Nikolai agreed with him. Even if he pulled from the surrounding life to boost them, the forest was difficult enough for them to traverse during the day. Doing so at night would be nearly impossible.
They are at risk because of you.The voice had taken on a conciliatory tone.You need to consider what is best for them.
“It is me they are after,” he heard himself say. “If I left you, they’d leave you alone.”
“We’re in this together,” Aria cut in quickly.
Lucas stiffened. After a moment, he said, “Look, I consider myself a capable guy. I can navigate my way into and out of most situations. But I’m out of my league in this place. You can’t leave us in the middle of this mess.”
It was true. He couldn’t leave them. He couldn’t take them. And staying here overnight would only ensure the Watchers caught him.
“You have to take off my collar,” Aria said. “Then I can shift to Dragon.”
Yes,hissed the voice.That would work. Then she can leave and take the other one with her.
Unaware of Nikolai’s inner dialogue, Aria continued. “I can carry us out of here to that town.”
Lucas regarded her with astonishment. “Both of us?”
She tapped her foot. “Well, one at a time. My Dragon isn’t huge.”
If she could grow big enough, maybe she could carry both of them. “I suppose I could pump you power,” Nikolai offered.
Her eyes widened before she looked around at the rocks, and then up at the encroaching trees. “Not a good idea. I can’t get much bigger here, anyway.”
“Have you ever carried a rider?” Lucas, looking dubious as hell.
“No.” Aria turned to Nikolai. “Can you take the collar off, or not?”
His heart pounded. He could feel that the collar tied into her life essence. What if he removed it the wrong way, and it killed her?
I can show you how.
Nikolai’s stomach tightened into a knot. “I don’t know if I can remove your collar. Not safely, anyway.”
She straightened and faced him with her chin raised high. “That is my call to make. And we need my Dragon, or this is going to get messy. Correct me if I’m wrong.”
Lucas looked from her to Nikolai, and his mouth twisted. “She’s not wrong. These collars have to come off sooner or later. Considering the pond octopus, I’d prefer sooner.”
“That wasn’t an octopus,” Nikolai corrected.
“What wasn’t an octopus?” Aria stared at the big guy.
Lucas waved his hands in the air. “What tried to eat me.”
Her gaze moved to him and one sculpted brow rose. “Something tried to eat you?”
“I saved him,” Nikolai explained.
When the Morph’s fingers flexed, Nikolai noticed the man still had his Dragon talons.
Aria looked from him to Lucas, before her mouth straightened and she focused on Nikolai. “I want this collar off. Now.”
Nikolai knew nothing about removing the collars—but they ran on energy, and he seemed cursed with the ability to manipulate such things.
I can show you how,the voice stubbornly insisted.
Aria planted her fist on her curved hips. “Just try, Nikolai. If it starts to go wrong, you can always stop.”