Page 177 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile
That’s when Lessia made her mistake.
“No!” Merrick’s scream echoed across the ship as her amber eyes moved to the regent and the snake saw its opportunity.
Whipping its tail, it slammed his mate to the deck, and the sickening crack of her head hitting wood seemed to quiet the entire ship.
Then the snake plunged again, maw open to show off already glistening teeth.
It was all Merrick could do to stay upright as he stumbled forward, running right over dead and injured rebels and soldiers as he tried to get to her.
Realization that he wouldn’t make it drove into his chest like the sword he struck another rebel with, and the scream leaving him wasn’t of this world as the long fangs readied themselves to close around Lessia’s limp body.
Then a mess of darkness jumped in between Lessia and the snake, and Merrick didn’t know what was worse.
Hearing the sickening crunch of bones and teeth sinking into soft flesh.
Or Thissian’s dark blue eyes latching onto his as they drained of color.
Merrick screamed again.
A scream of rage. Of pain. Of the fucking unfairness.
He threw his sword.
It drove right through the snake’s eye, so hard it pierced its entire skull.
He didn’t know if it was real, but it was as if the world parted for him, and he reached his mate and friend in mere seconds.
Lessia was already on her knees, Thissian’s face in her lap as her hands moved over his body, unsure which gaping wound to press on, which one could stop the blood pumping the life out of him.
It didn’t matter. Merrick could see it even before he fell to his knees.
“Thissian,” he whispered, taking one of the Fae warrior’s hands in his own. “Fuck, Thissian…”
The Siphon Twin smiled at him, blood bubbling out of the corners of his mouth. “D-don’t… thank me.”
“You…” Merrick couldn’t get the words out.
He knew why Thissian had done it.
He could see it in his friend’s eyes.
It was for him. For Lessia. For the two of them not to have to feel the pain he carried with him each day.
Something warm and damp fell down Merrick’s cheeks, and the damned Fae dying in his mate’s lap laughed. A choked, coughing laugh.
“Now—” Thissian coughed again. “Now I’ve seen everything.”
The most horrible sound left Lessia. “I’m s-sorry. It’s…”
“Stop.” Thissian moved his other hand excruciatingly slowly to take Lessia’s in his own. “It-it’s been… it’s my time.”
More warmth touched Merrick’s face, and there were so many things he wanted to say. So fucking many things, and still no words made it past the lump in his throat.
“I… I know,” Thissian forced out, more blood streaming down his chin at the effort. “Tell… tell him.”
Merrick couldn’t speak. Nothing would fucking come out. Only more of that warm wetness. But Lessia’s voice was surprisingly strong as she answered, “We’ll tell him. He’ll know how and why. Thank… thank you.”
Another low sound rumbled in Thissian’s throat, but no words left the warrior’s lips.
