“She’s with me,” Antal said. Hard.
“Obviously,” Tyvo returned. “I’m surprised, Antal. Bringing a gift? Perhaps you aren’t as clueless as I took you for.” He twisted Fi’s arm, exposing skin. “Some fine muscle on her.”
Fi was an idiot to come here. She fought to keep her breath steady, even as Tyvo’s proximity trickled cold down her vertebrae. A hot stab of adrenaline at his horrific proposition. She’d volunteered for this reckless venture, but would that stop Antal from using her for his benefit? Just another daeyari, trading human lives like currency.
“She isn’t food,” Antal said. Harder.
“No?”
Tyvo’s nostrils flared at the scent of her.Hesmelled of forest musk, old bones moldering in loam. And ice. Always ice and emptiness.
Fi yanked her arm like a flailing hare. He didn’t budge. Fast and strong, how absurdly unfair. Energy prickled her fingertips, but what good would it do against an immortal? Daeyari were too swift for a human to fight. To invulnerable.
“She’s not willing.” Antal pressed closer.
“Isn’t she?” Tyvo pinned Fi with ravenous eyes. “What do you say about that?”
She spit in his face.
Tyvo’s lips curled a snarl. “Spirited. No matter. No one notices if a few slip through the cracks, do they?”
A black tongue traced his teeth, too long, summoning bile in Fi’s throat. Antal’s presence prickled her skin, a lurch in her stomach urging her to stay on guard. Tyvo was a different beast. The hunger in his eyes shocked her system like an aurorabeast prod.
“Release her.” Antal flexed his claws.
Why would he care?
“How about a deal?” Tyvo offered. “Leave her. And I’ll letyouwalk away.”
Fi swallowed, claws tugging the tender skin of her neck. An easy trade. What could Antal gain by standing up for her, when he’d be better off—
Static struck her tongue. A flash of claws.
Fi fell against snow as Antal tackled Tyvo. The daeyari snarled. Rolled. Another snap fizzled her tongue as they blinked apart, facing off. Tyvo discarded civility like a cloak out of fashion, eyes the lethal gleam of a predator defending his territory.
Antal reached for Fi.
Why?He could be gone already. He could leave her and never look back.
Before they grasped hands, Tyvo lunged. He dragged Antal to the ground in a flurry of snow and thrashing tails. Daeyari dressed in finery. They connived like humans and spoke in civil measure. They fought like wildcats, a blur of snarling and scratching, red energy rippling at clawtips. Tyvo held the upper hand in size.
But Antal wasn’t useless.
Without the disadvantage of Verne’s magic or an outnumbered fight, he slashed claws across Tyvo’s chest, rending fabric and spattering black blood across the snow. He coiled around his larger opponent, tail snaring Tyvo’s arm, legs braced to leverage every cord of lithe muscle, pinning the rival daeyari to the ground. Maybe hehadtriumphed over Verne once.
Tyvo threw his head forward, driving antlers into Antal’s face.
The wicked points skewered Antal’s cheek and ripped upward, gouging one eye in a mess of blood and punctured sclera. Antal recoiled. Tyvo grabbed the younger daeyari by the antlers and held him down.
His teeth sank into Antal’s throat.
Antal let out the heinous snarl of a skewered cat. A raccoon in the throes of death. Tyvo’s fangs ripped into Antal’s neck, red energy crackling along rent sinew. As Fi pushed to her feet,Antal dug claws into Tyvo’s ribs. As she fumbled for balance, Antal kicked snow, tail flailing.
Tyvo bitdeeper. Red energy snapped the air, sizzling against cold as Antal clawed. Then slowed. Then slumped, hands falling weak against the cage of Tyvo’s arms.
Realization sliced sharp in Fi’s chest. This wasn’t like Verne’s intimidation game.
Tyvo intended to kill him.
