The pair of sparring dragons launched from the peak then, sending the mountain quaking. As Thronos closed in on Melanthe, the two creatures spotted him in the air and plunged for him.
New threats. If hell conspired to keep him from saving his mate . . . I’ll defeat hell.
The dragons spewed fire, but he evaded the crisscrossing streams. He dove under them, heading for the camouflage of the ground.
Thronos landed, dropping to his hands and one knee, beginning to sprint as if from a starting line. He chanced a glance behind him. As he’d hoped, the pair had abandoned their hunt, continuing on to the plateau for a guaranteed meal. But more followed, so he stayed on the ground. With the hound taken care of, he had more time—
His third stride was his last.
His feet were caught again. Another godsdamned pit! He’d done exactly as the hound had! “Oh, come on!” he yelled, grappling to free himself. “Melanthe! Don’t run, if you move another inch, you will die!”
She couldn’t hear him, was about to enter that ravine. With the boulders falling! She skidded to a stop, then whirled around to sprint for the field.
“Don’t go under that tree!” He gritted his teeth, pulling with all his might.
She sidestepped, dodging that first arrow-shaped boulder, the charred one from before.
“Don’t head for the tree!” She was heading for the tree! “There’s a pit between the roots!”
Still not hearing him, she skipped over the roots. Then . . . too late. Her upper body jolted forward before she righted her balance.
She murmured, “Thronos?” Even from this distance, he could hear her distinctly, felt the timbre of pure fear in her voice.
Their eyes didn’t meet this time; he was too busy hacking at his legs. Break the bones in one go or she dies. “Just hold on! I’m coming for you!”
Every muscle in his body strained. He could already hear the gravestone’s descent.
Thrashing, kicking, sweat burning his eyes. The gravestone snapped the limb high atop the tree.
Thronos’s bone cracked—earlier than before! I can do this, I can reach her! With one leg freed, he dared a look. “I’m coming!” The next limb down was bowing.
She knew a boulder that big would kill her. She struggled wildly.
“Just hold on!” He bit back yells as he cut, hacking through the bloody calf muscle of his other leg. Taking too much time, too much!
The boulder plummeted like a juggernaut, crushing one limb after another until it caught on the one directly over Lanthe, not twenty feet above her head.
A final defense.
“Thronos?” She’d gone still, as if she feared making too much movement.
“I’m not letting you go! I’m coming for you! We’re not done, Melanthe.”
“I wish things had been different,” she said, voice thick with tears.
“They will be! Fight, Lanthe!”
Their eyes met again. “Tell my sister I love her.” Chin raised, Lanthe gave him a salute.
Second leg free! The tree limb was about to go. He took to the air, diving for her; she kept her gaze on him, as if for courage.
Craaaack. The boulder crashed down. He collided with it. An instant too late.
“NOOOOOOO!”
He dug his claws into the stone; using his wings for propulsion, he shoved with all the strength he had left. Ruined my second chance!
He directed his five hundred years of hate—at himself. I am the enemy. He’d had three fleeting nights with his mate, and he’d taken every opportunity to frighten her, to shame her, to hurt her. As if hundreds of years fleeing his kind hadn’t been enough pain.