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Seth, we’ve got to get out of the forest. She’s tracking us because we’re disturbing the branches.
I know.
Are there any waterfalls around here, with caves behind? I think we might be safe in a place like that, at least for a little while, hopefully long enough for the sun to set.
He knew exactly where they could go. Fuck, yeah, there are.
But can you make it across open terrain? There’ll be nothing to protect you from the sun.
I’ll blister up, and I’ll be in bad shape when we arrive, but we can do this.
He turned east, heading to Sage Falls at the top of Inwether Gorge. Valgus and his shifter troops would have the gorge locked down by now, all the camouflage in place, and his troops in position.
He pathed to Valgus to let him know that he had Margetta on his heels but that he meant to find shelter with Lorelei at the falls.
Valgus protested, But mastyr, you’ll be in the open and it’s not full dark.
Thanks for the concern. Can’t be helped. I’ll heal fast enough. But I want you to keep your troops hidden. Margetta will be hunting for us, but as your mastyr and Regis, I order you not to engage. She’s after me, not the brigade.
He heard the long pause. All of his Guardsmen, no matter which brigade, would feel torn by that kind of command. Each had an ingrained duty to protect Seth at all costs.
Finally, Valgus said, As you wish.
Seth cut the communication. He’d reached the last bit of tree cover with blasts setting fire to the forest behind him.
He took a deep breath and moved into the open. But as the weak sunlight hit him, more pain shot up his spine and he almost stumbled in the air. But he held his trajectory, his object only a hundred yards distant.
He followed the stream that flowed over the Inwether ridge and created the falls, but already Margetta’s golden glow of light was everywhere.
Lorelei’s hand crept up his face and blocked the burning in his eyes. Thank you. Almost there.
He threw himself over the falls, holding on tight to his control, then hovered near the edge of the cascade of water.
Seth, why are you hesitating?
If we disturb the fall in any way, she’ll know we’re here.
I’m going to shift to my wraith form. She was changing in his arms before he knew what happened, then eased away from him. She floated near the water and slid behind the fall.
Though blistered now, he pulled in his coat and carefully skated behind as well. But his consciousness had started winking out, damn it.
Her hand caught him and pulled him quickly to the shelf of rock. He fell backward, landing hard.
Suddenly, Margetta’s golden light appeared on the other side of the waterfall. If she blasted now, they’d both be dead.
Seth couldn’t do anything, however. He was in a phenomenal amount of pain, more than he’d known in his entire life. He started the self-healing process, but he was dizzy beyond words, blisters having formed over a good portion of his body.
Seth, I’m so sorry, but she’s gearing up.
I know, I can feel it. Lorelei … I need to say something …
But his mind stopped functioning.
As he drifted into unconsciousness, his final thought was that he loved Lorelei, but now it was too late to tell her.
Chapter Nine
Having shifted back to her fae form, Lorelei knelt beside Seth. But her gaze was fixed on her mother, as Margetta paced through the air, flying back and forth in front of the waterfall. She felt her mother’s power and the profound vibration she’d begun building that would destroy both Lorelei and Seth.
