Page 4 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg
Walking through the quiet halls, I glance down at Mina, still fast asleep in my arms. It feels surreal, holding her like this, so small and vulnerable. How did I end up with a mate who trusts me this much, even when I can barely trust myself?
Abraxis is waiting by the door to our suite, leaning casually but watching us with that sharp, knowing look. “You’ve got the same look I get when I hold her like that,” he says, a low chuckle in his voice. “How does someone so little trust a monster like me?” He flexes his wings behind him, his tone light but his words hitting deeper than I think he realizes.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. If I do, I might wake her, and I can’t bring myself to disturb her peace.
“She’s expecting you to stay with her tonight,” Abraxis whispers as he pushes the door open.
I shake my head slightly. “I won’t do it unless she says it’s okay,” I murmur back, my voice barely above a breath. “I won’t take advantage of her while she’s sleeping.”
Abraxis nods, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Good man. Come on, I’ll set you two up with the recliner. Fair warning: she won’t let go. We’ve all tried prying her off when she sleeps.” His grin grows as he walks ahead, motioning me to follow.
The recliner is set up quickly. I lower myself into it, careful not to jostle her, and Abraxis adjusts the controls, tilting it back just enough. “Good?” he asks. I nod, and he tosses a blanket over us, tucking it around Mina’s compact frame.
Leaning down, he presses a kiss to the top of her head. “Get some sleep. You two have the gauntlet to run tomorrow,” he says before retreating to his room, leaving the door open just a crack.
I glance at the clock on the wall and roll my eyes. If I fall asleep now, I might scrape together seven hours—if the Goddess decides to be merciful. Shifting slightly, I hold Mina a little closer, her warmth lulling me. For the first time in a long while, I think I might actually sleep.
The banging echoes through the halls, senior staff shouting and pounding on doors to wake everyone for the gauntlet. It’s too early for this. Mina stirs in my arms, muttering, “Five more minutes…” Her voice is soft and groggy, but she freezes the moment she shifts and feels the hard length of me pressing against her.
Her eyes snap open, glowing gold with her dragon’s fire, and she pulls back slightly to meet my gaze. She looks at me, then glances around the room, confused. “We’re in the living room…” Her voice is laced with hesitation as she takes in her surroundings before turning her attention back to me.
I hold her gaze, keeping my tone calm and steady. “I refused to take you to your room to sleep with you without your permission. You wouldn’t let go of me, so Abraxis set us up here.” I reach up, threading my fingers gently through her hair, and pull her down to me. My lips brush hers in a soft, lingering kiss.
The gargoyle side of the bond hums with satisfaction, still reveling in the simple joy of flying with our mate last night and waking up beside her this morning. The tether feels stronger now, pulsing with shared warmth and connection, even though we haven’t sealed it fully yet. That bite, that act—it looms in the distance, inevitable but unspoken.
Mina pulls back slightly, her lips curling into a small, grateful smile. “Thank you for being so considerate.” She presses another kiss to my lips, softer this time, before slipping off the recliner. She rolls gracefully over the armrest, her movements fluid and effortless, then heads toward her room without another word.
Willing my erection to subside feels like trying to wrestle a hurricane into submission this morning. My beast roars with primal hunger, wanting to complete the bond, but the man in me clamps down hard on that urge. Mina deserves to decide the terms. She deserves control.
Heading to my room, I shove the thoughts aside and focus. I pull on the black leathers issued by Shadowcarve Campus. The material drinks in the light, an abyss that mirrors the tension in my chest. Atleast the enchantments mean they won’t shred when I shift. That’s something.
“Load up with knives and anything else you think you might need to get out of a jam,” Callan yells from the living room. “Partial shifting is allowed, so don’t forget to use your claws.”
I step out, my claws already extended, and adjust the knives strapped to my thighs. “Good?”
Callan eyes me critically as he walks over, circling me like a predator assessing prey. “This strap’s wrong,” he mutters, stepping closer. “It’s restricting your shoulder movement.” He adjusts it with practiced ease, and I roll my arms, feeling the newfound fluidity.
“Thanks. That’s a lot better.” We clasp hands briefly before my gaze shifts toward Mina’s door, which creaks open.
She steps out, focused and calm, wrapping black tape around her horns. Her entire presence changes the second she dons her armor. The basilisk-scale plating gleams darkly, fitted snugly over her torso and wrapping protectively around her spine and ribs. Her hair is braided tight to her head, her hood, and face mask perched atop it like a predator waiting to strike. “I’m ready,” she says, flexing her fingers as her talons glint faintly in the light. Her eyes fix on her scaled hands for a moment before darting to us.
“Let’s go,” Callan orders, heading for the door.
“Where are Abraxis and Balor?” I ask, scanning the room. They were here just minutes ago.
“They’re with Lysander,” Callan replies without missing a step. “They help him and the elders run the gauntlet every year.”
“And so do you,” Mina says, a hint of a smile touching her lips as she loops her arm through Callan’s.
“One of your fully bonded mates has to stay close,” he replies, his tone steady but softening. “Since Abraxis is the strongest after Klauth, it falls to me.”
His rare smile lingers for a moment before the intensity returns, and we step out of Malivore together, crossing the lawn toward the Arcanum Campus. The air is thick with anticipation, tension buzzing in every shadow.
“The gauntlet is bigger this year,” Callan says in his usual calm tone, but there’s an edge to it. “And deadlier.”
His words sit heavy, but none of us falters. This is what we were made for. What Mina was made for. My claws flex instinctively, ready for whatever waits ahead.
CHAPTER 3
