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Dres and Niall shook their wings out, flexing a couple of times before wrapping them around their designated partner and pushing off the ground. I tried to do the same, flexing the way the baby dragon had shown me to call on my wings, and they emerged, but judging by the hiss that Kai let out, they wouldn't be taking me anywhere any time soon.
"Maker, what the fuck happened to them?" Kai asked as he came to stand in front of me.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw the angry red flesh. There were a couple of feathers here and there, but nothing major, nothing that would make anyone think these were supposed to be wings. "El Dorado tried to burn them off," I said with a shrug as I pulled them back into myself. "Would you mind carrying me?"
"You mean, would you mind if I hold my wife and take her where she wants to go?" He grinned at me and looked so boyish for a moment that my heart melted. "Not at all. My talons will be sharp, though."
"Noted." I gave him a firm nod, and he stripped, making my mouth go dry with need. One day soon, Kai and I would get some alone time, or maybe he'd be willing to join in with the guys, anything that wasn't sex in front of a bunch of strangers. I didn't particularly want to do that again.
"Stop looking at me like that, or I won't be able to shift," he growled.
I spun away from him, so I had no choice since I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep the heat out of my gaze otherwise. A moment later, the sound of talons scratching on the rock floor pricked my ears, and when I turned, an eagle that could have been out of Lord of the Rings stood there. Its massive wings unfolded and barely had enough room to move as he lifted off the ground and picked me up. We made it up the stairs in only a few beats of his wings. When we landed, it was right in front of the surprised faces of the other guys.
"I knew you'd be able to go big, but I had no idea it was that big," Griff said as he let out a low whistle.
Kai started to shift back, and I turned away, giving him some privacy and forcing myself not to ogle him.
"Your wings will grow back. It just takes time," Niall said quietly as he pulled me to him in a bear hug.
I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled into his chest, just breathing in the scent of him. All of my guys were comforting in their own ways, and I never would have imagined I'd be able to think of Niall in the same way, but I was so glad I did. He really was one of our little family, and that made my heart happy.
Mine, too,he said as he dropped a kiss on the top of my head.
"Oh!" I jerked away from him. "Would they have sensed our arrival? Dres, could you reach out to the queen and let her know where we are? And that I have all the stones?"
"And where are we exactly?" Niall still wasn't letting me go completely, but I didn't mind.
"Under the temple on the outskirts of Atlantis. If we follow this hallway, it will bring us to the main room. At least, that's what happened last time, but that was before the temple kind of collapsed."
"Oh. Good." Niall's voice was tight with worry, so I squeezed him and rubbed my hand up and down his back.
"Come on. Only way out is through." I set off, moving between my guys until I was walking through the hallway I'd been through on my first trip to Atlantis.
They grumbled a bit behind me, but we made our way up to the temple. It was only at the last window that the giant turtle appeared. I dashed forward and placed my hand on the glass. "It's good to see you alive, friend," I said quietly. It was strange to feel so attached to an animal I'd only interacted with a few times, but each time had been momentous, apparently. Not only was it there the first time I walked this path, but it saved me when I fell in the water, or at least it tried to, and according to Finn, it saved me when I was poisoned as well.
Its fin smacked against the glass and rested over my hand. A wave of relief flowed into me, and I tried my best to send love and thanks back.
"Talking to the animals? You really are like a princess, you know that?" Kai said as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around me.
"Say thank you to the turtle for saving my life. Twice." I tried to say it in a scolding tone, but it didn't really work.
Dutifully Kai replied, "Thank you, turtle friend. I appreciate you saving my wife."
The others caught up with us then. "Was that..." Finn's words died on his tongue as though he wasn't sure I wanted to discuss either time the turtle saved my life.
"Yep, my savior." I smiled and pulled Kai along with me until he released his hold on my waist and settled for my hand.
We finally came out into the room with the crystals in it, only this time, most of them were shattered. It made my heart ache at all the destruction that had occurred because of this. The temple had been so damn beautiful when I first arrived, and it still was, but in more of an apocalyptic way.
I started to pick my way over the rubble and through the center of the temple to the statue and throne-like structure at the front. The sound of shifting glass had me looking over my shoulder, and I saw Dres rummaging through the fragments of the crystals.
"Were you able to talk to the queen?" I asked as I waited to try and see what he was doing.
He glanced at me while moving pieces of crystal out of the way. "Yeah, she said she'd be over as soon as she could but to go ahead with whatever your plan is. She sounded stressed, like Atlantis is still struggling after the changes from when we were here before."
"Changes?" Niall asked.
"Yeah, the waters turned purple, and the sea beasts, massive, ancient beings, seemed to die when we got the first stone. It sent Atlantis into a bit of chaos," Finn said, sounding dejected.
