“Enough!” Rhukon roared.
“Told you this was a waste of time,” Connor cut in.
“Ye can jolly well shut your hole too,” Rhukon countered.
Angus made come along gestures with one hand, but she sidled close and held onto his shoulder. Rhukon and Connor were deep enough into things with the dragon that Arianrhod risked a low whisper into his ear.
“We canna kill them. The dragon shifter bond made them immortal.”
“We can injure them, so they’ll take time to heal,” Angus countered quietly. “What choice do we have?”
Ye could leave and let me battle alone. Immortal versus immortal.
He’d already refused that strategy, so she muttered, “I’ll shoot Rhukon. Ye take Connor. Once we disable them, we’ll still have to break Eletea’s bonds and get out.”
He winked broadly. “One thing at a time. We might not be able to kill them, but we can make them wish they were dead.”
“What’s that?” Rhukon’s voice was sharp.
Damn it!He’d heard them.
“Now!” she screeched and raced down the tunnel, bow at the ready. She rounded a tight corner, and light spilled from a chamber ahead. Presumably the one where Eletea was held prisoner.
Arianrhod drew back her bow. She took aim and let the arrow fly as soon as Rhukon came into view. Long dark hair curled onto his shoulders, and fire flashed from his dark eyes. Steam rolled from his mouth. Malik’s way of expressing his displeasure.
Before Rhukon could shift—since Malik obviously wanted out—she loosed a second arrow and watched in horrified fascination as it tracked an arc around the dragon shifter and lodged next to her first arrow in a wall behind him.
Apparentlynever missdidn’t apply if she aimed for something immortal.
“What’s your next trick, bitch?” Rhukon spat on the floor. His form flickered, illuminated from within, caught up in the change to dragon.
Angus threw himself at Connor, bearing the other man to the ground with his heavier weight. The same fey light flared around Connor, but Angus pulled his dirk and pinned the other man to the earth by driving it through his shoulder.
Connor writhed, screaming. Fire flashed from his mouth, followed by smoke and steam.
“Nice try.” Angus drew his lips back into a snarl that bared his teeth. “No shifting for you. Not so long as you’re locked to earth magic.”
“Virgin huntress!” Eletea shouted. “Shoot my shackles. Hurry before Malik is fully present.”
Arianrhod stared at the dragon. Holes had been drilled in her leathery copper-gold wings. Metal links ran through them into bolts fastened to the walls. “I could injure you.”
“Doesn’t matter.” The elegance fled from Eletea’s speech. “Just do it. Now.”