Page 67

Breaks in the foliage overhead allowed beams of sun to warm the rich earth and provided enough illumination to see where the foliage was lightly crumpled, leading the way.

Once we reached a small clearing, I bent my knee and placed my palm on the dirt, injecting a deep rush of energy into the organic material. I watched as my power rippled outward, like a rock thrown into a still pond and then I stood.

“What did you just do?” Cassia asked, stepping closer to me.

A breeze stirred my hair, and the snap of sticks breaking underfoot sounded in the distance. Soon, the noise was near enough for Cassia to hear, and she laid her hand against my arm.

The moment the beast appeared between the trees, I heard Cassia’s sharp intake of breath.

“Hold perfectly still,” I ordered her. Fingers gripped my arm, and I could hear her pulse racing. Not so much in fear as in wonderment.

The large, coal black animal raised its head and shook its mane before it trotted to the left and stomped its hooves. The obsidian horn centered on its head shone pearlescent in the sunlight, and its shiny black eyes watched us carefully.

Cassia’s shoulder brushed my arm. “It’s a unicorn,” she whispered under her breath.

“Indeed,” I replied, watching it as closely as it watched us.

The beast was oversized, compared to a horse, a deadly and fantastical display of strength and speed containing untold magic. Many of them were killed for the power their horns contained. The animal had every reason to distrust us.

“Will it come closer?” She asked.

“Maybe. They don’t trust people. Many of them have been killed for their magic. They’ll never be safe.”

I felt her sadness flickering around her. “That’s awful.” She was quiet for a moment. “Can they be domest⁠—”

“No.” My lips pressed together.

“I knew you were going to say that.”

My gaze left the animal she wanted for a house pet, and I widened my eyes at her before glancing back at the nearing animal. Slowly, it was approaching. My back stiffened, ready to move quickly if necessary.

The unicorn dipped its head, its tail fluttering in the light breeze. The sun shone off its shiny hair, shedding tiny rainbows like glitter across its coat.

“I keep thinking, ‘I need to go home, I need to go home.’ It echoes in the back of my mind,” Cassia whispered softly, not taking her eyes away from the magical creature. “But I am home, aren’t I?”

Sprinkles of warmth coursed around my heart, and I laid my hand on top of hers. “You are. I think your beautiful art told you that you are,” I replied.

To me, she was becoming increasingly more magical than the legendary animal that was now only twenty feet away from us. My heart had never been this full.

Cassia’s hand dropped from my arm and the beating organ in my chest followed as she stepped towards the unicorn. Any sudden movement I made could frighten it into a rage. As slowly as I could, I slid my hand to the holster at my waist. Grabbing the sword that I’d strapped to my back right before we headed out would have been seen as a sign of aggression, so I’d start with a smaller weapon.

With every step she took away from me, my vision narrowed. Her steps were slow and sure, and I could hear the pounding of her heart. Her aura remained consistent—which was good. The animal would have to see that she meant no harm.

Before I could take another breath, she was directly in front of it. The unicorn’s nostrils flared as it sniffed the air around her. Then it stretched its neck, and she slowly lifted her hand, palm upward.

If a vampire could have a heart attack, this would have been my big moment.

Against all reason, the creature nuzzled her hand. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes shining, and beaming the biggest smile I’d ever seen on her face.

The deadly horn was way over her head, but still in optimal positioning to tear my bride-to-be away from me. There were things I could do to save her, and fate knew I’d search every Realm should she be killed in this one, but my many years also knew something else. Fate had an unfortunate way of sending people to unreachable Realms, and unicorn magic was not in anyone’s favor. There were multiple reasons so many of them died and would continue to.

“Lukas, come here. This one’s friendly.” Her excited whisper caused the animal to shake its head.

The hilt of my dagger was firmly in hand, though still sheathed. “I don’t think it wants me to. Can you please come back over here?”

“You have a knife in your hand—can you blame it?” She rolled her eyes and turned back to the unicorn as it whinnied. “You’re a sweetheart, aren’t you?”

Now she was talking to the devilish beast.