that way to see for himself, but doing so meant slowing his pace and he trusted Calindria’s senses.
“Closing in fast.” She threw a swift look over her shoulder. “I will slow them down.”
Before he could ask what she intended to do, the ground shook beneath his boots, a tremor rocking it as the sound of stone splitting filled the thick air. He did glance over his shoulder now, his silver gaze widening as great vines burst from the ground, forming a wall at least four hundred feet wide across the valley basin.
He cursed as the warriors appeared on the other side of it.
Calindria looked back again and then faced forwards, her pace picking up speed in time with his. “That is not fair.”
He had to agree with her on that one. The males had simply teleported beyond her barrier, could use an ability that neither he nor Calindria could in this realm. The fact that they were unaffected by certain powers in this realm had to mean they were working for the demigoddess.
“They look like the ones who guarded my cage.” Calindria’s breaths came faster and he could sense her fatigue as she summoned another wall of vines, one the warriors easily teleported past again.
“Conserve your strength.” He eyed the wall of warriors again. All of them wore only leather pants and all of them were large, their builds powerful. Each grasped a long black spear.
He ducked and pulled Calindria to the right when one of the brutes launched one of those spears at them. It thudded into the ground where he had been, narrowly missing Calindria, and a curse pealed from his lips again. That had been too close. He had pulled Calindria into the line of fire when he should have moved her to her left instead, ensuring her safety.
They had to be close to the mountains now.
He looked ahead of them.
“Godsdammit,” Calindria spat as she spotted what he had and skidded to a halt.
Warriors had appeared at the base of the mountain, forming a wall between them and the only route to freedom.
“Prepare yourself.” He released her hand and drew his sword, pulled down a breath and readied himself, emptying his mind and honing his battle instincts.
Beside him, Calindria readied her dagger. Her hand shook, betraying her nerves. He placed his hand on her forearm to steady it and she glanced at him, lingered as her eyes locked with his.
“It is you or them, little goddess. Remember that.” He didn’t want her getting ideas about pulling her punches because she didn’t want to hurt other living souls with her touch. If she succumbed to her softer side, to the good heart that still beat within her chest despite the ordeal she had been through, then she was as good as dead.
Again.
She nodded, but her hand still shook, and fear lit her eyes as she glanced at the warriors closing in on them.
“We can do this. Together.” He cupped her cheek with his free hand and turned her face towards him, waited for her to look into his eyes again before he finished what he had wanted to say. “I need you to fight, Calindria. I need you to live. I do not want to be in this world without you.”
Tears lined her lashes and the fear that had shone in her eyes disappeared, replaced with resolve as she stopped shaking.
She nodded. “Don’t you dare die on me either. Gods only know how much I need you, Thanatos. I might have to go to that veil place just to bring you back.”
Hell, this female knew exactly how to strip him of his armour, knew the path to his heart without fail. He tugged her to him and pressed a brief, hard kiss to her lips. He wasn’t going anywhere and neither was she. They were going to get through this. Together.
He released her and turned, assessed the warriors closing in on them and their options. It was easily one hundred against just two, but they could do this. With his skill as a warrior and her ability to kill anyone she touched, these brutes didn’t stand a chance against them.
“Ready?” He turned and the world seemed to slow as she looked at him.
As something hit her left shoulder and knocked her backwards.
He lunged for her, felt as if he was moving through molasses as he reached for her, as she twisted and fell, and blood burst from her shoulder. She hit the ground, her head cracking off the