Page 74 of Magic Hunted
“We’ll heal it first,” Shanyirra said.
We stood next to her and put our hands to the wall. Her magic encased our hands and I released my magic. Serafine’s golden magic ran along the cracks, zooming too fast to track. Together our power lit up in rivers of glittering light and when they faded the dome was unmarked.
“It’s done,” Shanyirra said.
“For now,” I whispered to myself. It was fixed again, but if we didn’t get to the Conclave, it would be for nothing.
“Let me open a doorway,” Serafine said. Waves rippled along the surface where she touched the dome. Glitter cascaded outward large enough for the warbugs to pass through.
“I’ll leave now and wait for you where it’s safe to resurface,” Taredd said to me.
“Stay safe, child. Stay safe, all of you. You are more precious than you can ever conceive,” Shanyirra said.
Taredd yelled orders to the elves before wrenching the reins on his warbug. A tremor ran through the ground as they cleaved new holes into the earth and dissipated quickly from underfoot in their haste.
“I’ll get the draugrs,” Naet said, disappearing down a pathway and into the forest.
I must have had a quizzical expression on my face, because Anise said. “They’re our ride since our dragon forms will be too large to fit into the tunnels.”
Serafine unbuttoned her dress. “Use the energy from the ley lines. They’ll help us run faster.”
I stilled, my brow creasing. “Ley lines?”
Serafine nodded. “The golden lines in the earth. The natural magic our animals can perceive.”
Those were the golden lines that had given me power. “I’ve seen them, but I didn’t know what they were.”
Anise nodded. “We’re different from other shifters. I think it’s because of the grimoire, but you’re only the third person I know who can see them. We can use the magic to give our animals an energy boost.”
“I’ve experienced that too,” I said.
Her lips quirked. “I think there’s a story behind that. When we’re safe, I’d love to hear it. I’ll tell you when my dragon saw her first ley line. Or more specifically, how my mates reacted to it.”
“Do you want to be my friend?” I blurted, too shocked for anything more subtle. “After everything I did to the wolves?”
Anise was the wolves’ adopted sister. She’d seen the pain I’d caused her brothers-by-choice. I hovered on the cusp of uncertainty, tilting between hope and acceptance that she should not.
She leveled a flat stare at me. “There is still some healing we all need, but circumstances require us to grow and forgive. Don’t you think?”
“I didn’t expect forgiveness. The best I was aiming for was civility,” I said.
Anise took my hands in hers. “Everyone knows what being controlled by The Six is like. This life is harsh. If I can make the world a better place, then I will. And that means not keeping hold of petty grievances no one had a choice in.”
“I…thank you.” I squeezed her fingers, unable to speak any more because my throat was closing around a complex web of emotions. Astonishment warred with gratefulness, capping the mess beneath. Through the grimoire, I’d found my mates. And now a friend. The thing I’d believed had destroyed my life now was rebuilding.
A grumbling bellow caught both our attention as Naet appeared from the forest holding the reins of four beasts trundling behind him. These beasts were as alarming as the warbugs. Four horns corkscrewed from a shaggy mop of manky-looking, dark brown fur. Tusks curved from powerful jaws out of which wicked serrated teeth jutted from a massive underbite. They’d been mounted with a saddle that somehow fitted into the rows of triangular ridges along their backs and down their tails. They pinned their orange eyes on us as they clomped after the dragon alpha.
“What in the seven hells are those?” I whispered.
Anise smiled as she patted the head of the ugliest beast of the lot. “This is Nimbar and they are draugrs from beneath the dragon mountain.” To my horror, she kissed the forehead of the beast who appeared besotted with Anise. “They’re from Faerie.”
“Ahh.” I shivered, wondering what other beasts would be in Faerie if the warbugs and draugrs were a sample.
“Little mate, we have to go,” Damon said. He helped Anise into her saddle and then leapt on top of his own massive beast.
“Haera, we have to Change,” Ashir said. I drew into his quiet strength as all three of my mates surrounded me. I let the robe Serafine had given me drop to the ground and Changed.
Alerick tilted his head back in his wolf form and howled. Soft paws padded from the forest as hundreds of wolves filtered from between thick foliage to encircle us. The draugrs stamped their heavy feet, ripping into the earth with wicked curved claws. Our army was assembled. It was time to follow the elves.
