Page 62 of Shifting Winds
My heartbeat thumped against my ribs like a drum. “You’re the Fae King. If you can’t do it, who could?”
A faint smile. “This magic is older than I. It does not conform to our rules.”
“Even better,” I whispered. Swallowing hard, I looked at Ben. “Release me.”
I felt the instant his soothing power fell away and locked my muscles tight.
Ben bent, placing his large hands on the wood. He grunted with effort as he pulled, but to no avail. His teeth pulled back, and his eyes glowed a strange, icy blue. Ben might be a Lord, but he was not a wolf. Whatever he was, he did not inherit the trademark golden eyes of the other Lords. He let go, adjusted his shoulders, and bent to try again, a glint in his eyes I didn’t like.
“Don’t,” Cernunnos warned, sensing Ben saw the cage as a challenge. “Give me a moment.”
A crack split the night, the wooden cage splitting in two. Ben grabbed both parts before they fell to the ground.
“I’m about to extract the World Seed. Once I give the signal, I need you to pull Evie away and run as fast as you can. It will attempt to reattach to her because her magic is familiar.” His eyes swirled. “Its power hungers.”
“Oh, goodie,” I breathed.
His swirling gaze caught mine. “I’m sorry, Evangeline. This will be painful.”
I figured it wouldn’t be a cake walk. “What’s the signal?”
His eyes met Ben’s. Faster than I could track, I found myself ripped from the ground. Tearing agony ripped through my abdomen. I screamed, so long and hard my voice went out, and the new Lord ran like the wind, the cool night air slicing against my skin with his speed.
A percussive boom shook the world. Ben stumbled, righted himself, and kept running. He clenched me tight to his chest, the smell of wilderness clinging to him, as he ran for our lives. The agony had subsided once the seed was gone, and I reached upto wind my hands around his neck, burying my face against his chest. Warm liquid ran down my stomach and hips.
Blood. I wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Another blast, this one so powerful Ben couldn’t stay upright. He cursed, stumbled, and fell, tucking me against his chest and rolling as he went down, careful to take the brunt of the fall.
We came to a stop, me sprawled and bleeding atop the healer. When I made to move off him, he held me in place by the hips.
“Don’t.” His eyes still glowed, his voice rough with effort. “You’re still wounded. Let me move you.”
He moved his hands up my back and carefully rolled before gently placing me on the ground.
His expression turned grim as he lifted my shirt up and examined the wound.
“How bad is it, doc?” I gave him a hopeful smile.
“Don’t joke,” Ben said quietly. “Stay still and let me attempt to heal you.”
At his somber tone, I pressed my lips together. It must be bad if Ben wasn’t sure he could fix me.
Cool blue light appeared in his palms. He tipped them over and pressed them gently to my abdomen.
A commotion in the woods came a moment later, revealing Caelan and Garrett.
“Evie!” Caelan came to his knees. He reached out for me
“Don’t touch her,” Ben snapped. “Not until I’m finished.”
Caelan’s upper lip curled into a snarl. “Watch it, Ben.”
“You never interfered in a healing. Don’t start now.” Ben’s hands moved over my stomach, the cooling touch of his power flooding my bloodstream.
“She’s lost a lot of blood,” Garrett helpfully observed.
“Giving birth to a tree is hard work,” I quipped.
