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Resigned, I take Zyranth’s hand. If I’m going to die, I want to die with someone who cares about me. Dreadful anticipation fills me. He’s about to do it. I feel it growing hotter, the energy is peaking. The elf raises his hand, smiling evilly, and… suddenly a shadowy figure appears behind the elf. It raises a dark hand, silhouetted by the sunlight streaming in behind them, and brings it down on the elf’s back, once, twice, three times.
The elf gasps, magical energy slipping from its grasp and disappearing as it tumbles to the ground, a knife protruding from its back. Zyranth and I waste no time. Together, we sprint for the opening.
We tumble out into the light, gasping and blinking. The air has never tasted so sweet. We cherish the flavor of freedom for a brief moment but know in our hearts there’s a long way yet to go.
19
ZYRANTH
We can’t linger.
We have to go deeper into the wilderness than ever before. It’s the only way to keep Ariella safe from Lord Everan. My blood boils at the thought of him touching her, torturing her. But at least she seems intact, wild-eyed, and breathless.
When we’re safe, I’ll do a more thorough inspection.
Silently, I take the lead, refusing to allow Everan’s lackeys to pursue again. She is quieter than usual as we pick through the unforgiving underbrush. At one point, I have to hoist her onto my shoulders to avoid the cutting thorns. My scales can handle their long points but I fear what they would do to Ariella’s delicate skin.
Once we reach a flat boulder, I set her down, getting a magnificent view of the journey ahead of us.
Ariella pulls twigs from her hair. “How much further?”
My claws graze the supple flesh of her arm. I crave her. Every moment was agony without her beside me, but now I feel complete and calm, even as I have to ask a most distasteful question. “Did he hurt you?”
She glances away too soon.
I catch her wrist and drag her closer. “Did he hurt you, Ariella?”
It’s with hesitation that she nods.
A low snarl escapes me before I can suppress it, but she doesn’t seem shaken by it. Instead, she leans into me, chasing her hands up my hard frame. “Only a little, Zyranth. I’mfine. See?” She grabs my face with both hands, smiling up at me. “We’re together now. That’s all that matters.”
She’s right.
As much as I hate it, she’s right.
I catch her hand as if to kiss her palm, my teeth coming out instead to graze the fleshy part of her thumb. Her breath catches, and I want to explore this sensation a little longer, but Lord Everan could still find us here, so close to the manor. “We have to keep moving.”
She nods again, looking exhausted.
I consider her for a long moment before hoisting her up again, throwing her on my back between my heavy wings. She loops her arms around my shoulders and presses her mouth to the nape of my neck, sending a shiver of excitement through me. “Hold on.”
“I will,” comes her murmured response.
I brace myself, opening my wings to catch a heavy gust before bolting into the open space beyond. It’s our best chance at outrunning Lord Everan, and the brutality he had planned for Ariella. She lets out an exuberant shriek when we take flight, burying her face against my back. I can’t help but nip at the wind, grinning like an idiot.
I take us down quickly but gently, like a bolt aimed at the horizon. We manage a fair distance before the ground comes up on us, and I pedal hard, catching soil. I fold my wings as I flit between two trees, running to keep momentum. I want to keep going forever in the opposite direction of the manor, but something slows my progress.
It’s a scent.
At first, I think it’s one of Everan’s, but something is off about it. I was so worried about Ariella, I hadn’t noticed it before, and we’d made such good time. Is it possible they could have followed us?
It’s better to be safe…
I let her slide off my back, finding her footing among gentler foliage. “What’s wrong?”
How can I answer? Everything? Nothing?
I won’t know until the interloper shows themselves. I take another deep inhale, searching for that one scent, laced with the reeking overtones of dark elf. But underneath, I think I smell something- human.
