Page 111 of The Ice Prince's Fated Mate
My ears hurt as the trumpeted challenge reached us, even far away as we were. Spreading its wings wide, the monster dragon took to the skies with one mighty swoop of its wings.
“Shit,” Durion growled, somehow finding another gear as we rose high into the cloudy skies of Hollow Earth, putting the citadel and Kylma far behind us.
I shrieked once more as he tucked his claws in tighter, the position sliding me further down his claw, until I could feel the skin on my back growing taut as it threated to break through.
If you stay here, you’re going to die,my brain told me.You have to act.
Detached, logical me was right. But how? What could I do? I was a Clippy at the mercy of an Elite. Bleeding out from my stomach. Helpless.
Unless, for once in your stupid life, you want to come out to play and help?
Only silence greeted me. I gritted my teeth. She had only ever responded to one thing, and one thing only. Maybe I could use that now.
We’re never going to get to tell our mate we love him if we die up here in the air at the mercy of this traitor, another man, who dares touch us. Dares hurt us, while our mate is back there. Coming for us. Does our mate want a weak-ass bitch who rolls over and gives in? Or does he want a strong mate? Themate who didn’t hesitate to slit the throat of her captors and escape?
He wants that mate. That version of us. So wake your ass up anddo something!
My dragon came rushing forth with a snarl.
Ice flowed from my hands where I placed them on Durion’s claw, cold and brutal with its touch. I urged it colder. Frozen. Drained of heat just as he was devoid of honor.
“What are you doing?” Durion growled, twisting his head back as the ice took hold, sinking deeply into the claw itself, where it joined with the beast’s paw. “How?”
“I hope you rot in the deeps,” I snarled and hammered the claw with my fist, putting as much dragon power behind the blow as I could.
The entire claw shattered with a howl of pain from both of us. I fell free, plunging through the air. It whipped wildly at my face and clothing as I picked up speed.
We’re not done yet. Not if we want to survive. So get your ass out here and help!
The response this time was sluggish. My young dragon had used up much of her strength with the ice trick.
Perhaps too much.
On I fell.
Fifty-Four
Dirk
I was closingswiftly when Ella broke free and began to tumble through the air.
No. Not again. Not this time.
We plunged after her, my dragon and I united without a second thought. Mirko was forgotten. In the moment, all that mattered was our mate and saving her. Dealing with him, and Durion’s treason, could wait a bit longer.
Ella was more important to me than that. There could be no doubting that. Whatever it took to save her, I would do it.
Even if that means another week spent being a recovering wimp.
Air whistled over my snout, making my eyes water even through the clear membranous eyelids dragons possessed for just that purpose. I was moving too fast, gravity assisting my dive as I went after my falling mate with a single-minded drive.
I’m coming.
I tried to ignore the gaping hole where her lower stomach had been or the blood covering her. I shunted aside the rage at Durion for hurting the woman I loved, the woman I was going to spend eternity with.
There would be time for all that later. I had to save Ella first.
But I wasn’t going to make it. I had been too far behind. She had broken free before I was close enough to save her, and now the ground was coming up with frightening speed.
