She’s freezing to death.
Perhaps she is even more fragile than I thought…
She’s barely been here thirty minutes, and already her body is succumbing to the elements. Worry clenches my chest as my familiar, Sasu, chirrups from his spot at my feet. He pushes his rounded nose against my ankle, desperately trying to get my attention. The sounds grow more insistent, he paws at my leg, and when that doesn’t work, hebitesme.
“Ow! What is wrong with you?”
Sasu is now trying to climb my leg. The unfortunate reality of Sasu’s anatomy doesn’t allow him to do much more than annoy me, but his desperation is clear.
“Are you worried about her?” I gesture to the female in my arms, and he lets out a chitter I take as a “yes.”
“I’m worried too, Sasu. We’ll take her home and get her warm. Okay?”
Sasu tilts his head back, and a happy chirp fills the space, joining the sound of my wings beating the air. It’s the only choice I have. If I don’t bring her back to my den immediately, she will most certainly die.
Which means I’ll have to share my beautiful prize.
I land softly on the ground, my wings flapping hard against the gust of the blizzard in order to stabilize my large frame. Thehuman in my arms has ceased shivering, but that is far more worrisome than anything else that has happened.
If my actions have caused her harm, I will never forgive myself.
Desperation clawing up my throat, I launch my body through the tunnel carved into the frozen ground, tucking my wings in tight around my body as the wind howls in my ears, gravity tugging me and my mate deep below the surface.
When I emerge on the other side of the tunnel, my wings snap out, beating hard against the air to stop my momentum. I land in the center of a large, circular cavern, the walls, floor and ceiling made up entirely of the glowing blue ice-rock that makes up this world. It shimmers brilliantly, but I don’t have time to stop and admire it like I normally do—my human needs warmth.
My feet have barely touched the ground before I’m racing toward the tunnel at the far end of the room, holding my fragile human close to my chest to give her as much heat as I’m able.
“Rhune? What are you doing?” The voice of my soul-brother, Dravik, rings out through the tunnel, tinged with confusion. But I don’t have time for him.
“Can’t talk! Busy!” I grip my human tighter as I descend into a deeper portion of the tunnels. The air grows warmer, almost stifling, and the tunnel opens up into a large rounded chamber. At the center sits a shimmering pool of heated water, and I waste zero time climbing in.
I hold her in the water for a long while, watching intently as some of the color returns to her face. The magic energy living in the pool wicks away the dirt and blood clinging to her skin, leaving her soft and clean. Eventually, the healing properties of the water begin working, and the wound on her hand closes, leaving a thin pink line where the bleeding gash once was. The same goes for the split skin at the back of her skull, and soon, my precious human is clean, healed, and warm.
“What did you bring home this time?”
My throat rumbles with a low growl as my wings curl around my body, concealing the human in my arms. “Go away, Dravik.”
Instead, he steps closer, scenting the air. Dravik’s broad shoulders are taut, his powerful orange wings rustling at his back in irritation.
“What are you hiding? It smells sweet.” He sniffs once more, and his eyes narrow. “It smellshuman…”
“It’s not what you think.”
“I don’t care! No matter the circumstance, it doesnotgive you the right to eat her! I could expect this from Cin, but notyou.” He shakes his head, letting out an exasperated sigh. “We need to take her back to the human realm. She doesn’t belong here.”
I snarl, my eyes flashing dark pink as I turn to glare at Dravik. His sunset-colored eyes flare with surprise as he takes in the possessiveness painted clearly across my face, and he takes a step back.
“She’s mine.” My voice is a deadly warning. “Do nottry to take her from me.”
“I will not allow you to harm her. That is whathewould do.”
“I’m not going to hurt her,” I say, holding her tight to my chest. “I want… I’m going to take care of her.”
Dravik blinks slowly. “You didn’t bring her here to eat her?”
“Of course not! I would never.” My mouth presses into a thin line, my stomach twisting painfully at the merethoughtof consuming her soul. “I took the pact just like you. I don’t know how you could think that.”
He shrugs. “You went to hunt and returned with a human. I assumed your convictions had wavered. It’s not such a preposterous thought given how long it’s been since we ate properly.”
