Bellati energy flared. One touch sucked the life straight from the skin of his arm, leaving blisters. He staggered as it penetrated deeper, draining him. There were too many, and another managed a direct hit to his ribs, leaving scorched flesh in its wake. It felt like it took a chunk of his soul with it.
And suddenly, the Dragons were there, their huge bodies moving in a way that should have been impossible, but somehow, wasn’t. Impervious to the Bellati’s blasts, they reduced the battle to the swing and thrust of their weapons.
Hands grabbed Lucas’s arm, and he was yanked back into the tunnel. The fighting continued here, Dires and Sabres and Dragons against Bellatis, who now had an air of desperation.
Aria continued to guide him until they stood near the entrance. Lucas shivered violently. He couldn’t hold the morph for one second longer, and he let it go, embracing his own form. Naked, he shook all over, and Aria wrapped her arms around him.
Nikolai?Lucas reached for him.
Nikolai’s presence enfolded him.I’m on my way, Lucas. Galeran’s hold isn’t gone, but the remaining rune is too weak now to threaten my control.
And then Lucas sensed it—every hair on his body stood on end as the gate in the central cavern flared, and then closed.
Galeran.
Nikolai snarled the word through the link, his mindvoice booming, like he stood directly behind them.
No,gasped Aria.
But Lucas knew the truth. Galeran had run, rather than face what came for him.
A moment later, a tall human form strode through the swirling snow. Nikolai’s eyes blazed a mix of darkness and silver light. He stepped close to them, enveloping them within the protection of his arms as the black fog swirled off his skin and red lightning cast the tunnel in an eerie glow.
Lucas basked in the heat blazing off the Liberi’s skin and the vibrant link that surged between the three of them. Then, with a single gesture, the Perditor brought the wind down the mountain. It screamed past them and through the tunnel, flattening everyone in its path.
Nikolai’s long hair writhed as though it were alive. As forms groaned their way back to their feet, his voice thundered at them.
“Galeran has abandoned you. It is over. If you wish to live, you must serve me.”
The Dragons and Sabres staggered to one side, weapons held ready. But one by one, the surviving Bellatis dropped to their knees.
They lay their horn spikes down on the ground and bowed their heads to the Perditor.
* * *
Aria stroked Mai as she gazed off into the jungle.
Usually scritching her fingers through the soft fur soothed her spirit, but this time, her spirit refused to cooperate.
Her entire body seemed to be rebelling against something. She kept breaking out in cold sweats, followed by flushes of heat that left her panting with a need she had difficulty defining. Or rather, denying.
Despite being exhausted, she hadn’t slept since they’d returned. Every time she tried, she tossed and turned and ended up out here, petting Mai and debating sprouting wings.
She’d also done that a few times. But she prowled the skies just as restlessly, for once finding no solace in the wind rushing over her wing membranes.
Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Nikolai was still in Elandriel. She’d wanted to go with him, but Cara had insisted that she and Lucas return to the cave on the island of New Britain. The Watcher had muttered something about not having all the eggs in one basket—when Aria pushed for clarity, she had admitted that the Elders might be tempted to hold Lucas and her as leverage to keep Nikolai in Elandriel. It was better, she’d said, to not give them the option.
It had taken Aria a minute to realize what that meant—that the Elders couldn’t hold Nikolai in Elandriel even if they wanted to. Any authority they may have had over him, had come to an end.
The Elders had spent the last two days debriefing him and the Bellatis. They had hoped to use Nikolai’s connection to Galeran in an attempt to determine where he might be hiding. Unless Galeran disabled the other rune, it would continue to bind him to Nikolai, although that connection was now weak. But Nikolai had tried to use his father’s telepathy to track him, as well as the others who were in hiding with him, without success.
He’s too smart to be trapped in that way.Nikolai was very good at listening in on her internal debates. With him in Elandriel, his mindvoice was faint, but clear. Now, however, she sensed him hesitate before saying,Have you talked to Lucas about how you are feeling?
He’s gone monosyllabic on me. I can’t get him to mindspeak at all. He’s closed me off.
He’s done that to me, as well.Another pause, before he continued.Cara is worried about the two of you. She says Lucas might be in crystal-dust withdrawal.
Aria considered.He’s flown alone a few times as a Dragon. When I asked about it, he just shrugged and said it helped him deal with things.
