Page 179 of Once the Skies Fade

Not only that, but he’d convinced his brothers to join in the danger.

Asher raised his foot to give me a lift into the saddle, and as I settled into place, wrapping the harness around my waist, I wondered what I’d do if any of them fell tonight. Could I survive that guilt?

Don’t think about that.

Save Matthias.

That’s all you need to worry about.

They know the risks.

My blood churned in my veins, a tempest of nervous anticipation and foolish hope, when Asher ran to the edge of the terrace and launched us into the air. Beating his wings, he took us higher, following the rise of the mountain slopes around us. For a moment after we slipped into the gray clouds that hovered around the peaks, I wondered if I’d put too much faith into these dragons’ abilities to hunt gold. We couldn’t see more than a few meters in front of us. How would we even be able to avoid flying straight into the other mountains?

The dragons flew slowly at first with Asher in the lead, his head turning this way and that, pausing every so often before shaking his head again and looking elsewhere. Craggy spires of black rock appeared seemingly out of nowhere, stealing my breath and holding my lungs hostage until Asher soared by each.

The sun’s light began to fade, and hope of finding Matthias today waned with the wind rushing past me, like a mountain eroded by centuries of storms. In the growing darkness, I could barely make out Isa atop Dax. Leaning forward, I rapped my hand against Asher’s neck to get his attention.

He had half-turned to peer back at me when he abruptly stopped, his snout dipping down toward the ground hidden far below us. Beneath me, every muscle in his back tensed. He didn’t bother to confer with his brothers before sending us into a steep dive. The cold air stung my face and hands, and I shifted as best I could, trying to turn my cheek to lay against his scales and guard my eyes from the frigid gale. Looking back, I realized Dax and Kai had changed course along with us, holding their tight formation.

When we dropped out of the clouds, my heart sank.

Dark canyons and crevices wove an intricate web of rock. The humans were here. Somewhere. I couldn’t sense them physically, but somehow I knew.

We drifted downward on silent wings, gliding through the unnervingly still air.

My nerves had already started to fray with worry when a scream rent the silence.

Agonizingly horrible, it stabbed my heart, freezing the blood in my veins.

My mate.

My mate was dying.

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t move.

He roared another scream, this time stronger, defiant, like he was daring to call out to me, to pull me toward him, to beg me to slaughter everyone who tried to keep us apart any longer.

Chapter 86

Matthias

Graham violently stole the control back from me with his blade, rousing me by once again flaying the skin where my tattoo had been—the skin he’d taken such care and time to heal with that salve—digging his knife in deeper than he had the first time.

There was no silencing my torment now, no hiding it under forced laughter. It poured out of me in a long, sustained wail as he buried his knife under my skin and peeled it away to expose the flesh beneath. My body silently screamed through my nerves, so loud in my head Ialmostdidn’t hear the sickening slap of my severed skin being thrown to the ground at my feet.

In the brief reprieve Graham granted me, my lungs pulled short, desperate gasps as shock overwhelmed my body. Pulse quickening, I couldn’t still my limbs from trembling against the chair I was still confined to. My head bobbed like the raggedy doll my niece used to carry with her everywhere growing up.

“Deep breaths,” Graham said with mock tenderness, his breath grating over my maimed ear. “It will do you no good to get all worked up.”

Instinctively my hands curled into fists, and I winced as my mangled fingertips smarted at the pressure against them.

“Careful,” he said again. “You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

I slid a rage-fueled glare his way, and he laughed.

“Only I get to hurt you,” he charged. “Speaking of which.”

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