Page 80 of The Omega Thief

Was he dying? Why did the world seem so hot, seemed to be on fire? He looked up and stared at a triumphant Markell, but then he saw the expression on his face completely change to one of fear. He felt the rush of blistering hot air before he saw the giant plume of flame rush past him and engulf Markell.

Completely.

The sovereign’s scream was cut off as the blue flame lit the sky. Attiker had a moment to wonder why the flame was such a strange color before strong arms caught him as he would have toppled over. He knew those hands. That smell. Even over the smoke and the sounds of battle, he knew who held him.

“No, Attiker, my love,” Raz’s voice broke. “Find your wolf. You have to shift. You can’t die. You can’t.”

Attiker forced his eyes open and gazed at his prince. He coughed and tasted something metallic on his tongue. He wanted to breathe, but it hurt. His eyes started to close of their own accord, but Raz yelled louder, promised he loved him, that he’d always loved him. Demanded he find his wolf.

But Attiker knew it was too late. He wanted to whisper that he loved him back, that he would be a great king, and he forced his eyes open one more time to tell him it was okay.

And stared straight into a pair of ruby ones.

Chapter thirty-three

Razwasdreaming.Washe already dead? They’d pulled him from the cage, or the traitor’s gate as it was called, and thrown water at him to rouse him. He could barely stand. He’d lost so much blood that without food, his wolf had stopped being able to heal him and was doing his best to simply keep him alive.

He squinted, the shouts and noise going over his head, too terrified that the bloody mess of his bonded was really stood in front of him. Markell was shouting something to everyone. The same stupid insults Raz had tuned out hours ago, or was it days? He had no idea.

“Your prince didn’t cheat!” Attiker’s voice screamed into the sudden silence, and it was enough to rouse him.No, No, No.What had they done to him? He’d surrendered so they wouldn’t be hurt. Why was Attiker hurt? He felt his wolf drag anger from somewhere, and it fueled his veins. Fury didn’t replace blood but it heated what they had, what they shared.

And that bastard Markell laughed. “The real punishment is that I’m going to make him watch while I slit your throat.”

“No,” Raz yelled, his voice almost cracking, sick with the thought of any more hurt to his beloved. “I’m the prince. The responsibility ismine. Punish me. I surrendered so you would leave the Cadmeeran people alive, all of them.”

Markell laughed again and told Raz he didn’t care for his people. And Attiker…his beautiful mate, hurt and having to be held up, opened his mouth and told everyone he was a good prince, but Attiker was wrong. He wasn’t good or worthy or any of the things Attiker said because his bonded mate, the love of his life, stood there bloody and beaten in tattered rags, and Raz hadn’t been able to stop it. He’d failed. Failed his people and failed Attiker.

But it seemed to infuriate Markell even more. “Don’t pretend he can’t afford the gold. He bought you, thief. He bought and paid for you. What’s it like to get coin to spread your legs just like your dirty whoring mother?”

It was like Raz heard two agonized, pain-filled roars. One from his bonded as Attiker, incensed, yanked his arms free and leapt at Markell, and another deeper roar that seemed to come from the sky.

But Raz saw what was going to happen almost before Markell moved. Quick, strong, and aided by a Fenrir, he brought his sword up to Attiker as he pounced and struck home.

Then the noise and screaming—why was there so much screaming—all seemed to fall away as Raz’s wolf gave him the last burst of strength he needed just as Markell stepped back and Attiker’s legs crumpled.

Raz caught him. “No, Attiker, my love,” Raz begged, cradling Attiker to his chest. Blood. There was so much blood. “Find your wolf. You have to shift. You can’t die, you can’t.” It was he who should be dead, not his mate. Not his soul. Raz looked up as people started running, screaming, and in the back of his mind, he assumed that Veda and her fighters were there, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He rocked Attiker to his chest. “Fight,” he begged again. “Shift.” He looked up to the sky, prepared to beg the goddess to take him instead, and that was when a huge shadow seemed to darken the courtyard.

He saw Markell step back, the sickening glee shining in his eyes, and in all Raz’s life, he didn’t think he’d hated anyone quite so much. Markell would die. Raz would kill him. But then Markell looked somewhere behind Raz, and his expression turned from smug-filled malice to open-mouthed terror. Raz didn’t have a chance to say another word as the air suddenly went from dank to a raging furnace. Raz just had a split second to bend over Attiker to protect his body as a wall of flame rushed past him and engulfed Markell.

Raz opened his eyes as he hadn’t even heard Markell scream, to find nothing but a pile of ash and bones in his place. He felt Attiker’s breath hitch and gazed down at him. Attiker’s eyes were open still, and Raz cradled him close, clutching his hand. “You have to shift, you have to,” he whispered. “I know you can. My wolf will help. Please,” he whispered, his voice failing, but then Attiker turned his head a little, and his eyes widened.

Raz snapped his head up to meet a huge pair of ruby eyes.

Raz’s hand automatically went for the sword that wasn’t there, but before he got a chance to curl protectively over Attiker, Attiker seemed to smile, even trying to lift his own hand to touch the huge snout looming over them.

“Eldara,” Attiker whispered, his words barely there.

Raz’s ability to think rationally completely deserted him. “Eldara?” he croaked and looked at the…dragon. Yes, he was looking at a dragon. He didn’t even—

Shouts and the sounds of swords drawing clicked, and he raised his arm.

“Stop, on my order.” He knew his and Veda’s forces were ready to defend them, but Attiker knew the dragon’s name. Somehow, and his mind couldn’t put it together, they knew each other.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Attiker tried to scold, but Raz could barely hear his words, then images appeared in Raz’s mind. Of Markell, of the fire lizard, that clearly wasn’t a fire lizard because his mother was something much bigger. How Attiker had saved the dragonet, and how the dragon—Eldara—had saved him. The last image was of the dragonet blinking sleepily at Attiker, curled up safe between his mama’s legs and blinking two huge sapphire eyes at them.

He felt Attiker draw in a ragged breath, and deep in his soul, Raz knew it was going to be his last. Tears poured down his face, and he didn’t care. “Bonded,” he begged. “Please find your wolf.”

The heat in the air intensified as the dragon extended her neck towards Attiker. Raz held his breath. He knew deep in his heart she wouldn’t hurt him. But then Attiker’s eyes closed, and his hand fell to his side just as the dragon touched the tip of her snout to Attiker’s forehead.

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