remaining distance. “Rose!” I’m only capable of saying her name. Nothing else. She has to be okay. She must. There’s no other alternative.
Rose lifts her head from Vivia’s back. Eyes puffy with dark circles underneath. She stares at me as if I were a ghost. I take advantage of her shock to look over her body for any obvious signs of injuries. There’s a bruise forming on her cheek and she winces when she tries to put weight on her left side, but otherwise she appears fine.
“Malix?” She sounds so unsure, and my heart fucking breaks for her. I hate that she’s been going through all of this without me.
“I’m here, little dragon,” I assure her, but I know we aren’t out of danger yet. Not even close. Gadreel laughs behind me, and I know my time is up.
“Vivia, stay with Rose. Don’t leave her side!” I order and my second nods. I give Rose one last lingering look. I want to hold her, to reassure her that I’m fine and that I’ll keep her safe. But to keep her safe, I have to make sure Gadreel doesn’t fully enter Dragon’s Keep.
“Go,” Rose says, as if sensing my spiraling thoughts. “I’ll work on the wards.” She doesn’t look to be in any physical condition to give more of herself to Dragon’s Keep, but we have no other options.
So, I unleash my dragon once again.
I love you. The words are on the tip of my tongue, begging to be unleashed before I leave Rose. She needs to know. Needs to know that in the few short weeks she has stormed into my life and changed its entire foundation. I can never go back to how things were.
Rose smiles at me like she knows my thoughts, which she probably does through the bond, and it’s so damn good to see her smile. “Go,” she whispers again, giving me the final kick I need and take to the air. I spare one last glance behind me to make sure she’s okay, before bringing my attention back to Gadreel.
The Nephilim king smiles. “Your father was a lot stronger than you, Dragon King. You’ll be reacquainted with him in no time.” Seemingly out of nowhere, Gadreel pulls out a deadly axe, probably weighing more than the average mortal.
Dragon’s Keep didn’t fall then, and it won’t fall now. I have too much to live for. More memories I plan on making with my wife.
Like mirror images of one another, we lunge. Metal against fire. Dragon against Nephilim. Evenly matched in all the ways that count.
Gadreel’s axe flies through the sky, missing me by mere centimeters. His miss provides me the opening I need, and I lunge for his neck. Gadreel isn't an easy appointment though and my teeth snap in midair as he dodges my attack.
We continue this dance, two kings battling for land. I tire more quickly than normal since I’m still overcoming the lingering effects of the curse. My fatigue doesn’t matter though. Gadreel simply needs to be distracted so Rose can work without delay.
She’s who Dragon’s Keep needs right now.
Their queen.
Chapter 37
Rose
“Don’t look behind you. Focus, My Queen,” Vivia says for the umpteenth time, which is easier said than done.
“If your spouse was fighting the biggest Nephilim after waking up from a curse, I think you’d be interested as well,” I snap and immediately feel bad. I’m not upset with Vivia, she’s just unfortunate enough to be the recipient of my ire. Far too many emotions are rampant through my body. Fear, anger, confusion, and panic.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to snap at you.” Vivia has gone out of her way for me. Protecting me and coming to my rescue when I thought for sure my body would hit the ground. I’m running on pure adrenaline, ignoring the pain that will surely follow once it wears off.
“No apologies necessary. I understand the need to check on your mate and I don’t fault you for it. But now is your chance to help him.” Vivia’s hands rest on my shoulder, keeping me steady. “I will help as much as I can. You’ve opened the door for me; I feel the threads.”
Another burst of fire roars to life behind me, the heat dancing across my skin. I breathe in the smoky ash, coughing as it fills my lungs. My concentration is waning quickly, even as I force myself to reach for the ties and thread them back together. It’s a tedious process, especially with the extent of damage our wards have taken.
A battle rages behind me, my mate fights for not only my life, but the lives of the entire kingdom. Pain lashes through our bond and despite Vivia’s earlier warnings, I tear my focus away from the wards and frantically search the skies for Malix.
Except he’s not in the skies.
