“You don’t get to make that judgment, Lucas. That is up to Aria.”
His eyes popped open. “Why would she choose someone like me?”
Cara sighed. “If I’m right, she’s also chosen Nikolai.”
Lucas snorted. “Nikolai is gorgeous. All muscles and barely—well, okay, not at all—leashed power. Irresistible.”
“He has the power to destroy us all in an eyeblink,” Cara reminded him. “But he can’t ever do what you can do—join Aria in the sky. So your Dragon theory doesn’t fly. So to speak.”
Lucas stared at her. It was true. No matter how powerful Nikolai was, he couldn’t carry Aria to the clouds any more than Lucas could.
When he didn’t reply, Cara twirled her fingers at him. “While you ponder that through, lie flat and I’ll work on your muscles.”
“They’ll heal on their own.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Always with the argument. We need you in peak shape for this next bit. So shut up and let me heal you.”
When an intensified glare didn’t budge the determination in her gaze, he huffed and lay on his back. He couldn’t help but wince as he pushed back the comforter to his waist.
But as the Watcher laid her soothing hands on him. The air surrounding them swirled with warmth and a music that he couldn’t quite decipher as she knitted his torn muscles back together. He closed his eyes and tried to make sense of his chaotic thoughts. He didn’t entirely buy into Cara’s theory. Nikolai was more than worthy of Aria, despite his inability to fly.
Him, not so much.
A soothing warmth that spread through him slowly replaced the pain. His thoughts slowed, and his eyes grew heavy.
Cara pulled the comforter up to his shoulders. “There. Rest for a bit. I’ll wake you when you and Aria are ready for another round of rune removal.”
He nodded, but didn’t meet her eyes as she smiled at him, and left. The muscles no longer hurt, and his thoughts had settled on a single conclusion that provided him with a goal, even if it wasn’t the one he’d dreamed of.
He’d stick with this until they’d saved Nikolai. If they could save Nikolai. Then he’d leave Aria and Nikolai to their lives, and pursue his own elsewhere.
41
The two Bellatis guarding the doorway stiffened as Demeti walked through it, but they didn’t stop him.
The Torshin wasn’t alone. With him came another who looked younger, with dark white-streaked hair.
Demeti’s eyes gleamed as he approached Nikolai. “Well, don’t you make a pretty Unicorn.” He gestured to the younger Torshin. “This is my brother, Finn. Don’t think we had time for introductions when we last, um, met.”
Nikolai flattened his ears. The last thing the realms needed were two Torshins. But he was powerless to do anything other than glare.
Demeti grinned as he moved closer. Nikolai swung his head, hitting the chains hard. He bared his teeth and snapped at the air.
The Torshin’s grin broadened as he avoided the swinging horn and walked alongside Nikolai. He reached out a hand to trail sharp fingernails along his ribs, then down his flank.
“Such a studly Unicorn,” he purred. “Look, Finn. Like melons, they are. What fun we will have with him.”
Finn mirrored his brother’s smirk. “Remember the centaur on Riigir?”
“Oh, yes. This guy’s more impressive, I think.”
Finn’s smirk widened. “Well, he is a Unicorn.”
Demeti flattened his fingers as he slid them beneath Nikolai’s flank, dancing them along the bare skin. Nikolai shuddered as he was flooded with the Torshin’s energy. Even fresh off the source, it was like touching swamp mud—it mentally reeked of corruption.
As the fingers traced their way to his groin, Nikolai clobbered him with the only thing not chained to the floor—his tail. The long hairs whipped across the Torshin’s pale skin and left red marks in their wake.
The fingers didn’t pause in their progress, but traced their way to the goal, revolving to cup his weight—
