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But now that life was on the brink of being cut short.
Rael and Korvax were like whirlwinds, like wild animals fighting for dominance. Despite the sheer terror of watching the battle, Elian couldn't tear his eyes away. He'd never seen anything like it. Rael's muscles rippled underneath his golden skin, moving with a grace that was somehow both feral and human. When his blade flashed in the dawn light, it was as if the metal itself burned with some kind of otherworldly power.
Rael was a warrior. He was something more than human, something from a wilder, older world. In the face of his savage prowess, it was almost hard to believe that Korvax stood a chance.
But the other man was no slouch, either. He might not have Rael's otherworldly edge, but he was clearly a skilled fighter, his years of experience plain to see. His strikes were fast and precise, aiming for vulnerable spots on Rael's body. Whenever he managed to land a blow, the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed up the mountainside, making Elian flinch in sympathy.
They were both monsters, locked in mortal combat. And Elian was caught in the middle of it.
Elian's heart hammered in his chest, the thunderous sound threatening to drown out the noise of the battle.
He couldn't watch. He couldn't look, he couldn't see—
With a sickening crack, Rael's head snapped to the side. A brutal blow sent him staggering, his feet unsteady.
Elian thought he was going to be sick. The world spun around him, a sick carousel. Rael was fighting for him. He'd called Elian his mate — and now he was putting his life on the line for him.
Elian had to do something!
His tied hands clenched into fists, his nails biting into his palms. He wanted to do something, anything to help.
But he couldn't. He was bound, utterly helpless. The rough rope that tied his hands behind his back might as well have been chains. He was nothing but a spectator, a prisoner forced to watch as the man who'd captured his heart danced with death.
Elian's throat worked, a strangled sound escaping him. He bit back on it. He needed to stay quiet — he couldn't risk distracting Rael.
Wait…
The realization hit Elian like a bolt of lightning. He couldn't risk distracting Rael… but there was someone else he needed to annoy as much as he could.
Drawing a deep breath, Elian raised his voice. "Hey, scumbag!"
The words burst forth, crude and grating in the crisp mountain air. Korvax didn't turn, intent on facing Rael, but his eyes narrowed at the interruption.
Elian didn't let the bounty hunter's that deter him. "Yeah, that's right, I'm talking to you! Did you enjoy your little trip down the mountain last time? Do you want another? Get a little closer, and let me see if I can do that again!"
Rael's blade flashed in a vicious arc. Korvax parried it — but was it Elian's imagination, or was his parry just a fraction of a second slower than it could have been?
"You call yourself a warrior?" Elian jeered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Well, I guess that works — there's only one eye in warrior, anyway!"
Snarling, Korvax advanced on Rael, clearly irritated. Yes! Elian kept taunting, desperate to keep Korvax's focus on him. "How'd it feel to get bested by a human, huh? You're too scared to fight us on the frontline! Figures, because you're too pathetic to even best a weakling like me! No wonder you're clanless!"
That did it. Korvax beat Rael back, his lip curling in a sneer of pure rage, then broke. "The bounty says alive — or dead!"
He lunged toward Elian, blade raised.
Elian didn't see the rest of the movement. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the blow—
It never came.
There was a sickening gurgle, followed by a heavy thud.
When he dared to look again, Korvax was on his knees, a crimson stain blooming across his chest. Rael stood over him, his blade dripping, eyes blazing with a feral light.
The bounty hunter made one last feeble attempt to raise his blade, but Rael knocked it aside with contemptuous ease. Then, with a swift, economical motion, he ended Korvax's life.
Elian shut his eyes.
The silence that followed was deafening.
