I attempted to go to him, only my legs had other plans, collapsing beneath me.
“What have you done?” Alaric struggled back to his feet from where he’d fallen. He stumbled to the pile of ash that was once the general and withdrew the demonic king’s smoking sword.
“Shift and face me, coward,” he roared at Thorne, the center of his chest pulsing with his alpha flame.
A flash of blue lightning crackled over my wounded dragon’s prone form. Thorne’s broken body rested on the ground. He struggled to regain his feet.
“It’s over, Alaric. Let her go.” Hand pressed to the bleeding wound in his flank, he staggered toward his brother.
“It’s not over,” Alaric spat. “With half of our bargain unfulfilled, The Dark One will come for me.”
“Then you had better leave now,” Thorne spat, shoulders heaving. “Run and never return.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Spit slung from Alaric’s bared teeth. “To be rid of me while you and your mate ride off to rut in the family hoard. I’ll leave, alright.” His face set into maniacal lines. “Once I’m certain that you will be as miserable as you’ve made me.”
He locked me in his determined gaze. My death, a dark gleam in his glassy eyes. Sword raised, he charged.
Thorne’s roar pierced my ears as I braced for the killing blow. Alaric was too close. My magic depleted. I may havesurvived The Dark One, but it was the fallen king who would bring about my end.
Shadows darted. Bodies collided.
Grunting then—
Quiet.
I blinked my eyes to clear them. Resting beside me were the two brothers. Thorne on his back, Alaric on top of him.
“Thorne!” I shouted, heart in my throat.
I clawed at Alaric’s shoulders, hammering him with my fists. “Get off of him!”
I called on my magic and found a vast wasteland inside of me. Just as I prepared to kick the bastard, Alaric lurched to his feet. The flash of triumph on his face chilled me to the bone. He stumbled away, allowing me my first glimpse of Thorne.
Planted deep in the center of my mate’s chest was the sword Alaric intended for me.
“No,” I choked on a sob, scrambling to Thorne’s side. “No.” I clasped his face. Ice slid through my veins at the vacant gleam in his eyes. Blood coughed from his lips. His chest rose in one great inhale, then froze.
Alaric’s laughter was razors raking down my spine. I swiveled my head and screeched at him, “What have you done? How could you do this to your own brother?”
“My only regret is that it wasn’t you,” the traitor spat. “His suffering should have been unbearable and everlasting. Neither of you deserves happiness, not after…”
Shadows shifted, a dark presence slithering through the air. The ground trembled beneath us, and Alaric tensed, his eyes flaring wide with terror. “No. It can’t be. Not yet. It’s too—”
Scrabbling hands erupted from the earth. They clamped around his ankles. Down he sank into the churning soil. Daggered claws ripped at his flesh, slicing ribbons into his legs, stabbing deep.
“No! Release me! I command you!” Alaric bellowed. Hisdragonflame flared in preparation to shift, but it was too late. The Dark One had come to collect.
“Serafina,” the murderer screamed. “Help me. I beg you. Have mercy.”
I cradled Thorne in my arms and bared my teeth at the bastard who’d taken the man I love from me. “Take any form you desire, Alaric, but you will always be a beast.”
“No!” he screeched as the ground beneath him stirred. It sucked him under until at last his head disappeared under the soil.
And King Alaric Blackwing of Pyrrhus was no more.
With the threat gone, I knelt over my fallen mate and carefully withdrew the sword that pierced his heart. “Stay with me, my love. Please.”
I set my hands over the bloody wound and reached for the well at my center, calling on my power. Only it didn’t answer.No. It had to work. I wouldn’t lose him. Again, I delved inside myself. And discovered nothing. Not a drop of energy remained.
