Another shake of his massive head. Again with the defiance.
“I swear to the gods, I’ll scream.”
He puffs a breath into my face — hot and unimpressed. My threat means nothing to him.
Because he knows no one would come for me. Who would take on a huge beast for little ol’ me?
“Let me at him,”Neris growls inside me.“He can’t keep us here like this. We broke the bond. He has no right.”
Before I can say anything else, Draxis whines.
A high, soft sound. Pitiful. Like a puppy.
He leans closer, slowly stretching his massive neck toward me. His eyes are pleading. Another whine. Then — he lifts a talon and scratches at his neck.
He wants something.
“What — what is it? Do you want me to scratch you?” I blink. “Seriously?”
But then I see it. A flicker. A shimmer beneath the fur.
My breath catches. My hand moves on instinct.
I brush aside the thick, black hair at the side of his neck, and my stomach drops.
A collar.
Deep red. Almost molten. Etched with strange markings. So tightly latched I never saw it through the fur. It pulses faintly with magic. Faint… but old. Dangerous.
I reach out, just one finger. The moment I touch it — zap!
Pain bites through me like lightning. I yank my hand back.
“What is this thing?” I whisper, staring at him.
Draxis whines again, scraping at his neck with growing desperation.
“I don’t know how to help you.” My voice wavers. “You need to bring Draven forward. Maybe he knows what this is. Maybe you two can fix it. Together.”
He stares at me like I’ve gutted him. Like I’ve betrayed him. Big, googly, full-on puppy eyes. And stars, it goes straight to my heart — this is why I never got a dog.
“I’m not your magic solution, Draxis. I can’t break this, I don’t have that kind of power.”
He growls, frustrated this time. Angry. But not at me.
I straighten, steel sliding into my spine.
“You need Draven,” I say firmly. “Let him in. Now.”
His silver eyes narrow, defiant.
We lock stares. Neither of us blinking. Neither of us willing to budge.
But I don’t back down. I keep staring.
Finally, he huffs. His body shudders. And then his eyes flicker. Molten silver fades to cold steel blue. And the shift begins.
Bones snap. Fur recedes. Wings collapse inward. He drops to his knees, trembling.
