Should we care that you’re Azar too?Gordon asks.You cared about Liz the same in both forms.We really should have known.
I’m losing my patience.This has nothing to do with her—she’s human.
I disagree.Now Asteria’s landed next to us.Leaving her in that cage was wrong.If you really don’t care about her, then for a wedding gift, give her to me.
I said I don’t want anyone else bonding her.We need the information trapped in her head, so we can’t allow distractions.I frown.Why would you even want her?
I won’t bond her if that would bother you, but give her and the children to me.Taking care of them amuses me, and I can help restore her memories faster.You don’t remember, but she’s quite a warrior among their people.
I saw that she has the earth swords.
A gift from you.Asteria walks closer.She and I had become quite close.Her silvery body flows around the bend in the River Ölfusá like molten metal, sinewy and smooth.When she turns back to face me, she’s smiling.Go and get her.Bring her to me.
Until this moment, I never wanted to melt Asteria’s face off.It’s insane, of course.I don’t care whether my future mate wants the human—what’s she to me?Gordon and Rufus seem to think she’s extremely important, and the information in her head may be, but she’sjusta human.
Fine,I say.I’ll bring her if that’s what you want.
I launch into the sky as much to get away from Asteria before I do something unreasonable as anything else.When Gordon and Rufus follow, it irritates me further.Until I woke on Earth without any memory of the last few months, they’d never have followed me.
I’m happy they have wings.I’m delighted they’re stronger and more powerful, too, of course, but I wish they’d leave me alone already.
The way you reacted to her request...Gordon’s tone is smug, which is rich given how hard he’s having to work just to keep up with me.
What?
Rufus finally catches up, and he’s trying even harder to fly at this slow speed.That’s why we want you to free her.The way you reacted when the other blessed wanted to bond her—you may not remember her, but she’s yours.
Asteria wants her, and she can have her,I snap.
If you hand her over, you’ll regret it,Gordon says.
You were supposed to mate with Asteria before too,Rufus says.You didn’t do it, and you said you never would.
I’m heartily sick of them telling me what I want and what I said.When I finally land outside the volcano, I send the strike blessed and earth blessed I assigned to guard the cage away.On my way through the opening, I stop.
The flame emblem carved in the stone of the entrance is tiny.
The skulls below it are even smaller.
Do they really signify that Liz lost a life when she entered the volcano the last time?Can she enter again and come out unscathed a second time?Why don’t I remember anything?Maybe it has to do with my Azar half dying, but then I’d expect my memory loss to extend only to that point.
“Why are you back?”
Liz is sitting on the floor of the cage, one of the tiny human’s heads on her lap.The others are asleep around her, draped over her legs.As I move closer, a tiny puff of fur rises a few inches and starts making a strange sort of squeaking sound.
“Stop barking,” Liz whispers.“You’ll wake the babies.”
The tiny fluffy thing whimpers.She pats its head with affection, and she smiles at it.Something about the interaction bothers me.I hate how many things about her I don’t understand.What is that?
“You liked to pet her, before,” she says.“It’s a dog.Fluff Dog.”
I can’t pet things.One claw would flay her wide open.
Liz doesn’t argue with me.For some reason, that feels...off as well.
You aren’t going to insist that I did pet her as you said?
She shrugs.“Aren’t you supposed to be getting married?”
