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“Where’s your dragon?” Remis asked when she didn’t answer.
Remis was a problem she could put off. But the other two…
What was she to do with them?
She lifted her sword and pointed it toward the pair. Remis stiffened at her side.
“It's unfortunate that they can’t live.”
The injured man paled and the other pulled his sword fully from its sheath.
“You’ve won. You’ve got me. Leave them be,” Remis pleaded, his voice suddenly dark and low.
Her mouth tilted into a smirk. With one gloved hand, she reached out to Remis, running a finger along the edge of his jaw and turning his head with the pressure of the movement. “Beg.”
That gaze of his widened a fraction as his throat bobbed. He gave one fleeting glance toward his friends before he lowered to his knees, snow and twigs crunching underneath him. He looked so good there, bent before her, head tilted up and snowflakes glistening as they melted against his skin. Something in her core tightened at the sight. “Please,” he whispered, “Spare my friends.”
Merritt growled under his breath.
“Louder.” Meira circled her hand around his throat, felt the thrum of his pulse under her fingers.
“Spare my friends.” His words vibrated in her hand. “Please.”
“You’re quite pretty when you beg,” Meira whispered down to him.
“There are better things I can do on my knees than this, if only you asked nicely.” A challenge shone in his gaze. His features were hardened with a mask of confidence though she could still feel how quickly his blood was rushing through his veins.
In turn, she ignored his quip, pretending the heat that consumed her body wasn’t real. “Your friend needs a healer.”
“Do you know of any who might be about?” Remis pressed, snow soaking through his pants legs.
“They’re free to go,” she said. She wasn’t totally heartless after all. “It may take them quite some time to hobble there but the nearest town is that way.” She pointed toward where she knew a humble city waited. “Now, you’ll come with me.”
“You’re crazy if you think we’re letting you take him.” Merritt, the blond with the busted lip and terrible dark bruises on the side of his face, puffed his chest in defiance as he spoke.
Her lip curled. She was being kind to them, helping them, and he was going to argue with her? Stupid man.
“Then I’ll gut you both and be on my way.” She lifted her sword again, moving toward the pair.
Remis rose swiftly and stepped into her path, the solid muscle of his body brushing against her side. She looked up into his face. His breath was ragged, fear clinging to his scent, but he didn’t move. “Leave them be,” he said softly, “I’ve done as you asked.”
She held his gaze, was sucked into the memory of his lips on hers before she shook it away and answered quietly. “Our fates are intertwined, Nikremis. Tell your friends to be on their way and to accept the mercy they are granted. My patience wanes.”
His smile was long gone now but he dipped his chin in agreement and turned enough to see his friends. “Please. I’ll forever be grateful for what you two have done for me. That you didn’t let me face death alone. But it isn’t your time. Percy has too many books still to read and Merritt, you’ve got a maiden to woo yet. You’re both due long healthy lives and you won’t be cutting it short on my behalf. I shouldn’t have let you come with me to begin with. So go.”
“Remis you can’t—”
“Go!”
His friends startled at the fierceness of his voice. The blond scowled but held himself tall. “We cannot leave you like this. To your death. With her.”
“It is as she said.” He tore his attention away from them looking down toward the ground. “Our fates are intertwined. Who am I to force the hand of destiny?”
“You’re making excuses. You’re giving up!”
“I’m not,” he rasped then said louder, “I’m not. I am accepting what I cannot fight. Let me save you, you idiots. Let me save you as you have saved me.”
There was a raw desperation in his voice that Meira recognized. He loved these two. She saw it in the way they glared at each other now, angry and fighting the unavoidable.
