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“Damn.” Priel whistled. “He’ll brag about this for the next decade. First bastard to learn about poisonous blood.”
I had a feeling he’d be bragging about something much bigger than the blood.
Like the creatures no one had mentioned yet. I’d need to warn everyone, but I wasn’t sure how.
“He smells mated,” North said, frowning a bit as she looked over at me, Mare, and Presley.
Priel’s eyes jerked over to me too, and my throat swelled.
I wasn’t ready to rehash this a dozen times.
I needed to eat, and sleep, and know that Teris was alright.
“He and Naomi fell in love before she met Aev,” Nev said. When I shot him a grateful look, he dipped his head in a nod. “They were both waiting for the other to choose them, from the sound of things.”
When everyone turned back to me, I nodded to confirm what he’d said.
“Damn.” Priel sounded impressed. “What a bastard.” There was fondness in his voice, though. “Did you tell him about sex, too?”
I jerked my head in another nod, my face heating.
He gave me a feral grin. “He must’ve really loved you to keepthatsecret.”
“Back off,” North murmured to him, though she didn’t sound annoyed or frustrated in the slightest. “We need to get her something to eat.”
“I’m okay,” I said, though the words sounded uneven.
She nodded at me, but tugged Priel off toward the huge kitchen where there was always someone cooking something.
When my eyes followed them into the forest, I noticed more fae gathered around us, behind us, listening. I forced my gaze to scan the trees, and the more I looked, the more people I saw.
Both male and female fae…
And so many ex-human women.
My eyes jerked back to Fovea, and I saw that her brands were gone. She gave me a small smile. “The goddess visited me, before she passed on. She told me about the creatures she used you to create—the ones that are meant to protect us. We have fae and klynnas watching out for them. It’ll take time for you to learn how to guide them.”
I nodded quickly, my eyes stinging a little.
She knew—thank the goddess. I wasn’t going to have to figure out a way to break the news without becoming enemy number one again.
“Did more humans come through when you lost your brands?” I asked her.
“Yes. Now, there are nearly enough of us to balance out the men.” Her smile widened slightly. “And I’m pregnant. Life-bringers are not the only female fae who can take mates and grow children. It’s a gift from the goddess—she changed us, when she realized she was starting to fade.”
I nodded again, my lips curved up in a tiny smile of my own. “I’m happy for you.”
“And I’m happy you’ve found the male who was truly meant to love you. Even in a world as magical as ours, fate doesn’t haveallof the answers.”
A golden dragon came spiraling through the trees, and landed hard with a blue-haired female clinging to his back. Oren shifted back, taking her hand as she stepped up to his side and slid her fingers between his. “Here.” She held a simple wooden cup out toward Ervo, who still kneeled beside Teris, and relief sagged my shoulders.
They’d found the root.
He was going to be okay.
Ervo grabbed the cup and carried it back to Teris. He had the contents down my sabertooth’s throat a moment later, and the forest went silent as everyone waited.
“Presley?” an angry male voice boomed through the forest, and I looked at the tall, slim phoenix shifter next to me. She rolled her eyes, though her cheeks were pink.
