Govam didn’t get out of the way fast enough. Dolion’s body struck him, and his sword clattered to the side.
“Govam, here!” I slid my sword across the ground. The hilt hit off a little debris, making it spin but not altering its path.
Govam winced, lurching. He scooped the sword up, and as Dolion hit the ground, he twisted and stabbed. The blade sank a little way into Dolion’s back, and might’ve stopped there, not deep enough to do mortal damage, but Nyfain reached them and bore down, adding his weight to the hilt. Then he stabbed the demon king again, issuing a fierce roar. Releasing the sword, he grabbed the demon king’s neck and crotch and lifted him into the air. With a fast twist of his body, Nyfain slammed Dolion’s middle down on his knee. Dolion’s back cracked in half. I winced with the sound of it.
The demon king wailed, and Nyfain flung him onto the ground before yanking out Arleth’s sword and stabbing down into Dolion’s heart.
The scream cut off abruptly.
Nyfain stared down at the creature who’d been tormentor for a long time, and I could feel a cocktail of emotions rolling through the bond. The most prominent, though, was relief.
“We did it,” I said, sagging for a moment as my pulse pounded in my ears. I walked to Nyfain on shaking legs. “We did it.”
He cupped my face and gave me a fierce kiss. The bond glowed with our victory.
“We did it,” he said when he pulled back, his eyes roaming my face. “Thank fuck, we did it. Now maybe we can go back home and raise some kids in peace.”
I smiled up at him, tears in my eyes, the moment not seeming real.
“Yes,” I said, then kissed him again.
“I concur.” Vemar staggered to the wall to lean heavily against it, knocking me out of my reverie. “What do you say we add some of the luxuries they had in that faerie kingdom? That place was nice.”
“We need to clean everyone up.” I hurried to Vemar. “How bad?”
He waved me away. “It hurts like a motherfucker, but I’ll be okay. He didn’t stick it in deep. I don’t have anything coming out of the hole, unlike Hannon’s creature.” He wheezed out a laugh.
“Are you sure?” I pushed his hand away and inspected the wound. Blood oozed out, but he was right: it wasn’t deep enough for a mortal wound.
“Don’t look at my dick while you are there, Strange Lady,” Vemar murmured. “It might just react, and then your very sparkly mate will make the hole a lot bigger.”
I gave him a flat look. “Yes, clearly you are fine.”
Govam was half sitting, half lying.
“We need to get you out of here, bud,” I said, motioning for Nyfain to lift him. “I have supplies on the ship. I can fix you up, no problem, okay? Just hang on.”
“If you die, you won’t get to be king of this shithole,” Nyfain told him as we headed for the nearest hole in the wall.
The room groaned menacingly.
“You’ll want to get everyone out of this place,” I told Nyfain. “Send Hannon after Dessia before you do, but then get them out. This floor might go. I’d hate to see a victory turn into a catastrophe.”
“As you command,” he said, his golden eyes twinkling.
Grinning like an idiot, so fucking relieved I could barely comprehend it, I jumped out and shifted. My dragon roared long and loud, and we heard a cheer go up from the fifth floor. We swooped around, got close, and let Nyfain gently secure Govam into our mouth.
“Thank you,” Govam said as we flew him back to the ship. “Thank you for saving us. None of this would’ve been possible if you hadn’t traded yourself to Dolion. You didn’t just save your own people, you saved the entire magical world. I will make sure no one ever forgets it.”
FIFTY-FOUR
Finley
“There is absolutely no way I am going with you, Strange Queen,” Vemar told me as we stood within the partially ruined demon castle, at the door that would take us down to the dungeons. “I swore I would never go back in that place, and I do not intend to change my mind, no matter how much I like you, respect your mate, and want to watch over my little buddy.”
“Coward,” Hadriel told him, dressed in a pair of lime-green sweats that matched Vemar’s. “And stop asking Cecil to make you my stuff in your size. We look fucking ridiculous wearing the same loud sweats. For the last time, I wear the loud shit and you should try to look a little more normal so your craziness isn’t as alarming.”
Vemar laughed and slapped Hadriel on the back. “Don’t be silly.”
“I swear to the goddess and beg for a hand job, I honestly cannot take that man,” Hadriel murmured, staring at the door.