I glanced over my shoulder and gawked at the pirate lord as he strode down the dark tunnel in his blue coat. My eyes slid to the sharp fuck-me lines cutting into his black leathers.
My gaze snapped up to his, and I bit my lower lip as he threw me a cocky grin, arching a dark brow.
Fuck, I loved him.
I turned, giddy and high off that feeling, before hurrying through the remainder of the tunnel.
A wave of relief and love washed over me as Tiberius’s hulking form clomped from the thick jungle brush. I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around his thick neck, his massive head bobbing as I squeezed.
Missed you, buddy, I murmured.
Sure, you did, he snarked, turning his attention to Kellan as he exited the tunnel.
I gave him a halfhearted smack on the neck as I pulled away, and he nudged me with his wide nose.
Aeriden slammed into me from behind, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a tight hug. I turned into him and squeezed before pulling back and scanning him. A few scrapes and bruises lined his face, but otherwise, he seemed fine.
His Cantor-blue eyes were wide as they scanned the air around me.
What the hell?—
Isla popped to her feet and stood near their fire, crossing her arms as her eyes darted between Kellan and me. She arched an ebony brow and tapped her foot.
“About time,” she murmured through a growing smile.
I released Aeriden and wrapped my arms around my friend. She winced, a tight hiss escaping her lips as I pulled away.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” I asked, scanning her for injuries.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just sore from a nasty little trap set by whoever hid this.” She held up her hand, and a smile blossomed on her face as my eyes landed on the leather scroll.
“You found it,” I said through a grin, reaching for the scroll as she snapped it to her chest. She shook her head, her smile growing.
“I don’t think so,” she said, raising her brows. “Not until you get those shadows under control first. You’ll obliterate this old thing.”
I blinked and turned to find Aeriden continuing to stare at the air around me. My eyes flitted to Kellan, and a beautiful, genuine smile graced his lips, replacing the cocky grin from moments before.
A shadow the shape of a wolf darted in front of my vision, little whisps of golden light trailing in its wake. I jerked my head around, noting the shadow hawk flying after it, trailed by a horse and dune runner. The Obscura and Transcindiel danced around me in playful delight, merging and creating on their own.
A warmth filled my chest at the sight, and my powers surged, creating more creatures that danced around the small camp, jumping over Tiberius’s back and flying in circles around the others.
Several figures lingered around Kellan, darting over his shoulder. He lifted a hand, and a strange creature with horns and fins raced down his sleeve before hopping off his hand and leaping back to me.
I’m happy for you, Tiberius murmured into my mind, a smile riding his voice.
I sent a wave of love down our connection and swallowed.Thank you.
I gently called my powers back into their chasm, the small figures turning their little heads before leaping through the air and into the eight-pointed stars on my palms.
Isla threw me a knowing smile. Her brows pinched upward as her gaze cut to Kellan, and she handed me the scroll.
I swallowed, reining in my elation and forcing my analytical mind to focus on the ancient document.
“The parchment is strange,” Isla commented, leaning over my shoulder as I gently unrolled the scroll.
Brown wrinkles bent as I straightened it on the dirt ground. Long markings of a lighter shade of brown rose in varying angles as they cut across the parchment in random directions.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” she continued, looking up as Kellan and Aeriden approached. “I’m not even sure it’s a language. It looks too random.”
