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Ben interpreted his reticence as lovesickness. Separated from their Mates, dragons, or any of the Immortals Ben knew for that matter, weren’t their best selves. It was as if half of them wasn’t even present. It was wherever their Mates were.
“As we’re looking for our ticket out of here,” Ben went on, “we can make a detour to visit the Red Dragon. Whichever comes first. That okay with you, Annie?”
“Yup!” she chirped, her steps bouncy with vibrancy beside him.
“And last but not least, we need to find a way to reunite you with Brigid,” Ben said, pausing in his steps to put a reassuring hand on Sai’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. You’ll see her soon. We won’t give up until we find a way.”
Sai took a long, deep breath. It seemed to be the first breath he’d taken since they were transported to this world.
He tipped his head in agreement and clenched his jaw with determination. The two men shared a critical moment of vulnerability and trust.
Ben gave the sea dragon’s shoulder one firm pat before picking up his strides again.
“Come on. I have a feeling I know where Merlin is.”
“How?” Annie asked, skeptical.
Ben looked northward toward a cloud-covered plateau.
“See that peak? Does that look like a stormy cloud or an explosion of smoke to you?”
~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~* ~ *~ * ~
It was definitely smoke.
Now that she focused on it, Annie could hear the faint echoes of a furious roar. Whoever was on that plateau was in a wrathful, destructive mood.
But she also heard the undertone of soul-deep pain. A vibration beneath the thunder. A tremble within the storm.
As they headed in the direction of the mountaintop, she took in the indescribable world around her.
The Celestial Realm more than lived up to its moniker. It was truly unearthly. Surreal.
Here, her powers seemed to fold into itself, obediently contained like a chastised child. She knew instinctively that she wouldn’t be able to access them for an external manifestation like calling forth fire or casting spells. But they were still with her, tucked deep inside, like glowing embers within her core.
At eighteen-years-old, Annie had seen and experienced things few mortals had.
From the time she lost her parents to shadow assassins, losing her voice to the shock and sadness in the process; to being taken in at the Little Flower orphanage; to Clara’s adoption of her.
Then, meeting Clara’s destined Mate, Eli, the master shadow assassin who had trained all the rest, and a Dark One besides. Being kidnapped by the Creature. Who turned out to be Ben’s Uncle Ere after a long, circuitous journey from being the henchman for the evil demoness Medusa, to being the most powerful dragon in the world, a reluctant but effective protector of the Universal Balance.
And finally, learning and developing her powers, along with Clara’s own, as Clara and Eli’s adopted daughter…
It had been a wild ride thus far. She couldn’t complain.
And she knew that it was just the beginning.
The higher they climbed, and the closer they got to the furious, pain-filled roars, the harder Annie’s heart thumped within her chest.
Ba-boom. Ba-boom.
Like the pounding of an ancient drum.
Despite the suppression of her magic within this realm, her veins crackled with electricity, as if lightning danced beneath her skin.
Ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom.
