A scream split the air. She did not know if it was Dominic’s or hers as she dove beneath the pillars, inches away from crushing her. Stone tore at her clothes, rubbing her skin raw as she skidded to the other side. A thunderousboomresounded behind her, followed by a shrill screech that died as soon as it began.
Adara ran and did not look back at the pillars that struck the ground. She didn’t look back at the serpent’s head smashed beneath their bulk, at the ground crumbling beneath her feet from the force of the blow, or at the cavern that shook and shifted and began to perish.
She continued running until her feet hit the ledge. As the floor started to collapse beneath her, she leaped into the open air.
Time stilled as she hung above a chasm, a void of darkness that wanted to devour her whole. Death waited with open arms, but life was a risk she had to take.
Her arms flailed, desperate for purchase as she neared the other side. She held her breath as she fell, arms reaching out.
Her fingertips grazed the branch that overhung the cliff. Her grip met air. Adara opened her mouth in a silent scream as she fell.
Pain barked through her fingers, nails cracking beneath her weight as she slammed into the side of the stone, grappling for leverage under the drifting sand and drizzling rain. Her shoulder screamed in agony as she hauled herself up, muscles shaking with the effort it took to pull her body up and over the edge.
Her entire body trembled with adrenaline, with fear, with exertion. She wanted nothing more than to collapse onto the ground.
But Adara forced herself to her feet and took off in a sprint as another one of Dominic’s screams rent the night.
Chapter 39
WhenDominicwoke,thesky was painted the dim orange and pink of twilight. A crescent moon hung low in the sky, the first glimpse of its white, luminous glow shining through the darkness Shit, had it already been all day?
Dominic blinked, the action causing pain to shoot through his left eye, which viewed the world in a slitted blur, swollen shut from a brutal beating that never ended. It was no doubt black and blue, like the rest of his body must be beneath his tattered clothing. He closed his eyes once more, head hanging in defeat.
The whole first day of the allotted time he’d given them had gone by.
Adara hadn’t come for him.
But that was exactly what Dominic had planned, wasn’t it? To be so ruthless and impassive toward her that she wouldn’t hesitate to leave him here. All so she wouldn’t follow, so she wouldn’t see him weak.
Dominic painfully peeled his eyes open, his black eye straining with the effort, sending another wave of agony through his head. With great effort, he lifted his chin. Nausea sluiced through him—from pain or his dwindling powers, Dominic didn’t know. He despised it all the same. But the agony of lifting his head was worth it when he saw a shadow moving along the horizon.
He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her undying loyalty, but he had never been more grateful to see the slight disturbance in the sand as Adara silently sprinted through the desert. The corners of his mouth kicked up, something snapping back to life inside him.
Pulling against his restraints, Dominic groaned loudly. His wrist bled with the effort of twisting and yanking against the rough ropes. Warm trails of blood slid down his arms and drip, drip, dripped to the ground. He groaned again, exaggerating every noise of pain. Dominic almost laughed at how simple it was to draw his father’s gaze, giving Adara an easier path without being seen. He prayed she could make it past the creatures still circling them.
His father strode over to him with an arrogant swagger. “Finally awake for more?”
Dominic laughed bitterly, but said nothing. His father’s fist swung through the air, delivering a strong blow to his jaw. The pain lanced deeply through his bones. His head snapped to the side. A coppery tang filled Dominic’s mouth. He spat out blood. His father stepped back, frowning in disdain.
“Why don’t you kill me and get it over with?” Dominic asked breathlessly. It felt like every single one of his bones was on the verge of cracking, his muscles tearing apart, his skin peeling away. His head throbbed so much he felt like it would explode. The magic that was trickling away, leaving his wounds open and bleeding, did nothing to help. His power clawed at his insides, clutching at him, begging him to keep it inside as Andreilia’s curse scrambled to reclaim its magic.
Dominic held on to that clawing, desperate power. It wanted him, and he wanted it. He would not let go so easily.
The edge of his father’s dagger gently lay against Dominic’s cheek. “Because,” he began, wrathful bloodlust filling his green eyes, “I want to draw this out. I want to make you scream.”
Dominic blanched. It was like looking in the mirror. He had inherited the same striking emerald eyes his father had, the same rage they held. His eyes squeezed shut before he could pick out all the other similarities he shared with his father.
“I want you tosufferjust as you made me suffer.” Spittle flew from his father’s mouth as he snarled.
The tip of the knife dug into Dominic’s cheek, slowly tearing his skin open.
Dominic let out a mirthless laugh that sounded more like a strangled choke through the excruciating pain that shot through him. He hardly felt the sting on his cheek compared to whatever was happening inside him as his magic fought. “Then you’re going to have to try a little harder.” He reveled in the fury in the ghost of his father’s eyes. Perhaps Dominic’s humanity had drained away after all, his magic following as a punishment for his callous soul.
His father bared his teeth and raised the dagger, its blade glistening with blood, poised to stab into Dominic’s gut.
The sound of metal singing as weapons were pulled from scabbards echoed across the desert. His father whirled at thesound of the monsters raising their weapons to find streaks of silver shining through the night. The creatures started falling, one by one, knives protruding from their throats.
“This isn’t over,” his father growled in his face before running toward his gathered army, shouting orders and unsheathing a sword.
