Page 32 of Unicorn Shifter Academy
Eli stiffened as my heart sped up.
This was not how I had imagined Unicorns would be.
Another Unicorn Shifter dismounted his steed and approached. He rested a hand on Master Nox.
While he didn’t wear a circlet that seemed to represent Nox’s figure of authority, his eyes were a unique mismatch of colors, giving him his own regal flare.
The left one was blue, and the right one was green. Both irises were so exotic that I wasn’t sure which one to look at.
“Perhaps we should hear him out first, brother.” He glanced at me as curiosity and interest sparked in his beautiful eyes. While Master Nox hadn’t reacted to me, his brother didn’t seem immune to whatever attraction I inspired in his species. “Who is this creature, Eli?” he asked, directing his question the the one with emerald irises no less striking than his own.
Eli straightened. “She claims to be one of us and that Raze retrieved her from her realm to bring her here.”
Master Nox remained silent for a long moment, then he approached me.
I was still tangled up with Raze trying to pull him upright, but he’d lost consciousness again.
Master Nox glowered down at me as if I was an ant that could be crushed under his boot. He watched me as I unsuccessfully tried to tug Raze up, only managing to position the male into my lap.
He continued to breathe, so at least he was alive, but I could almost feel the drain his body was taking from mine.
As if he needed my life force to survive the poison.
No… not my life.
Mymagic.
That sparked a memory, one of my mother teaching me how the flow of magic worked.
It was incredibly boring, but I’d halfway paid attention because she’d related it to science, which actually interested me.
“It’s like the flow of energy—or heat, if you prefer. Heat transfer is a magical concept that is common in the human world. Be it any type of energy—heat or magic—it will always seek a balance.”
Testing the theory, I ran my fingers over Raze’s cheek.
My fingertips glowed with soft, golden power, and the darkness around his eyes retreated a fraction.
And at the same time… I felt a tingling up my hand.
Looking up at Master Nox, I found him watching me with an expressionless face, but he wasn’t trying to stop me.
“I need to get him inside. Food, water, antiseptic, needle and thread, and bandages,” I insisted. Given my mortal status, my mother had insisted that I learn how to perform basic sutures and first aid. Lessons I was grateful for now. “I’m aware that you don’t know or care about me, but Raze is important to you, right?” I’d gotten the sense that Raze had a high position among these Unicorns. And Master Nox had called Eli a general—that sounded important. If Eli had broken the rules to bring Raze and me here, then that was the thread I would pull to convince them to help.
“He is,” Master Nox confirmed. “He is one of the noblest, most powerful, and respected Unicorns among us.” He rolled back his shoulders. “Which is why I know he would not condone being brought here. He respects the rules.”
Eli frowned as if he wanted to say something, but luckily, the male with bi-colored eyes stepped in. “The female sounds like she knows what she’s doing. It wouldn’t hurt to contain them in the guest wing—it’s never used, anyway.”
I swallowed a chuckle at the thought of Unicorns ever having guests when they’d just explicitly stated they didn’t accept visitors.
Sure, why not? They were soooo friendly.
And hot.
I bit the inside of my lip to shove out the unwelcome thought—even if it was true.
Except, I didn’t feel the same attraction to Master Nox as I did his brother, Eli, and Raze.
Maybe because he’d already rubbed me the wrong way by threatening Eli’s life, and not lifting a finger to help while Raze was unconscious in my lap.
