“Did–did it work?” I gasped out.
Nerissa wiped dust off her face. “Yes, it should have. But it hasn’t stopped?—”
The ground shook again, harder than before as another contraction ripped through me.
I screamed again, uncaring of who heard it.
“Get the others, Yazmine and Mara!” Enya choked out, pointing at Nasi to put her down next to me. I nearly threw up at the sight of her legs, mangled and bleeding.
“You need attention,” Benedict begged her. “You’re going to bleed out.”
“I have no blood family to feed from,” she snapped back. “Just go get them!”
Benedict turned to Ronan, who bristled.
“No.” Ronan’s voice cracked. “I left her once. I won't leave her again.”
My throat tightened. That admission carried the weight of his guilt, his recovery, his promise.
“Don’t get sentimental on me now,” Enya snapped. “I am old. I’ve lived my life. I?—”
“Absolutely not,” I snapped. “No more sacrifices.”
She blinked at me, startled.
“I amdonewith sacrifices!” I shouted, trembling all over. “No more mothers giving up their sons, no more drakens giving up their lives, no more ‘it’s fine if I die’ speeches! The island is not worth your life.We are going to save you.”
Her eyes softened. “Wren?—”
“I amnotletting anyone else die for us,” I whispered, voice breaking. I turned to Kaida, who’d been holding me hand the whole time. “Go find Wyrren. Now. And Mara and Yazmine.”
Enya bristled but Nasi held up a hand. “I will do it. Kaida has not been feeling well.”
Kaida blushed, but nodded, tightening her grip on my hand.
Silence settled.
“Well, don’t stand there like draklings!” Enya yelled. “Get the mates in position. Open her legs. We need water and blankets. GO!”
Canavar and Kieran shared a look and took off. Benedict kneeled on my other side, taking my other hand. Ronan positioned himself in front of me, gently parting my legs. The ground kept shaking.
“I don’t understand, you said the rituals went well,” I cried out.
Nerissa had a hand on the ground, eyes closed, frowning. “It did! I?—”
The mountain shook again, a rumbling pulse beneath our feet.
“They’re not stabilized. They’re waiting for one last piece,” she said. “But what? We had everything! Drakens born here—old blood. New drakens—returned blood.” She nodded at Kaida and Nasi behind us. Veskor—lost blood rediscovered. Witches—” She glanced at Perri, and went white.
“What?” I demanded, just as another contraction took my breath away.
“The witchling?” Benedict choked.
Perri was nestled into Veskor’s unconscious chest, and holding Enya’s hand.
“Mixed blood. That’s what we’re missing,” Nerissa said slowly.
I swallowed hard. “Then what do we do?”
