64. Arran

There was such roaring in my head. The sound of the rain and thunder, the blood rushing through my veins, the wolf's snarling growl. I moved on instinct alone until those too began to fail me.

My beast was slowing.

Not the lack of sleep—I'd fought under worse conditions than this, dozens of times.

The injury.

The wound on my chest appeared healed; not even a scar to mark where Excalibur had cleaved my chest. But I should not have been tiring. Not this quickly. My beast had ripped apart enemies on the battlefield for hours. Days, even.

But the beast was slowing.

I had to make what remained of my strength count. For the amorite we desperately needed, for Annwyn. For my mate, who was trying so hard to keep her emotions locked down. But I could feel her panic through the bond.

The Black Knight was formidable—a lightning wielder. I knew precious little about the intricacies of elemental power, but even I knew it was rare. Who—Veyka must know who I faced. There could not be so many lightning wielders that she would not recognize them once I ripped off that black helm.

And I would rip it off.

I would win. I would survive.

My muscles tensed beneath my rain-soaked fur, readying for that final push. The Black Knight would throw another bolt of lightning. I would dodge it, rally my speed to go wide and launch myself at him from behind. I'd rip off his arm first, the one I had not broken. More strength; more force to get through that black armor. Then he would not be able to pull down the lightning from the storm.

The storm that Palomides had known was coming. He'd waited to summon us for the duel until it coalesced right above the plain, to give the Black Knight as much advantage as possible.

I dug into the dregs of my power, loosening the restraints on my beast as much as I dared, and sprang forward.

The Black Knight lifted his arm again, his armor taking on that unearthly glow.

Deeper, down into my power, calling up everything I had—

The scent of burning fur filled my nostrils, the zing of light and power slicing over my back as I arced into the sky, leaping well above his head. But before I could turn, before I could launch my final attack, she appeared.

Veyka.

She brought her rapier up, fast and fierce. Such power and force behind her blow, she only needed one swipe of the slender blade. One brutal, beautifully accurate swipe in that narrow strip where the armor on the Black Knight's body met the plating on his arms. Not down, where the shoulder was protected. But up from the armpit, through sinew and bone.

The massive arm hit the sodden ground with a sickening thud.

"You cannot interfere!" Palomides' voice boomed across the field.

I snarled—my kill. My mate, putting herself in danger, to kill the threat that was mine. She was mine.

Veyka ignored me.

She kicked the Black Knight hard, forcing him down to his knees. Crossed her rapiers at the nape of his neck. The helm would not protect him now.

"You have misjudged, Palomides," Veyka yelled across the plain. "Arran's blood flows in my veins."

From the rage contracting on his face, I knew he'd heard every word. "You—"

"The mating bond is deeper than anything you can conceive of in your feeble mind. I am every breath he takes and he is every beat of my heart. We cannot be separated—not by foolish bargains, not by realms, not even by death."

My wolf moved, without my will or intention. To stand beside her, to snarl.

"We are one." Then she sliced off the Black Knight's head.

I lifted my head to the dark sky and howled.

When I shifted back to my fae form, Veyka's blades were already sheathed. She stomped across the sodden ground to where the Black Knight's head had rolled and landed in a puddle. She ripped off the glittering black helm.

"Who is it?" I heard myself ask.

Veyka stared at the face. Male. Unremarkable. She did not answer, stood there in silence until Lyrena reached her side. The knight, her golden hair dark with rain, studied the face for several long moments. Then she shook her head.

"No one," Veyka said hollowly.

She disappeared, leaving the anonymous elemental male to rot in the mud.

But she was not gone for long. Kay and Vera reached my side. We were halfway across the plain when Veyka reappeared in the mud before Palomides. She was not alone.

She dumped the succubus—the only one we'd left alive—on the ground at Palomides' feet.

"We found your pets."

She did not wait to see if or how Palomides would fight it off before disappearing into the void once again.

The rain had stopped.