to see Silvo closing the rock wall to one of the archways. His dragon knew as he did that their mate was in there too.
With strength he didn’t know he had, Ferrus leapt from the cavern floor to the walkway that was at least ten males’ heights up. He landed and fell against the wall creating a crack that webbed out. Throwing the rock door to the side, he prepared to grab Silvo and break his neck. He was not prepared for the surprise attack.
When Ferrus stepped inside, Silvo was tucked to the side wall, already swinging his sword toward his head. With animal-like reflexes, Ferrus went to his knees, the weapon passing harmlessly above him. He surged forward to hold Silvo to the wall, but the fae kicked out, planting his foot in Ferrus’s stomach.
Ferrus stumbled back, crashing into the wall, shaking the room if that was possible. His mate lay on the softened rock bed, where she raised her hand to her head and groaned.
“Lili,” he called.
“Ferrus?” She tried to sit up but fell sideways. “What’s happening?”
Silvo charged the prince with his sword held high. His face was dark red and twisted with hate. Ferrus sat against the wall where he fell, fingers sunk into the rock floor. Fisting a handful of stone, he crushed it into powder.
“Better watch what you are doing, warrior,” Ferrus said. His words slowed Silvo’s attack, throwing the fae off just enough for Ferrus to throw the rock dust into his eyes. The soldier stumbled back with a growl, rubbing his face.
Using the opportunity, Ferrus rushed to Lilah’s side. He helped her to sit up. “How badly are you hurt, my love?”
“Probably a concussion, but I’ll be fine. Take care of him.” He glanced up at Silvo, eyes redder than normal and watering.
“How charming,” Silvo sneered. “You’ve found your mate. What would your father think of that? He’d have her killed on the spot. And as the army leader, I’d be the one to do it.” Instead of going for Ferrus, Silvo leaped to the side, swinging his sword toward Lilah.
Ferrus grabbed her shoulders and slung her to the other side of the soft rock. She bounced and rolled onto the floor close to the entrance.
Ferrus dove away from the bludgeon, popping up onto his knees. “Lilah, get out of here,” Ferrus yelled out. For once, she followed his order and disappeared onto the walkway and around the corner.
Silvo advanced in the small space. “She matters little, Prince. I will take care of her in the harem with the other women when I am king.”
Ferrus shook his head. “There always was something off about you, Silvo. Too bad you were such a good fighter. I should’ve left you as a perimeter guard on the peak.”
“Ferrus,” he heard his mate call. “Catch.” A dark, long pipe flipped end over end, barely missing Silvo. Ferrus caught it and realized it was a metal stick. Where had she gotten that?
Silvo slashed his sword through the air, and Ferrus held his new tool on both ends and blocked the blade. Spark flew from the contact point. From there, he switched his weight to his other foot and kicked his attacker in the midsection. Silvo was thrust back but kept his sword. Time to change sides of the playing field.
Pushing off the wall, Ferrus began his own attack, whipping the pipe around and around, beating on the enemy weapon as the warrior could do nothing but defend himself from the barrage. As they reached the entrance, a plan came into focus. Now, if only his mate didn’t have a plan of her own to mess it all up. What were the odds of that happening?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
On the walkway outside of the bedroom, Lilah tried to think of something else she could do to help Ferrus. She’d already made a tube of rock and turned it into metal, so he at least had some means to protect himself.
Suddenly, the fighting had changed. Instead of whooshes from a blade, one piece of metal was beating the shit out of the other one. Hoping Ferrus was doing the damage, Lilah peeked in and saw her mate driving the prick back out of the room.
Bam. Bam. Bam.
Silvo barely defended himself with his bent and broken weapon.
As her attacker stepped farther toward the outside walkway, she had an idea. Quickly making another rock tube a couple feet longer than the one she forged for her mate, she made a slender pole. Reminded her