Page 35 of Realm of Wind and Vines
It was trying to rebuild.
Backing away, Draven shakes his head at me in what looks like both disbelief and warning. “Stay the fuck out of my head.”
Before I can reply, he turns around and rips off the scraps of my shirt right before he shifts into a half-shift, which also engages the magic in his bracers. His black dragon scale armor returns to his body with a small puff of black smoke, and his now fully healed wings rustle restlessly on either side of him.
Without another look back, he stalks out of the cave while raking his hands through his hair again.
Still sitting there on the cold stone ground, I stare after him for a few moments. Exhaustion tugs at my body after being drained of so much magic, but I can barely feel it. Because I can still feel Draven’s mouth on mine. Lifting a hand, I brush my fingers over my now thoroughly kissed lips.
Draven still hates me. I could feel that massive flame burning mercilessly in his chest when our mate bond briefly reconnected. But by Mabona, it reconnected! Even if it was only for a few short seconds, it was there. I felt him. And he felt me.
That tiny speck of hope that flickers in the dark ocean inside me grows a little stronger, and I dare a small smile. I will find a way to fix this. I will find a way to get him back.
I climb to my feet with a renewed sense of determination.
After getting dressed, I stride out of the cave and join the rest of my companions again.
To no one’s surprise, Draven and Orion are arguing.
Again.
“I’ve already told you,” Draven says, hard eyes locked on the Unseelie King. “I don’t want to carry any of you.”
“Tough luck, you brooding beast,” Orion replies with a vicious smile. “Grey doesn’t know where we are. So we either fly all the way back to my court and then portal back from there. Or we just fly straight to the Purple Dragon Clan’s homeland. Which, as I’ve already pointed out, is much closer than my court.”
“Stop calling mebrooding beast.”
“Stop calling mepreening princeling.”
“Stop arguing,” Isera snaps, cutting them both off. “Or I swear to Mabona, I will kill you both myself.”
Draven cuts her a look. “You’re one to talk. All you and he ever do is argue.”
“Like you and Selena,” Orion interjects with a pointed look at Draven.
“Like you and him,” Isera snipes back at the Unseelie King.
I heave a deep sigh.
This is going to be a long day.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Seriously?” Orion blows out an annoyed sigh. “Another forest?”
“Yes,” Draven replies. “Except this time, it’s not something we just need to cross. This forestisthe Purple Clan’s homeland.”
Tilting my head back, I stare up at the majestic trees that form the border between the forest and the grasslands behind us.
It’s much warmer here than it is in the Seelie Court at this time of year. The air also feels different. It’s heavier, in a way. More humid. The vegetation is different as well. The leaves are wider, thicker, and more deep emerald green in color. Dotted among them are flowers in elegant shapes and bright colors. The sounds of thousands of birds chirping and insects trilling drift out from the vibrant forest.
“So how do we sneak in?” Isera asks. She looks a lot less impressed than I am as she regards the forest before us.
“We don’t,” Draven replies. “The moment we set foot on the other side of that tree line, they will know we’re there.”
“Then how do we get past them?”
“We don’t. We walk inside and wait for them to come to us.”
