How dare she harm him?
A red haze fell over me, the familiar veil dimming the world around me until all that remained was the pulse of violence and an awareness of Taron as he shifted his weight, adjusted and moved with me as though we were one, once again fighting Nyla from my back.
The savagery escalated.
“I’m gonna enjoy sitting on your throne, Olyssa,” she gloated while swinging her scorpion tail at Taron again. He ducked just in time.
Before Nyla could perform a further return strike, I broke from Rainer, flying a short distance and executing another turn mid-air.
He followed suit and grinned at me. We faced off. I had more injuries, and he believed he had this battle won.
He—was—wrong.
Nyla adjusted her perch on his back and called amidst the chaos, “Taron Locke. Injure the queen here and now, and I’ll let you end her after I’ve taken everything she loves. Her family. Her home. Her joy. Everything she’s taken fromyou.”
My breath caught. He froze. Tension flowed through his thighs. Through the air and surrounding us. A heartbeat of pause lasted an eternity, as if he contemplated the request.
In that instant, my trust in him hung like a blade over my head. If he injured me, I would lose this battle. That was certain.
Also certain? Dumping him from my back—killing him—before he had a chance to attack was my smartest move.
But I didn’t do it. I waited for his decision.
Taron stroked his fingers over my spine, a reassurance. “Let’s end them.”
Something fierce cracked open inside me. With fire in my veins, I pretended he’d taken her up on her offer and struck at me, falling from the sky. As hoped, Rainer and his passenger followed me down. Just before crashing into land, I righted and landed dragon-style, causing no injuries to myself or Taron, who hopped off me.
Rainer realized his mistake too late. I slammed into him, taking him to the ground. We crashed together in a tangle of scales, claws, metal and heat. I took another hit across the flank, muscle tearing, but I dished far more damage, raking a talon against his left eye.
As he wrenched free, I seized an opportunity and sank my teeth into his wing, shaking my head. He roared with pain and yanked out of my stubborn hold. Tendon and flesh tore next, making it difficult for him to return to the air. But his position gave the injured Nyla another opportunity to strike at Taron. Sliding from the dragon’s back, she swungher tail, her signature move, but this time Taron caught it—and sliced off the end.
As she screamed, Rainer collected her in his mouth and arrowed away from us as fast as he could manage.
Though I wanted so badly to give chase and finish them off, my aching, abused body refused. As my adrenaline tanked, I returned to my original size and shape.
My companion helped me tug on garments from the pack, then slung an arm around me. Together we raced for home on foot.
“You good?” I asked through panting breaths.
“I’ll survive,” he groaned.
I wasn’t sure how much time passed before the spires of my castle came into view. Dragon guards spotted us and sounded an alarm. Within seconds, we had an escort.
Once locked in the safety of my bedroom, I lowered to the floor, taking a moment to breathe. Taron eased beside me. We stayed just like that, resetting from battle-mode to victory.
We’d done it. We’d gathered the three missing ingredients, clawed our way through a fight and lived another day.
He must have had the same thought. “We have everything we need now.”
“Ja.” In fact, I spotted the remaining ingredients Adelaide had scattered over my bed. Leaves, flowers, tonics, herbs, and seeds. Even a special mixing spoon.
“Our bond will be broken,” he said, his words slow but steady. Without giving a hint of his emotions.
“Exactly what we wanted,” I agreed, masking my sudden trepidation.
“Yes,” he intoned. “I’ll return to Georgia, and you’ll rule Ashmorra.”
The moisture in my mouth dried. “You won’t summonme, and we’ll never see each other again. I might even destroy the doorway to America.”
