She eased out of his arms when he let go, swiped at her cheeks. “You go ahead. I need a minute.”
She was hurting. He knew he’d sprung this on her without warning. He could give her a few minutes. He kissed her cheek, knowing he was going to remember that jasmine scent of hers wherever he went. That just the memory would give him strength. “Don’t be long.”
The weight of what lay ahead hung heavy on his shoulders, but for the first time in months—ever, really—his heart felt light. Alive. As if it had wings. It felt…right.
The screen slapped behind him when he stepped into the house. He wiped the sand from his feet on the rug, then crossed to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. As he headed up the stairs, he tried to remember where he’d put the sword he’d picked up in that cave. He’d have to get new weapons, knew Maelea would have money for him to buy more. Calculated—
His feet stilled halfway up the steps when he realized the therillium hadn’t been glowing orange under the heat lamp the way it had the whole time they’d been here.
He headed back into the kitchen, set his cup on the counter, wound around the island to look at the ore. The heat lamp was still on, but the ore definitely wasn’t glowing. It was nothing but a hard, solid, greenish-black glob. It wasn’t even glowing green, as it had been in the water of that underground river.
Tendrils of unease rushed over his spine, and his pulse picked up speed. Carefully, he touched it. The rock was cold and hard, and not an inkling of energy or power radiated from its surface.
A growl echoed from outside.
His head darted up. And his heart lurched into his throat just before Maelea screamed.
Chapter Nineteen
Gryphon grabbed a butcher knife from the block on the counter and tore the screen door open.
Maelea was climbing up on an outcropping of rock to the left of the bay in an attempt to escape. Across the sand, five snarling hellhounds were advancing on her.
Gryphon screamed to get their attention. Waved his arms above his head, tore off the deck, and raced toward the water to put himself between them and Maelea.
They had to have been waiting for the therillium to lose its power. He was so stupid. Stupid to think she would be safe here alone. That Hades wouldn’t continue to track her. That no one had noticed he’d taken that therillium in the first place.
He charged the closest beast, already at the rocks, ready to lurch toward Maelea with snapping jaws. Sand and water flicked up from Gryphon’s feet. He hurled himself at the beast. They rolled across the sand, a tumble of arms and legs and teeth. Gryphon scrambled to his feet before the beast could pin him down and arced out with the knife in his hand. He caught the beast across the foreleg. It howled and dropped back. Then snapped its massive jaws and charged.
Maelea screamed again. Gryphon looked over just as she reached the top of the five-foot-high boulder. She twisted around, threw mussel shells and pebbles, whatever she could find, at another hound trying to reach her.
He stabbed out with his knife again. Blood dripped down the snarling hound’s neck. Behind him, growls echoed as the other three advanced on Maelea. Then the ground shook beneath his feet, just as it had in the colony’s caves, just as it had in that motel room. Only he didn’t know where it was coming from or if it could help.
There were too many, he realized. His only hope was to use his gift and freeze them so she could get away.
He arced out, caught the hound at the jugular. Blood squirted all over him and the ground. The beast stilled, made no sound, then dropped to the sand. He looked for Maelea. Three hellhounds jumped and snarled and snapped at the base of her rock. The fourth was headed straight for him with glowing red eyes.
He centered himself. The ground shook harder. His eyes fell closed as he drew on his gift. But Maelea’s scream jolted him out of focus.
His eyes shot open. Maelea’s arms swung out for balance, but her footing slipped on the rocks. And then she was falling.
No!
Panic and bone-chilling fear rocketed through him. He pushed his muscles forward, sprinted through the water toward her. A hound slammed into him from the side. They rolled through the shallow surf. The knife went flying. The hound pinned him to the ground and closed his jaws over his shoulder.
Pain spiraled through his body, and he roared. A blinding red ignited behind his eyes. He jabbed at the beast’s face, couldn’t seem to get the thing to let go.
Maelea. He had to get to Maelea…
He shoved up hard with his knee. Clawed out with as much force as he could. A whir sounded close. Then another. The beast let go and howled. Then dropped to his side next to Gryphon in the surf.