Don’t apologize,Aquila murmured after a moment.You were born to run, not fly. But I’ll always be your wings. As I was his.
Warmth flooded my chest, but my brows narrowed as I thought of my ancestor. Kyson was far from perfect, I’d learned. I often wondered if things would have ended up differently for Bayne and me if Kyson had stored his power in the Bellator Bone like Enya had wanted. Would our parents still be alive? Perhaps Queen Antares wouldn’t have been so eager to marry into the throne…
Ursa nodded as she twisted her hips. The bear followed her movement, and she rocked as he clomped to the nearby training course.
A wave of alarm sparked down a different connection that sent my heart racing.
Alarm and panic…from Selvina.
What’s happened?I asked Aquila, knowing he’d be communicating with Selvina’s caeluma in his own way.
Something’s coming through the gate,Aquila replied, his voice hardening into practiced calm after thousands of years of battle.Nishanth says their power will do nothing against it. I’m coming for you.
I steeled myself before my stomach could tangle. Selvina and Nishanth used the Ramadiel power to heal, but the pair didn’t hesitate to twist it into the lethal corruption Dark King Daimoshas used to cause destruction, undoing every bit of healing that had ever occurred in their foes.
Wind buffeted my body,and the tiniest bits of ice cut against my cheek. The Island of Kayj came into view as we soared through the sparse, cottony clouds. My fingers tightened their grip, and I honed my senses into razor-sharp focus when my breath caught at the sound of his voice.
“I love you,” he said against the calming music, and the part of my heart that had frozen over seemed to thaw. For a moment, the wind ripping off the shores of Kayj felt more like a cloud of his breath, mere inches from my face.
Ronan.
A wave of calm rippled from my bond with Aquila, and I strained my ears to hear better. Where was he? Could Ronan possibly be here?
I scanned the water below, searching for…a ship? How could he be here?
“I’m up here,” I called back, and an overwhelming sense of alarm shot down my bond from Aquila.
SHIELD UP!he commanded, his urgency snapping me out of my trance.
An invisible shield of wind surrounded us, and the calming tune that had accompanied Ronan’s voice dissolved into something wicked.
We broke through the fresh clouds floating over the rocky hills of Kayj. I didn’t have time to think about that voice as a chorus of shrieks ripped through the wind, and a wave of repulsion crashed through my bond with Aquila.
What in the gods’ names…He gasped as we gazed upon hundreds of dark blue, scaled creatures crawling down the slopes of the ruins on Kayj and slithering into the Juniper Sea.
Disgust roiled in my gut as I watched the creatures pause. Their clawed, human-like arms tore into the bodies of fallen warriors. My anger rose.My warriors. The few warriors who knew the Realm of Vael was under threat chose to stay and defend it. Wrath pumped through my veins as the rest of the scaled creatures tore through the remaining vegetation, downing trees and shrubs as they clawed their way to the shore.
Light ’em up, old man,I urged Aquila.
Ladies first,he replied,an anticipatory smile riding his voice.
Shattered sunlight pushed through a small break in the clouds as if beckoning the release of our powers. Heat gathered in my chest before spinning into something molten, blinding and lethal.
Flames sparked off Aquila’s coppery wings before he tucked them in, rallying our shared power. My hands gripped the soft, downy feathers close to his neck, and I leaned in, steeling myself as he rolled and dove.
Saliva flooded my mouth, and my breakfast threatened to rise as my stomach flipped. Shame stole through my chest as I clenched my jaw. My anger quickly squashed the weak emotions, and I frowned as my hands shook. The rocks of Kayj raced up from below.
Aquila’s wings snapped out to the side. My stomach dipped as our momentum changed, and I swallowed the vomit that rose. I let the molten flames feed off my growing anger for one moment longer before igniting the world below.
Shrieks turned to screams as our white flames melted the scales off the creatures’ backs. Their frilled faces stretched black eyes to the skies as they raced for the healing waters of the sea.We banked, sending a long arc of flames surrounding the horde, cutting them off from the shore.
My lips pulled up in a vicious smile as long, scaled talons stretched to the sky and slashed at the air as we passed. We raced back and forth over burning finned creatures until our inner flames began to gutter. The last of them winked out with my one remaining amplifier.
Exhaustion hit us at the same time and my shield wavered against the wind as Aquila banked.
Shrieks fell to pained moans as the last of the creatures attempted to crawl through the burning carnage, a bubbling mess of green and black mud.
A flash of white appeared to our left as Nishanth flanked us. Selvina waved her arm, motioning to a clearing where our two caelumas landed a safe space away.
