Page 181 of Once the Skies Fade

“You’re right,” he said, his eyes narrowing as he spread his arms out to his sides. “Your fight is with all of us.”

Chapter 88

Matthias

Graham’s nervous pacing echoed off the walls as if the room had its own manic heartbeat. As much as I relished in his rising fear, my body seemed more focused on keeping me alive than letting me gloat—pulling my eyes closed and slowing my breaths. I just needed to hold on until Calla found me here.

Soon. She’d be here soon.

She was close.

That unforgettable roar had signaled her arrival. As if I didn’t already owe Asher for saving my life once, his bringing my mate here to save me again would leave me in his debt for the rest of my life––which hopefully wasn’t going to be nearly as short as I’d assumed mere moments ago.

The battle cry of the dragon had certainly breathed new life into my dimming hope, but now I discovered something else swirling in my chest—something not from myself, but through the bond: the excited buzz of energy that always managed to hit before a battle, like our minds knew exactly what we needed to drive us forward.

“I should kill you right now,” Graham seethed quietly, though his menacing words couldn’t quite hide his growing uncertainty.

Sliding my eyes open, I forced my words out on a strained breath. “Your funeral.”

“She’s going to kill me anyway,” he argued, shoving his blade into my face. “At least killing you would ensure she suffers even after she gets her revenge.”

“Perhaps. Or she might show mercy like she did to the Assembly,” I offered as my head lolled to the side again, my energy depleting quickly with the effort of speaking.

“After she slaughtered two of them, you mean,” he corrected me. I tried to shrug, but I couldn’t quite tell if my muscles cooperated or not.

“Kill me and you guarantee a nasty death for yourself.” My voice was barely more than a whisper now. “Or let me live and buy yourself time to beg for clemency.”

Growling, he spun away from me and resumed his pacing. Whether I’d convinced him one way or the other, I couldn’t tell, but I was still breathing for the time being, which was good enough for me…for now.

Chapter 89

Calla

Behind the man, a dozen people—men and women of varying heights, brandishing blades and bows—stepped out of the mist. A warning growl rumbled in Asher’s chest as he brought his front leg protectively in front of me.

“You know why I’m here,” I guessed, watching to see how the man reacted. He didn’t move, but there, a tiny shift in his chin, a slight tightening at the corners of his eyes. “Why protect a fae?”

“The chained one means nothing to us.”

“No, the one who brought him. Why?—”

The man lifted a single brow. “Graham?” My lips pressed together at the name, and Asher snarled again quietly. A single, hollow laugh echoed off the walls, and the man waved a flippant hand in the air. “He’s only half-fae.”

Graham? Half-human? How?

My mind swirled with questions.

“With all due respect, you can’t win this fight,” the tall man continued. “You’ve seen on the mainland what our weapons can do to your kind, yes? How do you think that beast of yours will fare after we hit him?”

I scoffed. “With all due respect toyou, you don’t know what we’re capable of.”

The man laughed softly. He opened his mouth to say something, but another voice shouted in the distance, muffled by thick rock, but still clear enough to pierce my heart.

“Calla!”

Matthias.

Asher’s head shot up, his snout pointing beyond the group of people barring our way. Desperate hope bloomed in my chest, and I couldn’t tell if it was coming from me or Matthias, possibly both. Either way, he needed me. Keeping my hands hidden, I stretched my fingers wide, and with the silent order to spare the tall guard in front, I let loose the reins on my power and propelled my shadows away from me and toward the humans.

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