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“Cian, so help me—” They suddenly jerked, eyes going wide and unfocused.
A black arm of shadow shot through Hellion’s stomach as if their armor wasn’t even there.
No.
A second needle of shadow pierced their arm, and another went through their leg.
No!
Another tendril of shadow wrapped around Hellion’s ankle and jerked their feet out from under them, trying to drag them away.
I charged without a second thought and sliced through the tendrils that held them. Black blades jabbed at my skin, but bounced off when they found I’d turned it to stone. With a roar that shook the mountains, I spread my wings and threw myself through the wall of shadow, shattering it like glass. Blind fury took root as I beheld the three shadow weavers who had dared to lay a hand on what wasmine.
The first was so engrossed in his spell, he didn’t even notice me until I put my blade through his chest. He jerked, eyes widening. Shadow snapped back to his body and then died with him as I pulled Phantasm free.
The next was just a few paces away. She turned just as I came close and sent more shadows whipping at me with a snarl. I sliced through them and took her head in the same move. It toppled to the ground at her feet.
The third leveled a hail of black needles at me. I spread my stone wings and leapt into the sky, coming down and slicing him in half from jaw to balls. Crimson blood sprayed out as I pulled Phantasm free.
As soon as the weavers were dead, I ran back to Hellion, lifting them out of the dirt. There was blood everywhere. It was my fault. If I hadn’t distracted them…
No, don’t think that. Prioritize. Help first, worry later. I shook my head and stood, gathering them in my arms.
“Cian,” they managed, clinging weakly to me.
“Don’t you die on me, Hellion. Don’t you fucking die!”
Enemy arrows rained down. The dragon roared and circled above, and the retreat horn blared, but I was already in the air, flying back to the camp as fast as my wings could take me.
Iwincedandturnedaway as the surgeon pressed his fingers over the healing hole in my gut. The skin had sealed over thanks to the work of the healers, but it was still incredibly tender.
A growl rumbled out of Cian’s throat. “Careful.”
“I’m only checking the healing progress,” the surgeon grumbled.
His prodding hurt, but it hurt worse knowing we might’ve held Slayne’s Pass if I could’ve stayed on my feet. Instead, I had let my emotions rule. I’d gotten distracted, and it nearly cost us everything.
The surgeon shifted his glasses and leaned back. He steepled his eight-fingered hands, long snout twitching. “How’s your sleep been?”
I frowned. “I’m out here to fight a war, not to sleep.”
He bobbed his head. “You can’t heal if you don’t sleep, and sleepless nights bring their own sets of problems, too. You can get dressed.”
I turned my back to him and carefully pulled on my tunic. I disliked being undressed in the company of most Nightmares. They liked to stare, and injured as I was, Cian was being ridiculously overprotective. He had insisted that he be present every time they came to look at me. Dealing with him the last few days had been the worst nightmare. All his fussing over me, his endless apologies. Normally, I’d fuck him to shut him up, and we’d move past it, but I wasn’t in any shape to fuck anyone, and that just left me irritable. Surly, horny, and injured was a dangerous combination.
“Any numbness or weakness in the extremities?” The surgeon brought out his pen and pad of paper, jotting down notes.
“No,” I replied shortly, glaring at the tent wall.
“They were complaining of soreness in their side last night,” Cian interjected.
My lips twitched back in a snarl. “Because I aminjured,and you can’t keep your big, stupid wings on your side of the bed!”
The surgeon looked up from his notes, peering at me over his glasses. “Perhaps separate beds would be prudent until you’re fully healed.”
“How about I separate your head from your shoulders instead?”
Cian sighed and put an arm out to hold me back.
