Page 137 of Skalterra By Nightmare
“How many lives did he give you?” His initial shock at the discovery ebbed away to be quickly replaced by morbid curiosity. “How many have you got left before he lets you die for him?”
“Enough to last long enough to kill you.”
His smile quirked, and his eyes softened.
“Ah, Blue. You’ve had plenty of opportunities to do that, and we both know you won’t.” He leaned in close so that his nose was inches from mine, and his warm breath washed over my cheeks. “But don’t you worry. I’ll make sure the old man pays for what he did to you.”
“I won’t let you kill my friends!”
His taunting smile dissolved into a snarl, and his fingernails dug into the skin of my wrists.
“Killers get killed. Call it an occupational hazard.”
“You’re the killer!”
“You really think so?” His voice turned as frigid as the ice that pressed against my back. “Even after Ferrin told you how he butchered the other Grimguards? After you watched him kill Daithi?”
“Occupational hazard,” I spat.
Ciarán’s eyes narrowed.
“I like you, Blue. It was fun being in your head, and you proved very useful. I hope for both our sakes you’ve got more than one life left, because you keep getting in the way, and you refuse to yield. Unfortunately, that leaves me with so few options.”
He closed the few inches between the tip of my nose and his lips. The tiny kiss was cold against my skin. He used one hand to hold my wrists overhead, and an orange knife sparked in his free fist.
“Galahad!” I screamed, twisting beneath Ciarán, trying to get away. I didn’t want to die for him.
“Don’t tell me.” Ciarán flashed a haughty smile and played with the knife in his hand. “Thisisyour last life, isn’t it?”
“Galahad, help!” I clawed at the invisible tether between Galahad and me. I needed his Skal. Heowedme his Skal.
“You were always expendable to him, Blue. He doesn’t need you anymore, so he’s taken his Skal and left you to die.”
“No.” Galahad didn’t like me, sure, but he wouldn’t let me die. Not like this.
“You could still save yourself.” His grin showed off his canines. “You could always yield to me.”
“I’d rather die.” I pressed into the ice, but there was no escape.
“I don’t believe that. Not when you’re on your last life.” He held the glowing blade to my neck so I could feel its heat. “Yield, Blue. Become my Nightmare, and we’ll work together to bring those killers to heel.”
“Go to—”
“Go to hell, yes. I know.” He drew back his knife, preparing to bring it down across my neck.
If Galahad wouldn’t let me have his magick, I’d force him to give it to me. I gave a final, mighty heave on the tether.
Magick sparked in my fingertips and rushed through my veins, filling me with sudden power and strength.
“Nightmare!” Galahad’s voice was a warning bark, but another wave of magick ran through me, and my fingers elongated into claws. Ciarán’s eyes widened, and he realized too late that my strength had returned.
I used the same leg sweep he’d used on me, but he managed to scramble away, slipping on the ice.
“You’re done hunting us.” My bone spikes were back, even though I hadn’t felt them come in. My leather boots strained and popped as my feet grew into hind claws. Skin thickened into scales, and Ciarán staggered back, brandishing a staff of glowing orange.
Galahad was full of fresh Skal, and now that I’d broken the dam he built to keep it from me, he couldn’t control its flow anymore.
He couldn’t controlme.
