“Now this is an odd couple,” remarked Torrent, pacing about Minx and Kaleb. “Fae and dragons... this is what happens when they mingle and get attached, eh?” He shook his head disdainfully. “Come on, Alla. Let's get out of here. We've spent enough time around these vermin, haven't we?”
Alla appeared reluctant to follow, despite the repeated invitations.
Noting her hesitance, Torrent nodded slowly. “I see. You don't want to come with me, do you?” He waved one of his clawed hands at Minx and Kaleb. “I should make them suffer more, then?”
“N-No!” replied Alla. “Please, leave them out of this!”
Kaleb, having regained his breath, struggled to his feet. “You're not taking her anywhere, you understand me?” He stood upright with a pained grunt, arms hanging at his sides.
Torrent pointed at the dragon and shot Alla a sharp glance. “I'd love to leave them out of it, but they insist on butting in. I suppose I have no choice.” He thrust out an open palm, fingers arrayed rigidly like claws, and turned toward Kaleb. “You should have stayed down the first time.”
There was, in the next instant, a flash of blinding light.
The sound of splitting metal and splintering trees sounded, and Minx felt a powerful burst of wind wash past her. It came so intensely that she fell onto her back, unable to remain seated on the ground, while Kaleb was hurried off his feet entirely and thrust against the nearest tree.
When the dust had settled and her eyes had adjusted after the brilliant flash, Minx turned to Kaleb and began crawling toward him.
And then she halted, heart seizing and guts churning.
Slack-jawed and moaning, Kaleb had been pinned to the massive trunk of the tree—not by any invisible force or psychical trick, but by arrows. Three stone-colored arrows, conjured by Torrent, had penetrated Kaleb's dense armor and impaled him at various points through the chest and stomach. The tips of said arrows had passed straight through him, and were buried in the trunk of the ancient tree, which had rattled and creaked as though a mere sapling.
It was impossible. Everything she'd witnessed was impossible. No normal arrow could hope to pierce Kaleb's thick plate armor. But Torrent had stuck the dragon shifter with three at once, summoning them from thin air. He remained pinned to the tree, bleeding profusely. His end was very near. No one could sustain that kind of damage and hope to recover.
Minx crawled toward the tree, rising to her feet and wrapping her trembling fist around the lowermost arrow embedded in Kaleb's stomach. “K-Kaleb,” she stammered, tears rolling down her ruddy cheeks. She wanted to say many things to him just then, but words escaped her. Only his name felt at home on her lips. She pressed her face to his armor, clutching at the arrow shaft and attempting to pry it out. “Kaleb!”
The dragon shifter winced, then looked down at her with surprising serenity. “It's... it's OK,” he wheezed. “Get out of here, Minx. Run for it.” The gravity of his injuries and loss of blood were likely unclear to him just then. He sported a weak smile, and his eyes could hardly remain fixed on her as she wept before him.
Without another word, Alla stifled a sob and joined Torrent, taking his offered hand.
“There,” said the hooded fiend, “was that so hard, Alla?”
Minx turned, watching as Torrent led the half-Fae through the trees. The sun was rising, painting the fields beyond in the gorgeous hues of morning. Alla paused as they left the camp, locking eyes with Minx. “I'll be all right,” she whispered.
Gradually, both she and Torrent vanished from sight.
Chapter 16
She had no choice but to try.
It was possible he would die—that he would suffer more for her efforts. But at least he would die in her arms.
Minx dashed the tears from her cheeks and closed her fists around the arrows. Grunting and pulling for all she was worth, she succeeded in loosening the first. It began sliding out of Kaleb's body and fell onto the ground in a mess of gore.
The dragon shifter groaned, the pain sending him into spasms.
Minx moved onto the next, following the same procedure. This arrow was more stubborn, and her hands became raw as she struggled to keep a firm hold on the shaft. Eventually, it also budged.
“G-Get out of here, Minx. Before... before it's...” Kaleb couldn't finish the sentence; his head lolled to one side and his eyes began to roll into the back of his head.
Fueled by panic, Minx focused on the third and final arrow, wrenching it from its resting place and allowing Kaleb's limp body to land softly against hers. Steering him carefully onto the ground, she placed him on his back and studied the damage from up-close. His body bore three immense holes. The arrows had passed straight through him, and there was no telling what internal casualties there'd been in the process. Vital organs, parts of his spine and more could have been run-through by the mysterious volley.
Mau sidled up to her, whimpering as she beheld the damage. Oh, Minx... I'm so sorry... This is terrible...
The Fae huntress cupped Kaleb's face in both of her hands, stroked his chin and cheeks in an attempt to provoke a reaction in him. “Kaleb,” she whispered, voice trembling. “S-Speak to me, please.”
He didn't respond, except to shudder. His mouth fell open and a paltry exhalation seeped forth.
Minx, I... Mau pawed gently at her partner. I'm sorry, but... I think he's—
“No!” shouted Minx, holding Kaleb's head up in her hand and combing the hair from his face. “He's not dead! We're going to save him.”
The Faelyr gazed up at Minx with a mixture of sadness and wonder. It's not possible. The damage is too great—he's lost a lot of blood already, and mending wounds this deep would take—
“I don't care what it takes,” blurted Minx, setting his
