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Chapter Five
Shirina Avias
Asharp pain in mystomach startled me awake. After I extricated a tiny elbow from my gut and gently nudged Aurora away, I blinked up at the cavern ceiling above me, smoke from the dying fire curling toward the rough stone. It took me a moment to remember where I was and what had happened, but then my eyes filled with tears as memories came rushing back. My parents had betrayed us, Tari was alive, and my three fated mates, Malvolia’s fire mages, had tried to kill my parents. A shiver raced across my bones, and I sat up, wrapping my arms around myself. My nieces were snuggled in my cloak, and the morning was especially cool. I looked outside the cavern opening as pink threads of morning sunlight illuminated our small space in a soft glow.
I worried what might have happened to my mates. Had they gone hunting for breakfast, or had they abandoned us to go kill my parents? A shiver of dread coursed up my spine at the thought. But, no, Nikkos and Blaze wouldn’t abandon us. Draevyn, maybe, but not his brothers.
My racing heart slowed and then picked up again when I spotted two winged silhouettes flying in our direction. Vain as I was, I quickly swept back my hair before pinching my cheeks and pressing my lips together to add more color. How I wished I had a comb and a clean change of clothes. My heart fluttered faster when I could make out the smiling faces of Nikkos and Blaze.
They landed with such grace, barely making a sound as their feet touched the ground. Tucking back their massive wings, they ducked into the cavern. My stomach rumbled when I saw Blaze carried a net with two big, fat fish.
“Good morning,” Nikkos said to me, beaming as he heaped more wood onto the fire. “Sleep well?”
I looked down at my sleeping nieces, their little mouths open, and their arms and legs sprawled wide while they gently snored.
“As good as I could,” I said to him. “You?”
He rolled his head and shoulders, his thick arms and chest flexing with the movement. “It was nice to give my wings a rest.”
“Thank you for carrying us,” I said, biting my lip. “I know it makes flying harder.”
He laughed at that. “The girls weigh no more than a bag of feathers.” He waggled his brows. “I’m looking forward to getting a turn carrying you, though.”
Heat flooded my face at that. I would love to have Nikkos carry me, though I would be far too tempted to kiss those full lips. Plus, I feared my nieces would be miserable if Draevyn carried them. I didn’t trust him to be kind, which meant I’d probably be stuck with him the entire trip. The thought of being held by him again made my stomach churn with unease.
Blaze set the fish net on a stone slab and threw a burst of flame at the dwindling fire. The girls stirred when the blast of heat hit us. Ember was the first to wake. Eyes heavy with sleep, she crawled across her sister and climbed into my lap. I rocked her in my arms, stroking her hair while watching the men prepare the fish.
My mouth watered when Nikkos pulled a pan and a grate out of his bag and seasoned the fish with oil and spices. Blaze pulled out a loaf of crusty bread and a tin of what I hoped was jam. The girls would be thrilled.
Aurora sat up, her nostrils flaring while the fish cooked in oil.
“I’m hungry,” she said, rubbing her belly.
“I’m working on it,” Nikkos said with a wink.
Blaze put three slices of bread on a plate and slathered them with what turned out to be honey.
“Who wants some bread?” he asked.
“Me!” Ember scrambled off my lap, acting as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks.
