My body whipped in the air.
He slammed me against the tree.
I dug my nails into cold flesh.
“Argh!” he cried out.
Higher, I rose. He dragged me against a tree, ripping my skin with icy bark. I bit through the pain and dug those fingers even more. Whatever I gripped, I would tear the fuck off.
It must’ve been working.
The sounds of the forest returned.
Some of his magic must’ve gone.
The wind blew hard and loud. Branches crackled. Wolves howled. And off in the distance, Faith screamed, “Help! Mama! Daniel! Somebody!”
That was all I needed. My baby’s voice yelling into the night sky—lost and hopeless. Scared out of her mind.
We lowered. He’d proven that he could fly, but my fingers were fucking up his focus. Something kicked my head. I guarded the next blow and knew I’d been right earlier.
I have his ankle. Good. I’m going to break his fucking leg.
As he whipped us through the trees, slamming me and kicking my back.
I gripped that leg hard with one hand and brought my own pain. Jabs to his knee. Slams to what I hoped to be his thigh or maybe crotch. All I knew was that I smashed my fist into something and met cold flesh.
Snow blinded my view, but I didn’t stop. I punched and he kicked and we both smashed into a branch and fell to the ground.
“No!” he screamed.
Jesus. God. This is pain!
I lay on the ground. Something thumped on my side.
Is he up or did he fall by me?
Fear laced my heart. I would have to get up and fast or that would be the end of me and everything. Addie Mae still needed my help. Faith too. I had to grab for any energy I had left and end this fucker.
I spit blood and shoved myself onto my side. Every part of me ached. I’d broken something. There was just so much injury, I wasn’t sure what was sprained and what was shattered.
More blood spilled out of my mouth, causing my words to come out garbled. “Where are you?!”
I waited for his response.
None came.
Luckily, the flowers had been waiting. They must’ve been following our fight the whole time. All of them rolled toward where we’d crashed. They headed our way fast, triggering a thundering tremble to rock my whole body.
Buzzing sounded around them.
He’s on the ground! He must be. They’re too excited.
They headed right for me. Some rolling over my chest. Bile rose in my throat.
And then this Remy screamed right on my side. “What is this?! No!”
The flowers opened. Those wicked tongues jutted out and lapped at the air. Blue sludge dripped from the blooms as they licked and sucked on something that I couldn’t see.