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Blaze dragged a hand down his face. “We should get going. We have a long flight.”
I motioned to the girls. “We’re ready.” It’s not like we had anything to pack.
Nikkos took the girls in his arms. They squealed and pounded his shoulders. “Hurry, let’s beat your brother!”
Nikkos shot into the sky, his wings propelling him like streaming arrows.
I clutched my throat as I watched smoke trailing him like cannon fodder. I looked to Blaze, unnerved by the smoke and flame reflecting in his eyes, too.
I went to him when he held his arms out to me. He picked me up as if I weighed no more than a bag of feathers. I wrapped my arms around his neck, the warmth from his skin seeping into mine. He smelled delicious, his own sulfuric blend with a woodsy, feral undertone. I fought the urge to drag my fingers through his thick mop of hair and fill my lungs with his scent.
“Let’s go teach my brother a lesson,” he said with a wink, flashing a predatory smile. Somehow, I didn’t think he was speaking about Nikkos.
What had I done?
* * *
Blaze Inferni
Iwas so angry withmy brother, my vision clouded red. Not even holding sweet Shirina in my arms as we soared through the clouds could assuage my rage.
We followed our brother’s scent toward the direction of the ledge where we’d slept yesternight. Well, they’d slept. I’d spent most of the night tossing and turning on the hard ground while my worries plagued me. We couldn’t keep Shirina and the children secluded at Abyssus forever. Malvolia would call on us to answer for our disappearance, to explain to her why we failed to kill Derrick and Flora.
Then what?
We had to convince Shirina to join our queen’s side before that happened. And now my elements’ cursed brother just made that task even harder by telling her about Marius. Why hadn’t her parents told her about her other father, and what other secrets did they hide? Perhaps their deception would work in our favor, making it easier for us to turn her against them. I feared what would happen if she refused to bow to our queen. Nikkos and I would fight to the death to defend our mate. Would we have to fight against our fellow mages? Against Draevyn?
Speaking of the son of a siren, I spotted him the moment we broke through the clouds.
Nikkos and I dropped Shirina and the girls at the far end of the ledge. “Stay here,” I said to Shirina. “We’ll be right back.”
“Please don’t fight,” she pleaded, wringing her hands together while batting long lashes.
I was sorely tempted to give in to my beautiful mate, for something about the sparkle in her warm amber eyes compelled me to obey. But, no. Her honor must be avenged, not to mention, I would not tolerate threats to her safety. But even as I turned toward Drae’s figure, not much bigger than a speck of dust standing at the other end of the ledge, I felt compelled to turn back to Shirina and obey her wishes. She was a rare witch, a miraculous flower blooming among the ashes of war, which was why I had to fight Draevyn. I would not let him ruin my chance at bonding with her. I fought the urge to take her in my arms and kiss her senseless, but not until she was ready, and not while this rage was pumping through my veins. I suddenly realized her siren magic was controlling me. I shook my head to clear it of the fog that crept into my brain like tendrils of smoke luring me into her trance.
I looked over at Nikkos. He was staring at her with glazed eyes, his jaw slackened, drool hanging off his lip. Damn, she was good.
I latched on to Nikkos’s arm, dragging him with me. “Wake up, brother,” I growled in his ear.
He snapped his head toward me, looking at me as the haze cleared from his eyes.
I jerked him off the ledge and we shot back into the air, my gaze narrowing as I focused on our fool brother below.
We dropped in front of him, and I didn’t give him time to defend himself as I punched him in his nose again, the audiblecrackricocheting through the air.
“Ouch! Bastard!” Clutching his nose, he stumbled back. “What was that for?”
“You threatened to drop her, you son of a siren!” I hollered, flames sprouting from my hands.
Blood pooled around his hand as he held his nose. “She told you?”
“Why wouldn’t she?” Nikkos asked him.
His eyes lit up like a thunderous sky. “I didn’t mean it, and she knew it!”
I shook my head, disgusted by his response. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Drae?”
“She’s our mate, Drae.” Nikkos stepped up to our brother until they were nearly toe-to-toe in a surprising show of defiance. “Most Fae can go an entire lifetime without meeting their fated mates, and we found her, a beautiful and powerful witch.”
