The Darkest Warrior (Lords of the Underworld 14)

"He'll remember none of this," William said. "I would flash to the top and hoist him up myself, but I can only appear in locations I've previously visited. Or can see. With the cloud cover..."

"It's going to be okay. We're going to get through this." Ever the warrior, Gillian drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Let's start climbing."

That's my woman.

On cue--because nothing could go right today--thunder boomed and a zip of lightning raced across the sky, directly above their heads.

Galen returned, the smooth glide of his wings allowing him to hover. "I flew down pretty low but found no trace of land. However, I did find a doorway to another realm. Which one? I have no idea."

"We can't risk it," Puck said. They could end up inside a volcano, or a prison. Or worse. "Up we go."

"I'll do a little scoping, find out what we're dealing with." Wings flapping, blowing the vines, Galen ascended.

He'd been gone only a few seconds when another clap of thunder heralded the fall of rain. Acid rain. Every drop seared Puck's skin, the catalyst to great waves of agony. Flesh and muscle sizzled, and he caught the scent of cooked meat.

Everyone bellowed with shock and pain, creating a horrifying chorus usually only heard in nightmares.

Galen returned, his entire body jerking each time a droplet of rain pelted him. "Never mind the solo trip." He clasped a vine and snapped his wings closed, becoming a smaller target.

If this persisted, everyone in the group would wither to ash. Would the vines? Without magic, Puck couldn't even create a shield over Gillian.

Indifference turned up the volume--he specialized in making everything worse.

Hate that fiend.

When Peanut's vine juddered without provocation, Puck cursed. The chimera's massive weight had caused the center of his harness to fray.

Gillian noticed and gasped with horror. "We have to help him!"

"His vine is going to break. There's no stopping it." Gaze on Puck, William said, "I'll take care of the chimera, you take care of the girl."

No time to ponder the ramifications of the plan, or why his nemesis would willingly part from Gillian. The rest of Peanut's vine gave way, and the chimera dropped.

"Peanut!" Gillian reached for him, freefalling to chase after her pet.

William followed the chimera, and Puck followed Gillian.

Heart thudding against his ribs, arms smashed to his sides, he angled his body headfirst. The second he came upon Gillian, he grabbed her by the waist with one hand while clasping onto a vine with his other. His claws dug into the stalk, slowing their momentum. Finally they stopped, Gillian in front, Puck hanging on behind her.

William reached Peanut and wrapped his arms around the animal's neck. The two vanished through the portal.

"Let me go!" Tears streamed down Gillian's cheeks as she craned her neck to glare at Puck. Raindrops burned sores all over her face. "Don't make me hurt you."

He glared right back, no longer caring about the raindrops splashing his skin. "Don't you dare act so foolishly again. William has Peanut. He'll ensure they both survive. You know this. Now haul ass." Merciless, he nudged her with his knee. "Up, up."

"My orders were to stick with William, no matter what. Sorry, guys, but you're on your own." After giving them a farewell salute, Pandora dropped, tumbling toward the portal.

"Ditto what she said." Galen shrugged, all what are you gonna do? "See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya." Then he, too, dropped.

"You're right, Puck." Gillian wiped away her tears with a trembling hand. Then she did what only a warrior could do and once again pushed her feelings aside. "William and Peanut are going to be okay," she said as she climbed.

Something he noticed: as long as she cried and wiped at her tears, her cheeks and hands remained free of burns.

Comprehension dawned. "Keep crying," he commanded. "Your tears neutralize the acid."

"You're right," she repeated, pausing to wipe away her newest tears--and smear a droplet over his burns. The generous action nearly undid him. "And it makes sense, in a terrible kind of way. Your brother probably believed you were the only one strong enough to make it this far, and since you are the keeper of Indifference, he would expect zero emotion."

"Save your skin, wife. Not mine."

Pause. "I'll do what I want." She wouldn't quite meet his gaze as she bathed another one of his wounds. "Suck it up and deal."

Very well. He sucked it up and remained on Gillian's heels as they climbed. She never slackened or lagged, even as one hour...two...ticked by. More rain. More sores.

He imagined his brother waited somewhere up top, and persevered. He wondered if he would be the one to fight Sin, now that William was gone, and hurried.

Had Puck been the one all along?

Only the male who will live or die for Gillian can defeat Sin the Demented.

I will live or die for Gillian. I am him. I am that male.

She was right. He loved her. The lass had brought his deadened heart back to life.

Just have to complete my two goals. Kill. Select.

"What are we going to do without William?" Gillian asked between panting breaths, her thoughts obviously similar to his.

"He has served his purpose. I love you. I will live or die for you. I will dethrone and kill Sin."

Her jaw dropped as she glanced at him over her shoulder. "Will you forgive yourself for killing him? And don't you dare die for me, Puck Connacht. I mean it."

"I want to keep you, Gillian. Do you think there is anything I won't do to ensure I can?"

"N-no. I think you'll do anything to keep me." The words held a twinge of sadness he thought he understood. The whole dream-killer thing.

How could he make her understand?

Their vine shook, as Peanut's had done, and Puck cursed. Just above them, the stalk had begun to fray.

Gillian went rigid. "Puck!"

Acting quickly, he swung them toward a second vine. "Grab it."

As she obeyed, transferring her weight to the other vine, he hoisted himself above the fraying piece. Just in time. The end of the vine dropped with a whoosh.

They continued climbing, climbing, finally breaching the clouds. Only then did the rain stop, but by then flesh hung from muscle and bone in large chunks. However, it was hard to lament about aches and pains, when he spotted salvation--a cliff--only a few hundred yards above.

Climbing, climbing. At long last, he and Gillian reached the top and collapsed on land.

40

Exhaustion settled into Gillian's bones like an old friend, all I'm here to stay, what's on TV?

What had happened to William and Peanut? Part of her longed to curl into a ball and sob, but she resisted. The two were alive. And she wasn't deluding herself about that. She knew William. His will to live pervaded every aspect of his life, and despite their differences, he would have found a way to save Peanut. He'd promised.

I'll get the chimera, you get the girl.

His love for her hadn't dwindled, even though he'd felt her adoration for another man during their (non) kiss. They would finish their talk when he returned. And he would return. So she would not mourn his loss. Ugh, wrong phrasing. She'd lost nothing. She would celebrate. Her friends lived--and so did Puck.

For now, she would concentrate her efforts on resting and recovering, then saving Amaranthia. They had only ten days left.

She crawled to Puck, the sight of him making her stomach flip-flop. He looked like death.

Gillian uncorked the vial of cuisle mo chroidhe syrup, her most valued possession, and dumped the contents down his throat.

"You're going to get better," she assured him.

Giving the healing properties time to work, she studied their new terrain. A rushing, rocky river to the left. To the right, sand dunes peppered with tents. Had they reached the Connacht clan at last? Or at least an outpost?

Men wandered about, each one clad in a white tunic and sheepskin pants. By the prime

cuts of strength she spotted, she'd guess they were warriors. Eighteen to be exact.

Someone spotted her and shouted, "Female!"

Other cries rang out.

"Stay back. She's mine."

"I'll fight to the death to claim her."

"Secure her, then fight over her."

"Thanks for the offer," she called, "but I'm taken."

An alarm sounded.

"But you don't care, obviously," she muttered, and sighed.

Puck staggered to his feet, braced for a fight. He'd healed some, but not fully. He wasn't in any condition to engage in combat, but she knew nothing would stop him.

The males grabbed weapons and stalked toward them, intent on cornering their prey. Every set of eyes leered at her, reminding her of her stephorrors--and sparking fury.

"Do you know these people?" she asked as she withdrew the only two weapons she hadn't lost in the maze. Mismatched daggers, one bejeweled, one made of solid gold.

Puck's claws and fangs extended, the tips of each a deadly point. "This is a criminal outpost. They covet what's mine, they die."