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“I love you two so much,” I whispered. Not waiting for a reply, I blinked away.
* * *
This time,when I teleported myself beneath a body of water, I did it on purpose and shifted forms at the same time. It was a relief to take a deep breath and start swimming when I materialized, rather than having to waste time and energy struggling in my human body.
I knew my guys would be livid if they knew how much energy I was expending, but it couldn’t be helped. Lokene probably already knew what I was doing. That man was a walking mystery.
It was such a relief to be back in the salty seawater. This was my home, and I’d missed it terribly while on Iolatara. Especially when swimming in the scorching death pool.
I swam quickly through the twisted metal and debris left behind after Richard’s mining disaster and the explosions he’d arranged. It was eerie, and I picked up my speed, not wanting to stay in the area any longer than needed.
Storm had told me this was where the bulk of the Orpati had been found.
My mates had explained how even small pieces were able to power large buildings and entire city blocks. I’d seen its many uses in the sunken city of Atlantis as well, but I was looking for a far bigger piece of Orpati.
Weaving between the huge chunks of stone, I located the large passage which had been created by the underwater miners. The entrance had collapsed, but I found a gap just big enough to wiggle through.
I made my way down the dark underwater tunnel, my anxiety rising as all around me rocks shifted and fell. I’d been ready to turn around when I felt the welcoming hum in the water.
It called to me, pulsing like a heartbeat through the murky water. My heart synchronized with the throbbing energy that had once been the heart of Atlantis. Lokene had been right. My body had fused with the Orpati during the fall of Atlantis when both my mother’s magik and Lokene’s magik had blended and merged with the earth’s magik.
It still held a significant amount of power. Not as much as before, but still unbelievably powerful… and I was betting I could use it.
Reaching the end of the cave, it narrowed before ending in a solid wall of stone. I cursed in frustration. Pressing my palms against the stone wall, I could feel the warmth radiating from the Orpati. It had to be on the other side of the wall. I just had to get to it.
I was going to need to blink, but it was scary to teleport with no idea of where I was going. Last time I’d done it, I landed myself in hot water. Literally.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to come up with another solution. Who knew what Lexi and Lily were doing with my mates?
Closing my eyes, I imagined where I wanted to be… which was looking at the Orpati. The world swirled, disappearing and reappearing. Opening my eyes, my hands were pressed against the warm Orpati.
My mouth dropped open. It was huge. Far larger than I had expected. It was nowhere near the size it had been in Atlantis. The original undamaged Orpati had been the size of a large building that was several stories tall. This piece was small by comparison.
I swam around the glowing stone. It was six meters high and four meters wide. Maybe it would be large enough to help me. Swimming forward, I pressed my hands against the turquoise surface.
Pushing everything from my mind, I focused on what needed to be done. I began to pull the magik of the stone into me. Electricity crackled up my arms, and my palms burned. It was a slow process, but I was afraid if I hurried, my body would overload from the amount of energy flooding into it.
Little by little, the magik poured into me while the stone’s brilliant glow paled. My tattoos glowed brighter with each passing second, and my skin burned as the magik licked across every inch of scale and skin.
When the last of the light drained from the Orpati, I slowly pulled my hands away. Powerful magik danced and twirled around me like a playful dolphin, eager to do my bidding.
Kneeling, I dug my fingers into the sand. I gave my magik a command, and it eagerly rushed to obey. I smiled as my magik quickly placed a barrier around Earth, blocking anyone from hopping between worlds. Lily and Lexi were trapped on Earth.
I dusted off my fingers. It was time to hunt.
If the world had been scared of me before, they were going to be positively terrified now.
My first order of business was to make sure my mates were safe. With my power crackling around me like a living creature, I didn’t even need to close my eyes to feel for the mate bonds.
My magik locked onto my men, and their locations came into sharp focus. I knew exactly where they were. Not wasting any time, I blinked from the underwater cave. A heartbeat later, I appeared in a dimly lit room, fully clothed and completely dry. I was definitely getting the hang of this.
I took in the room with a single glance, and what I saw lit a fuse on my rage that burned so hot that the floor beneath my feet heated, and the acrid scent of scorched wood filled the room.
Fynn and Storm were tied to chairs. Fynn looked up at me, relief and shock in his eyes. Storm didn’t look up and instead kept his gaze firmly on the dingy carpet. Using my magik, I scanned him for injuries, but there were none. What had Lily done to cause Storm to look away from me?
“I know you sent Lokene and Bion to look for me.” Lily stood behind Storm, holding a knife to his neck and pressing deep enough that it pierced his skin. A thin trickle of blood trailed down Storm’s throat and, for a moment, I stood transfixed as the siren tried to push forth and rip her throat out. Hasty and foolish choice. I tried to decide my next move.
“If you move, I will plunge this knife into his throat.” Lily’s unhinged grin left no doubt in my mind that she would do exactly what she said.
