Page 45 of What Whispers in the Dark
His wife pulled from his lips, eyes glowing with a silent question.
“Together,” Thalon said.
“Together,” she repeated.
Everlyn—Unleash Michael,he would never tire of that—nodded her head. And together, their backs rippled. Like flowers in spring, great and mighty pearly-white wings unfurled. Stretching wide in the sunlight.
By the stars, he’d seen hers at the Keep when they trained. When she had knocked him out of the sky because he was too dumb-struck by her stunning face to pay attention to her fist. But he never imagined he’d see them like this.
Apart from war, training, and saving a life, the only other times they could unveil them were on sacred days and places of worship. As sacred as this day.
“Stunning,” Thalon breathed, and he couldn’t help watching the blush scarletting his wife’s cheeks. “Absolutely stunning, sunshine.” He extended a hand, and as one, they turned to their friends—theirfamily.He opened his mouth to speak, regarding Aiden throwing rose petals in the air, but it was Garrik who stepped forward, face beaming.
“You are relieved of your duties for the night. Celebratewhereveryou please.”
Thalon didn’t need a second to decipher the meaning.
Garrik’s wolfish grin spoke volumes as he twisted a ring on his finger and said no more.
“Shut up,” Thalon growled when Garrik waggled his brows, almost as if pushing Thalon to flee with his bride. He would.Soon.
Garrik barked a laugh, which echoed off the mountain. “I saidnothing.” He paused a moment to prepare for Thalon’s incoming embrace.
Then Thalon’s arms toweled around Garrik’s neck.
Careful of his wings, his High Prince pulled him tight and held on, squeezing him as if the embrace of his brother recharged him and brought him strength.
Garrik said quietly enough for only Thalon to hear, “Try not to leave Airatheldra in ruins.” They pulled apart, and he added with light caution, “Do not fuck in my house.”
“Ah, but you have the comfiest bed.” Thalon punched his arm. “Don’t be selfish.”
One moment, their High Prince peered down at the wrinkles in his tunic where Thalon’s treasonous fist had been … and the next?—
Two considerable male bodies were rolling in the grass and dirt, staining the white cloak that slipped from Thalon’s body. His wings tucked in tight as he grappled for a hold on Garrik as they both wrestled for purchase.
Garrik’s laugh sprang around the arena as Thalon choked on air because Garrik—that damn bastard—began ticklingthatspot on his wings. Ticklish—a starsdamn Guardian beingticklish.
Garrik rolled onto his back, his entire body shaking with laughter as he held Thalon in a headlock on top of him. “Me?Selfish? I’m deeply insulted.”
“I couldn’t tell,” Thalon choked out as Garrik released his hold and slipped to the ground on his knees beside him.
The quick roll of green eyes staring down at them could have summoned a mighty wind. Jade shook her head and mumbled, “Faelings,” while Thalon jumped to his feet and pulled Garrik to his.
A voice that could stop the realm from turning singsonged along the males’ heavy breaths as footsteps approached. “Husband.”
Thalon turned to catch Eldacar hugging Everlyn, then Jade wrapped her arms around her, brandishing a smile over that usually unamused face.
With one final, theatrical spinning hug from Aiden, catching her cloak and wings in the wind and fluttering thefeathers, his bride stepped beside him, facing the edge of the cliff and the wide-open sea-filled horizon.
With nothing more than a quick spin of an emerald-inlaid ring on his tattooed finger—a key to Airatheldra that he normally kept secured in his chambers—Thalon called on his powers, and a whirling storm of lightning and thunderclouds erupted at the cliff’s edge, waiting for them to pass through.
Before the portal swallowed them entirely, Thalon called out, “See you in a few weeks.”
Garrik answered, “See you tomorrow.”
In Garrik’s tent, Thalon pleaded for that memory to remain for more than one reason. They had returned from a month away in Airatheldra when it had only been a night in Elysian. None of them knew that in five short days, at Magnelis’s ascension celebration, Garrik would be taken. That he, Jade, Aiden, Eldacar, and Everlyn, would return from Illmataria months later to Garrik suffering in a dungeon.
Thalon pulled away, sitting upright on the bed. His gaze fell to the scar on Garrik’s neck. It wasn’t long before he trailed his eyes down the wrinkled fabric of his tunic. Down his arms to his smooth wrists … knowing what Garrik’s magic concealed.
