Page 79 of Vathia
I reach out through my bonds with Jesper and Aemon and find them calm. They’re sleeping, but I know if I panic hard enough they’ll feel it and wake up. It’s fine though, it’s just a dream. I don’t need help to deal with it, although I will be pestering Aemon with questions in the morning.
“So, we’re trapped here?” Cynder asks, seeming more curious than frightened now.
My shoulders rise and then drop. “Who knows, but I have a feeling we need to leave this room, so let’s go.”
We head towards the door, and before I even reach for the handle it opens, revealing a long, darkened hallway. Sconces suddenly flare to life, one at a time, as flames seem to bounce from one to the next. I swallow at the eerie sight. Normally, dark, cold hallways wouldn’t make me feel uncomfortable, but I can’t shake this sensation of wrongness that’s beginning to crawl across my flesh. “Let’s go,” I whisper, not wanting to speak too loud.
Cynder follows behind me and we walk softly for what feels like forever before we come across another door. A female scream pierces the air, muffled by the door.
Without hesitating, I push through but what I see doesn’t make sense. The three figures are blurred. A gaunt female is strapped to a bed, her bones practically protruding through her skin. A tall male with features too blurred to see and a brownie are rushing about the room.
Suddenly, the room freezes and the female’s head lolls towards us. “Run, save yourself. Don’t let him take you to the mountains.”
A gasp tears through my chest as I bolt upright in my bed, Jesper hopping to his feet, knives in hand. “Where’s the danger? What’s going on?” he mutters with his eyes still closed.
I shake my head. “Nothing. I think. Just a weird dream. I think I dream-walked by accident.”
He rises out of his crouched position. “Do you want me to get Aemon? Or the others?”
With a soft sigh, I settle back down into the bed and pat his spot. “No, I’ll ask him in the morning. Let’s get some more sleep before we pack up what’s left of camp tomorrow.” I yawn and Jesper crawls in beside me and promptly passes back out, his soft snores filling the space.
Even in the comfort of my mate’s arms, I can’t shake the unsettling feeling that crawls over me. It’s the same feeling from that dream. Something is very wrong, and I need to figure out what—a sense of urgency driving me. But first I need to sleep.
So I close my eyes and drift, never fully falling asleep.
THE EARTH IS trampled and scorched as I glance around the bare land of where the camp used to be. Wagons pulled by horses and gryphons head west for Derfenë. Evacuation notices have been sent outwith the pixies as they’re fast and agile, able to get in and out of all the places we want to warn without being seen.
Nero nuzzles at my face. “You’ll protect them, Rav.”
My fingers caress his plumage as I pull my mind out of the trenches. That unsettling dream is still lingering in my mind. “I know.” I cut myself off. “Have you seen Cynder? There’s something I wanted to talk to her about.”
He blinks and shakes his head. “No, as far as I’m aware they left early this morning to search for your mates’ mothers. I think they were avoiding Talyn.”
My shoulders wilt a bit. I suppose it won’t hurt to wait until she’s back. I’ll have to steal her away from those males for a bit, and get to know her. She is, after all, my mate’s younger sibling.
“Oh Beastie!” I hear Jesper coo from behind me, prompting me to spin towards him with a smile pulling at my lips.
His arms wrap around me, the metal of his armor clanking against mine and making me laugh. The metalwork may be gorgeous, but fucking fates it’s annoying when I’m trying to love up on my mates.
Having bonded with Aemon and now Jesper, my heart feels fuller. I can only imagine what it will feel like to complete it with all of them, but now is not the time to try to figure out what vile creature crawled up Talyn’s ass, or to chip down the walls of Killian’s hot-and-cold demeanor. No matter how much I want to. Other than last night, my dreams have been pushing me towards them, and more than once I have found myself drifting towards their sleeping consciousnesses. My magick and bonds are always pulling me to be closer to them.
“Are you ready to head back to Kraryn? Aemon wants to see if his mother is back yet and check in on a few things. Plus, until we know more, we want you as far away from the border as possible.”
“You four better not be trying to shield me. You know I can hold my own.”
He smirks and winks. “Yes, I know you’re a little magickal powerhouse, but the others are a bit more skittish. They’ll realize it sooner rather than later. Plus, you know Aemon won’t stop you from doing what you want. He will just have the need to become your shadow so you don’t do something reckless without him.”
I tilt my head. “Just him?”
His grin grows maniacal. “Oh you know I’ll be right by your side helping you create all of the havoc.”
Pushing up onto my toes, I peck his cheek. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“Are we heading off yet or are you two just going to stand here and make lusty eyes at each other?” Nero drawls, flapping his wings lazily.
Vasari takes that moment to make herself known. “Yes, I would like to get in the air and stretch my wings soon. My mates and I are anxious to get back.”
“Okay, okay. We’re going,” I laugh.
