Page 45 of King of Fire and Flames

The soft, wet warmth of his mouth was a fatal drug, melting my bones and any remaining strength I possessed. His sighs, the graze of his teeth—pure torture and unbearable. Memories of every time he’d touched me flooded over me. The thrill, the fear, the complete and utter bliss of being his.

Of surrendering.

Oh, merciless gods, I never thought I would feel this again, his heat, his muscles coiling tighter beneath my fingers. I wanted more. I wanted everything.

Mydor blood will never fail. Don’t give in to him. Don’t… give… in.

The dragons called to each other in bubbly chirps and low growls, growing closer. One roared and shot a line of fire nearby, setting three trees alight.

Arrow’s wings lifted, enfolding me in a warm blanket of iridescent feathers.

Another roar sounded as heat from the dragon’s breath blasted above our heads. Arrow swore and glanced up, stepping backward, distracted.

Perfect.

Snarling, I gritted my teeth and sliced my blade across his neck, not deep enough to do real damage. Then with all my might, I stabbed his chest, just a little to the right of his heart, missing my mark. I twisted the blade as his eyes widened in shock.

Stumbling backward, he hit a tree, and then slid down its trunk to the ground.

I crouched beside him, my palm pressing the golden skin around the knife, prepared to leap away should he try to strangle me with the last of his strength.

“Is it really that easy to kill you, Storm King?” I asked, unwanted tears pooling in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

“Kill me? No.” He cast a brief look at the blade sticking out of his chest and laughed. “You’ve wanted to see me like this for some time, Leaf. Tell me, does it feel good?”

Yes, I thought. Yes, it fucking did.

As the dragons emitted piercing screeches, turned, and flew toward the arena, relief surged through me, grateful I wouldn’t be their dinner. I was alive and hoped to stay that way, at least for the foreseeable future. Dust knew how Azarn would react to my victory.

“My vicious, most-intoxicating murderess, please… Please don’t leave me.” He coughed and reached a shaking hand toward my cheek, stroking damp hair away. “You must realize I never stopped loving you.”

I laughed. “Never stopped? According to your own words, you never started. You told me you cared, insisted many times I was yours and that I belonged to you. But you never once said you loved me.”

“Did I not? Well, I thought it more times than was good for me. A constant refrain, my thoughts of love for you drove me to the edge of insanity.”

“Interesting how you say such things only as I’m about to twist my blade deeper into your heart.”

“Technically, it’s my blade. And you missed my heart, little Leaf. Your lack of faith in me is the fatal strike. If anything kills me, it will be that and that alone.”

I reached for the knife hilt, and his bloodied fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Listen. They’re coming.”

Arrow tipped his head back against the wet earth and watched the approach of five fire mages, Melaya leading them, his twin prancing behind as if he was on his way to a midsummer picnic.

“Remember what I vowed to you back in Mydorian,” Arrow said, his voice barely audible. “What I promised you… I will always protect you. Always come for you. Trust that… if nothing else. While you’ve been trying to kill me, I’ve had no choice but to play the part of your enemy to save you. In the palace… what I say is monitored. Find Zaret. He can explain.”

Grendal’s son was here? That must have been the young human who arrived in Taln with Arrow and Raiden.

The mages appeared a few feet in front of me, and with a tiny flick of his fingers, Melaya released a burst of magic that sent me flying across the forest floor. Chanting, they enfolded Arrow in chains of fire, and then dragged him away, his silver eyes fixed on me until he disappeared through the gate.

Silver eyes that lied.

Arrow only pretended to be my savior to save his life, but I knew better than to believe his stories. I’d learned my lesson. He was a betrayer. A total asshole.

And I’d come very close to killing him, which meant that I’d won the final event.

A cold shiver rolled down my spine.

I had survived.

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