Page 118 of The Rebel Seer

There was the sound of wind whooshing overhead, violent and threatening. Like he suspected a hurricane would sound, but he held his ground. The group moved in, surrounding Rhys and Meadow.

She reached out a hand, the other lifting toward that wind above them. She yelled over the cacophony of storm Rhys was creating. “Hold on.”

In an instant, he was in the storm.

He forgot what it was like to want to empty the contents of his stomach on the ground and hold his head after a long night of drinking. That’s what it felt like being tossed and turned inside the eddy wind. The ground below flashed by, and he caught glimpses of lightning and felt his body shake with the cracking of thunder.

And then he was falling. Right on his ass.

Daniel managed to catch Neil first, and Lee landed on his feet, turning so he could catch Brendan’s wolf, who seemed to be trying desperately to find the ground, all four legs spinning.

Cassie dropped down in a perfect imitation of Black Widow, one knee on the ground, fist balancing her, head down. She grinned as she looked up. “That was so fucking cool.”

Rhys managed to stay on his feet, brushing his clothes off like nothing happened.

Meadow was last, but she eased down out of the cloud like she could ride the very air around her. She sighed as she hit the ground, straightening her skirts. “You did not enjoy the journey, husband?”

Oh, he had not, but he loved the sound of her voice calling him that name. He hopped up, each movement easy and graceful. Even his eyesight seemed better since he fed from her the night before. His companion. His love. His wife. “Any journey with you is a wonderful one.”

She grinned his way even as the rain began to fall again. “I promise next time will be easier. It’s obvious the king has done this before.”

Daniel nodded. “I have, and I can safely say you are a much better driver than my partner. Who is here.” He closed his eyes and took a long breath. “I can smell him and my wife.”

Rhys’s irises filled his eyes. He was more god than man now and seemed larger than he was before. As though his magic broadened his physical form. Sasha noted that the grass around him had grown and the tall aspens seemed to bend, trying to get close to the Green Man. “My mate is here. She is frightened.”

Neil and Brendan moved toward a path that seemed to lead out of the woods. Neil barked and his head came up, letting Sasha know he had the scent.

“Son, be careful.” Daniel stood in front of Rhys. “Myrddin is dangerous. We need to rescue them before we take out our rage on him. Do you understand?”

Rhys nodded and began to follow his uncle.

“I’m letting Ossie take over for now. Know that we are so eager to continue whatever path this leads us to as long as we share it with you,” Meadow said, looking up at Sasha. “Whatever happens. I think we were meant to find each other in this fashion. I think she was meant to complete us, to be with us forever.”

He reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips and letting the feeling of peace wash over him. “We will be together. You and I and Ostara. Come what may.”

It was in their wedding vows. They said the normal things. Sickness and health—though apparently they should have added in something about a crazy woman taking his memory and experimenting on him for years—but they added the words come what may.

She went on her toes and kissed him, and when she lowered herself down again, Ostara’s eyes were staring at him. “You mean this? You can love me?”

He followed his instincts and pulled her close. This was what Zoey had always known. Bris was a part of Devinshea. Ostara was a part of his wife. They had not always been together, but they found each other in this life. This time it was right.

Even if it might not be for long.

He hugged her tight. “I already love you, dushka.”

She shuddered as though a sense of deep relief passed through her. When she tilted her head up, there was alarm there. “I can feel something. We have to move. There is dark magic at work here.”

What began as rain rapidly became snow given the high altitude they found themselves in. All around them was winter, with patches of green where Rhys and Ostara walked. Sasha followed them up the trail. Now he could smell the high priest and the queen. He could smell blood and fear and desperation.

“Is that who I think it is?” Daniel asked, standing beside Lee. If he felt the cold, he didn’t show it. He stood tall, his claws out. Whatever the king was feeling from the spell Myrddin had sent out, he wasn’t going to allow it to stop him.

Up ahead, Sasha could see a dark-haired man, his hands in shackles. He wore nothing that would tell Sasha he meant to come into the mountains this day. His tall body shivered in the wind.

“Is that Dev or the other one?” Cassie asked.

“It’s the other one,” Sasha replied.

“How can you tell?” Cassie held her machete like it was a lifeline.

---