“Carefully. They might have Opal with them,” Connor reminded him of the youngest child still in need of rescue.
They crept toward the barn with synced steps, movement and low voices becoming louder as they approached. One last obstacle and he could finally get his girls out of danger. Once again, he found himself waiting for a Calderran warrior’s signal to enter the fray.
At the first clash of metal, he spun from his hiding spot against the stable wall into the entryway, boxing in their opponents.
The stalls were mostly closed, forcing the battle into the open aisle of the stable. Connor was battling two soldiers with vehemence, clearly trying to force them toward the open end of the barn. Their third opponent stood in the farthest stall next to a black horse, where the tiny Opal sat with bound wrists.
One of the men Connor battled, the captain who’d recognized him in town, caught sight of him and changed course.
“Took you long enough.” The captain sneered as he brought his blade up and advanced. “Going to fight me this time?”
Rodric’s mind snapped into a violent space as he made the first move. He wouldn’t feel burdened by this kill. The rage pouring through him strengthened his thrusts as he fought the man who’d hurt his mate.
Their blades crossed, allowing the captain to lean closer to him before pushing away. “I bet your woman screams as pretty as she cries. I promised her I’d be back to find out after killing you.”
Contrary to its intent, the taunt honed Rodric in on his target with even more force. “She’s my mate, and I will kill you for harming her.”
He pushed the captain back, maneuvering them outside. Their movements intensified in the open space, causing Rodric some worry. The captain fought with quick, fluid movements and the confidence of a trained warrior, not an average soldier.
A fearful gasp from Brenna distracted the captain for a second, giving Rodric the opportunity to slice a line diagonally from his shoulder to his belt. The captain stumbled back and kept going a pace, making Rodric follow him or back off. A serious amount of blood seeped from his chest and abdomen.
Raising his unencumbered arm, the captain pulled something from his belt. A forward thrust pushed Rodric off, giving him the second of respite needed to throw the object. The glint of metal sparked in the night as it zinged past Rodric. His heart wrenched a second before pain slammed into him through the bond.
“No!” His shout mingled with Connor’s as the black horse thundered out of the barn carrying the third man and Opal.
The captain snapped his head toward the movement and let out a curse. Stepping forward, Rodric swept underneath his opponent’s raised sword and connected, driving his sword through his enemy’s heart. The man crashed to his knees, and Rodric gave him a kick to the chest that sent him all the way to the ground.
Dropping his bloodied weapon as Connor went after their escaped opponent, he turned toward the devastating sight of Celina on the ground, Brenna kneeling over her.
Rodric raced to his fallen mate, knees hitting the dirt hard as he bent over her.Celina, hold on!The drug still blocked her side of the connection, increasing the panic coursing through him.
“She stepped in front of me,” Brenna sobbed from his side, hand grasping Celina’s.
“It’s okay, it’s going to be okay.” He pulled the throwing knife from her abdomen and set it on the ground.
“My hunter.” Her whisper barely made it through his mental chaos. “Love you.”
“Hold on, love.” Rodric pressed his shaking hands over Celina’s wound to stem the blood. He pushed magic into her as forcefully as he could, but it felt like it was only making a slight difference. Shuddering, her breathing began to change, and she coughed as she tried to speak.
“No! Don’t you dare die on me. Fight, Celina! You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Fight for me.” What was he doing wrong? He had to save her.Avery, help me!
Quit fighting. Embrace it.Avery’s sweet, young voice filled his soul.
Sev’s guidance flowed back to him in the same instant.Stop blocking your instincts and hunt for her. She’s your mate.
Taking a precious second, he fought his panicked mind for control. Pushing the Hunter to the front of his mind, he let the honed instincts take charge of his magic. It was all he had.
His vision blurred and changed, sparkling with odd colors and shimmering magic. The hint of a shadow appeared below the colors. A braid, three strands entwined in a loose connection. The Hunter sent magic into the rope, brightening it from its barely visible state to a glowing, pulsing beam of light.
His mind rebelled, trying to redirect the magic, but the Hunter barely even registered the protest.Mate. Must be unbreakably bonded.
Trusting this part of himself, Rodric quieted his mind and directed both of his magics and the lingering essence of Celina’s magic into the bond instead of directly to the wound. He physically jerked as the rope pulled tight around his soul, changing the sensation of it in his body. It would never feel the same again, now completely entwined with Celina’s.
The Hunter approved, his conviction flooding Rodric with rich faith in his mate, in their fully formed soul-bond.
Calmly this time, he filled her wounds with the shimmer of their combined magics, imbuing Celina with a golden white light that saturated the injury. Over and over again, he poured magic into the deep gash that threatened to take his mate until the wound sealed fully and her breathing returned to normal.
Trying not to focus on the blood soaking Celina, he lay his fingers against her wrist and felt her strong heartbeat. Reaching to open the bond, he stopped short. It was missing.
