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“So it was because of them that I went into heat. Lucius…” She paused on his name, and Demos could hear so much in her voice: love, desire, heartache, and an unbreakable bond. “Lucius saved me, though. And from that I was claimed.”
“With your consent?” He couldn’t help the bite contained in his question.
But she smiled, it was both sad and wondrous. “Of course. And things were truly wonderful. Up until yesterday.” She shook her head, and the white locks that were a tangled mess around her shoulders shimmered in the light. “Anyway, I met the Sapera of Ordelpho. Went through the rite of Delphos, then got caught up in all this White Queen craziness.”
He nodded. “Lady Lordes said you had gone through the rite. That was very brave, Sierra.”
Her smile was rueful. “Well, I don’t know about that. I seemed to have bitten off more than I can chew. I just want to live my life, Demos.” She stopped walking and placed her cool hand on his arm. “Seems like every time I try to start, something keeps me from doing it.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but a presence in the woods alerted him. Demos grabbed her hand and tucked her into his side.
It was only Phobius. Demos relaxed and resumed walking, but with Sierra close by.
In a whoosh of black wings, the crow flew beside them, then shifted into man, effortlessly walking beside Demos without missing a step.
“Brother,” Phobius greeted.
“Well?”
“About an hour south. Since they are on horseback, they should be here any moment.”
“Lucius?” Sierra asked, leaning forward to catch Phobius’ eye.
“Indeed. And they’ll have adequate clothing for you.” Dark blue eyes scanned her from crown to feet, and Demos growled, pulling Sierra behind him to meet his brother face to face.
Phobius raised an eyebrow. “Already?” He chuckled. “You couldn’t wait until you at least found an inn?” Tsking, Phobius crossed his arms and shook his head. “I take it when we meet up with the others, you’ll be staying with them, then.”
Demos said nothing. He felt… strange. Bigger, wilder. Naked.
Of course he did. He’d bonded with her. All his life he had thought a bonding like he and Sierra had was a myth, but no. He could… feel her inside his skin, her being lying on his heart, her soul whispering in his blood.
He realized he was growling.
“By the Wind,” Phobius said, stepping back just enough to let Demos know that, whatever his brother saw in his stance, it was dangerous. “This will be interesting to watch unfold.”
“What?” Sierra asked, trying to go around Demos. “What’s going on now?” But he held her back, his arm out.
“Want me to tell her you’re losing control?”
Demos started. This whole time they’d been speaking in their mother tongue and he hadn’t even been aware of it.
“By the Wind” was right. Whatever the bond had unleashed, Demos’ faculties were compromised.
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on? “
The cocky act dropped away as Phobius took in his brother. “I suggest you fly, Demos,” he said, ignoring her pleas. “Get some of that out of your system before you meet the others. We’re about to meet two other hot-heads any minute now. We don’t need three.” Before him was the Phobius Demos knew before things between them grew too weighty, too murky, too… tender. “I’ll stay by her side until you return. Take as much time as you need.”
Can I trust him? The question seemed to float from the void. And it was more proof that he wasn’t in his right mind. He and his brother might not get along, and the Mother knew how much bad history stood between them, but the day Demos stopped trusting his brother…
He nodded. “I won’t be long.” He turned to Sierra now. “Everything is fine. I’ll be right back. Stay with Phobius and keep walking. Lucius and his men will be here in no time. I’ll be flying over you.” He kissed her confused face and shifted, becoming his owl. He didn’t miss the gasp that escaped her, nor the widening of her eyes before he glided into the trees and sky.
He’d need to pull himself together quickly, because seeing Sierra’s other bond mate might just make him lose what little control he had right now.
Chapter Eighteen
Sierra
As I watched my love, my heart, transform from man to bird, I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Demos was… an owl. Not just any owl, but my owl. The one Lucius, ironically, had gifted me that day in Port Minerva. The fact had me reeling, especially seeing it happen right in front of me. It was so shocking to my mind, that I simply put it in a box of things I didn’t have time to examine.
