“He wants to die.” Lucas moved up beside her.
Nikolai met the Morph’s steady gaze. “It would be for the best. I have started to drain my life energy. If I get it low enough, the next time Galeran uses me as a conduit, it should finish me.”
“No! You can’t do that!” Aria’s fingers dug into his arms.
“Nikolai.” Cara shook her head at him, the long forelock and mane dancing. “Listen to me. You are not what you think.”
Her speech lacked the usual unicorn accent—because it was a dream? She wasn’t really here? Nikolai didn’t know, but all he said was, “I am a Perditor. I have proved it.”
The large blue eye fastened on him. “You are, yes. But what you tap into can be used for so much more than mere destruction. It can also be used to heal.”
He frowned. “The Watchers are the healers.”
“They are, but they are limited. Imagine being able to heal the realms.”
It couldn’t be true. If it was, why wouldn’t Galeran use him to heal the land rather than destroy the inhabitants?
Cara seemed to follow his thoughts. “The Bellatis have always been those that paved the way for healing, rather than doing it themselves. Galeran may not think it is possible.”
Nikolai shook his head. “It might not be.”
Aria’s fingers squeezed his arms. “Nikolai, you healed Lucas. You have the ability to bring things back to life. Youcanuse your power for something other than death and destruction.”
Nikolai felt the first stirrings of hope. “If this is true, perhaps I can convince my father as well. We can stop the devastation.”
Cara regarded him through her wind tossed forelock. “Perhaps. But tell him nothing of our presence here, Nikolai. And let me show you how to disable the runes. It will take time to do so, and there are two that cannot be taken down in this way—the control rune connecting you to Galeran, and the lock rune, which is designed to keep the others in place. But if we disable those that are blocking your human half, you might be able to break free from the rest on your own.”
Nikolai looked from Cara to Aria. And then on to Lucas.
The Morph shrugged when Nikolai’s gaze met his own. “What have you got to lose? Talk to your father. But disabling the runes only makes sense. No family relationship responds well to chains.”
Nikolai had seen into Lucas’s memories, and he understood all the nuances of that comment. He nodded slowly.
“Okay. Show me what to do.”
“Lucas, Aria, lay one hand on me, and the other on Nikolai’s shoulder.” Cara lowered her horn to point at the center of his chest.
A small shiver ran through Nikolai. He may be temporarily powerless, but something within him responded to the threat the horn presented. He gritted his teeth and pushed the anger in him back.
Aria already had a hold on one hand. Lucas reached his to Nikolai’s bicep. The second the Morph made contact, the meadow exploded with a strange, wordless music. Brilliant green energy pulsed between the three of them, swinging wildly back and forth like an untamed pendulum.
Aria gasped, and Lucas’s eyes went almost pure emerald.
The white Unicorn uttered a small, satisfied sigh. “I love it when I’m right. Okay, here’s the scoop. The runes were created by weaving life energy into what we wrote on his skin. We will use music to eliminate them. Follow my lead. Aria and Lucas will lend you their life essences as we work.”
Nikolai nearly panicked. “What if I pull too much?”
“I won’t let you. Your own energy is really low at the moment, so we won’t be able to disable more than one or two this session.”
“How many are there?”
Her long ears flattened. “Fifty-three.”
Lucas stiffened and Aria’s mouth pulled straight. Nikolai exhaled. “That may take too long. If I can’t convince Galeran to change his plans, he’ll kill again.”
Cara nodded her long head. “Then let’s get going, shall we?”
Nikolai’s heart pounded, but he agreed, “Okay.”
