Page 20 of Feral Gods
7
RAVIK
Dawn breaks cold and clear over Causadurn Ridge as I complete my third circuit of the temple's perimeter. The blizzard has stopped, leaving behind pristine snow that glitters like scattered neptherium under the rising sun. Beautiful, but dangerous—our tracks are now clearly visible to any pursuers. I kneel at the edge of a sheer drop, pressing my palm against the frozen ground, and channel a surge of elemental magic that sends tremors through the mountainside.
Snow shifts, then cascades downward in a controlled avalanche that obliterates all evidence of Thane's passage through the eastern tunnel last night. He has not yet returned from his raid on the dark elf encampment, though I sense no concern. Thane was always most at home in battle, even before our transformation. If anything, I worry he's enjoying himself too much to maintain the stealth his mission requires.
I rise, stretching wings stiff from the bitter cold. The temple stands behind me, ancient and imposing against the mountain face, its weathered stone exterior belying the awakening magic within. Zephyr's wards shimmer faintly at the edges of my vision—a lattice of protective spells that now envelop our sanctuarylike an invisible fortress. Not impenetrable, but formidable. It will give even Morwen pause, should the old witch accompany King Kres's forces.
The thought of Morwen stirs ancient rage within me. I still remember her eyes—cold violet orbs devoid of mercy—as she wove the curse that imprisoned us in stone. She had been an advisor to the king, trusted, respected. And she betrayed that trust as readily as the king betrayed his most loyal warriors.
A familiar anger burns in my chest, threatening to overwhelm rational thought. I master it with the discipline of centuries, channeling the emotion into the task at hand. Anger clouds judgment, and I cannot afford clouded judgment when so much hangs in the balance.
Including the human.
Kaia. The unexpected variable in what should have been a straightforward awakening and retribution. I had anticipated freedom would bring vengeance, not responsibility for a fragile human woman whose desperate plea somehow shattered enchantments that had held for centuries.
Yet here we are. And here she remains, under my protection, whether I willed it or not.
I make one final survey of the immediate area before returning to the temple, entering through a small side entrance rather than the main doors. Better to maintain the illusion that the structure remains abandoned, at least until we determine the full extent of the forces arrayed against us.
The inner corridors hum with rekindled magic, neptherium nodes glowing with blue-white light along the walls. Zephyr has been thorough in his work, reactivating defensive systems long dormant. I follow the sound of voices to the temple's central library—a circular chamber lined with shelves that once held the collected knowledge of ages. Most of the texts have crumbledto dust over the centuries, but some remain, protected by preservation spells cast by their original creators.
I pause at the entrance, observing the scene within. Zephyr sits cross-legged on a cushioned stone bench, a fragile scroll unfurled before him. Beside him—close beside him—sits Kaia, her dark curls falling forward as she leans to examine the ancient text. The light from the ceiling aperture catches copper highlights in her hair, creating a halo effect that emphasizes the delicate curve of her neck, the subtle point of her ear partially hidden by unruly strands.
She looks... rested. More vibrant than the half-frozen refugee who stumbled into our sanctuary three days ago. The shadows beneath her eyes have faded, and her cheeks show a healthy flush. The simple garment she wears—a tunic fashioned from fabric found in the temple stores—reveals the slender lines of her arms, the graceful arch of her collarbone.
Something stirs within me at the sight—a possessive heat entirely inappropriate to our circumstances. I clench my fists, talons digging into my palms. What madness is this? She is human. A temporary ward, nothing more. A debt to be repaid, then released.
Yet as Zephyr leans closer to her, pointing to some detail on the scroll, a low growl builds in my chest before I can suppress it.
Both heads turn at the sound. Zephyr's expression reveals nothing, though his eyes hold a knowing gleam that irritates me further. Kaia straightens, a smile breaking across her face like sunrise—warm, guileless, and directed at me.
"Ravik," she greets, the now-familiar cadence of her voice sending an inexplicable ripple of pleasure through me. "Zephyr's been showing me maps of the old tunnel systems beneath the temple. There are passages we didn't know about."
"Indeed?" I enter the chamber fully, wings folded tight against my back to navigate the narrow space between shelves. "And what strategic value do these passages hold?"
Zephyr rolls the scroll carefully, his movements precise and deliberate. "Potential escape routes, should we need them. Several connect to the larger cavern network that runs throughout Causadurn Ridge."
"The same network the vrakken claimed after their defeat," I observe, keeping my tone neutral despite the implications. Underground escape would mean confronting our ancient enemies, assuming any still dwell beneath the mountains.
"A risk, certainly," Zephyr acknowledges. "But preferable to facing Morwen's curse-craft again, should it come to that."
Kaia's eyes widen slightly at the mention of the purna witch. "You think she'll come herself? Not just send other witches?"
"Morwen was..." I hesitate, searching for words adequate to describe the ancient purna's particular brand of malevolence. "Thorough. She would not trust others to correct what she would view as a failure of her original curse."
"She would also be curious," Zephyr adds, his scholarly detachment failing to mask his unease. "A human breaking a purna binding of such magnitude? That alone would draw her attention, even without King Kres's command."
Kaia's expression falls, guilt shadowing her features. "So I've not only brought the king's forces down on you, but also the most powerful purna witch in Liiandor."
The self-reproach in her voice triggers an unexpected surge of protectiveness within me. "You have brought us freedom," I state firmly. "Whatever comes as a consequence, the debt falls in our favor, not yours."
Her hazel-green eyes meet mine, surprise and something warmer flickering in their depths. I hold her gaze perhaps a moment longer than necessary before turning to Zephyr.
"These tunnels. Show me."
Zephyr unfurls the scroll once more, gesturing me closer. As I move to his side, I notice Kaia shift subtly to make room, a small courtesy that speaks to her awareness of our physical presence. Most humans would cower or shrink away from beings of our size and appearance. Yet she adapts, accommodates, treats our monstrous forms as simply another aspect of her new reality.
