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He catches my wrists. "How did you do that?"
What? The healing? They ray of light?Regardless, the answer is the same.
I shake my head, feeling the gazes of Rayne, Onyx, and Dusk on us. "I don't know."
"Well, it was amazing," Dusk whispers, and he sounds tired, but not in pain.
I can’t focus on any of this now. That little bit of power is still pulsing inside of me, looking for direction, looking for a release. It’s not much, but it is something. And before I collapse in exhaustion, I want to use it.
Phantom has a gash on his arm. Blood darker than a human’s but still pungent with heavy metals slides down his arm and chest. I pull free of his touch, then reach tentative fingers toward him.
“I’ll survive,” he tells me.
“Please,” I whisper, and he doesn’t stop me as I place my fingers on his wound.
He seethes a sharp breath in then out as I focus on his injury, on healing it. But I have to push the sound away. I have to forget that I’m even a person. All I am is a tool for the magic, for these brave men.
I let the energy flow between us. My hands feel warm. My body is exhausted. But strangely, as my hands glow and the light spreads down his arm, it all feels natural, like this is what I've always meant to do. It only takes seconds, the sides of his flesh pulling together as the gash fades away, and then I’m done.
My power is done.
The light fades from my hands, and I shiver, pulling away from Phantom. "Better?"
"Better," he says, then signs to Onyx.
The big man signs back something I don’t know, then a sign I did know, "okay."
"Do you need me to try healing you?" I ask, letting my gaze run over him, even though I don’t think I have anything left.
He shakes his head, then stands, poised to fight. As if he can feel all of our exhaustion, and he's not yet ready to believe we're safe. Like he alone can protect us all. And somehow, as I look up at him, I believe he really could keep us safe from anything and everything. He's just so beautiful, towering and hulking over us like a guard. His long blond hair tied at the back of his head in a warrior’s tail, his dark eyes scanning the trees with narrowed eyes. He’s like… a god. A prince. A man more legend than reality.
I want to touch him, but I curl my fingers into my palms and try to push aside the feeling. There will be time for that later. For now, we need to get our men to the cave and check to make sure I've healed them enough.
“Help me.” I glance at Phantom, who, for such a big guy, moves with the grace of a gazelle. He lifts Dusk to an upright position. But as we get him to his feet, Phantom staggers, then shakes his head. He tries to take a step forward, then falls to his knees.
Onyx is there in an instant, saving Phantom from a face plant, letting his best friend lean on him as he half-carries him. Then, taking one of the torches and starting forward, he begins leading us through the dark woods, one arm wrapped around Phantom as he hauls him along.
“Come.” I motion for Rayne to help me with Dusk, but Dusk shoots Rayne a cautionary look and Rayne holds up both hands, stepping back as if worried about the guy who can barely stand.
Rolling my eyes, I shove myself under Dusk’s arm and wrap mine around his waist. His body is firm, warm, solid, but I treat him gently as I remind myself of his injury.
We make our way back to the tunnel that will take us to our smaller cave. Dusk is obviously trying to help, to not put all his weight on me, but the walk back to our little cave seems to take forever. I'm definitely sweating, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, and trying not to think about the battle... about my strange powers... about what refusing to leave with Rayne means.
“Thank you, Ann, for coming back.” Dusk's voice is husky and deep, and I can't help but look into his eyes. They’re pale and glowing with need, with desire so potent it’s like a caress against my skin. Which is just crazy. This guy was at death's door a moment ago, and now he's looking at me like he wants to jump my bones.
Oh yeah, and then my "dead" fated mate is alive in another man's body. So if I need things to be more complicated, well, they are. And I have the feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg of the problems heading our way.
"We thought we didn't need you,” he continues. "We were wrong."
"Yeah, you were," I say, trying to make light of this whole strange situation. But the truth is, it isn’t like I ever had a choice. I’m drawn to them, all of them, the same way I’m drawn to Rayne. “And I'll always come back.” It isn’t just pointless words. It’s a sentiment. One that is no more my choice than who I am is.
One that means I’m accepting that they’re right… that we’re something important to each other, even if I’m afraid to admit what that something is.
As we walk toward the cave, Phantom is leaning on Onyx in front of us, with Rayne following Dusk and I. “You brought a... friend.” Dusk stumbles and I catch him. I can’t deny what I know in my heart. The moment is upon us. I have to be honest, to tell them.
I nod, almost stumbling on a tree root before I right myself. “Yeah.” Never has a glare felt so powerful. “But it isn’t what you think.” They won’t guess. If I give them a hundred years, there’s no way they’re getting this one. And it isn’t like they’re going to like this story any better. “Adrik is Rayne.” That isn’t enough. “Rayne is Adrik.” Although God knows how I’m going to make this make sense. Even to me, a fae, it’s not usual. “Rayne’s ghost took Adrik’s body. I don’t know how, but I’m thinking because Adrik’s soul, mind, whatever, was already gone, it made it easy for Rayne to step into him. To use his body.”
“Rayne?” Phantom glances from me to Adrik’s body and back. “Wait.YourRayne? Yourmate?” He jabs a finger behind him at Rayne, who’s hanging back as we walk toward the tunnel.
