Page 71 of The First Trial
A large hand clapped down on my shoulder, almost knocking me over. It might have, if Phenex weren’t already holding me up. ‘Don’t you worry. Your mate will be heralded as a hero as soon as we get home.’
I shot him an odd look. ‘Phenex?’ I asked, peering up at him. ‘What happened while I was gone?’
Except that Phenex was just as confused as I was. ‘I didn’t do anything. I just helped with the distraction so you could run.’
The Shifter snickered. ‘Not him. Rakshasa. Our Prime.’ He paused, a strange expression twisting his features before they settled on something resembling panic. ‘He… uh… He didn’t tell you?’
I was frowning now, my brows so low I could see the hairs over my eyes. ‘Tell me what?’
He was suddenly very interested in his toes, which were bare and caked in dirt, dust, and blood. ‘Oh, uh, nothing. I should, um. Yeah.’
And then he left, hunched over like he was afraid someone would come up behind him and whack him over the head.
‘What was that about?’ asked Oz, who was cradling Shaz’s scaly body in his arms. It was awkward, since he was nothing more than a limp noodle, but he managed to make sure Shaz’s head didn’t scrape on the ground as he lifted him up.
I shrugged it off, but there was a persistent gut feeling that told me I needed to find out what the fuck he was talking about. ‘No idea.’
He grunted, shifting Shaz in his grip when he started to slip. Without thinking, I lifted the snake Shifter’s head and settled him in my arms to lighten Oz’s load, tracing a single fingertip over his smooth, cool scales. Phenex lifted a single brow at me, but I merely shrugged. The man had saved my life after saving my brother’s (no, I hadn’t forgotten about that). The least I could do was hold his head so my brother didn’t drop him.
‘How the fuck did you carry him all the way over here?’ Oz asked, voice tight with Shaz’s weight.
‘My Earth Affinity carried him. I merely pointed the way.’
‘You talk as if your magic is sentient,’ Phenex pointed out, and I was looking forward to giving him a lesson on my magic. Witches and Warlocks 101, but preferably sans clothing. He smirked as if he could read my mind, and I returned the expression, eager to get somewhere civilised. Like my bed.
‘All right, let’s get the fuck out of here,’ Abaddon cut in, breaking the rising sexual tension.
‘Um… hi, sorry, but can I just…’ Elvina pushed her way through our little circle, worry creasing lines between her eyes. I was shocked to see George and Kendra behind her. Both of them shot me a smile, but I only returned George’s. Petty? Yes, but I didn’t have enough energy left to care.
‘Hi, Elvina. I’m glad to see you’re okay,’ I greeted her, genuinely happy to see her well. I might have held some suspicion as to her purpose here, but my instincts told me she wasn’t a bad person.
‘Thanks, Juniper. I’m glad you’re okay, too.’
‘I thought you were a goner when that tree took you,’ Kendra said, inching her way closer to Oz. I was certain the only reason she didn’t cling to him was the giant snake in her hands.
‘Gee, thanks,’ I said dryly, and Oz nudged her away with his elbow. She didn’t take the hint.
‘Anyway,’ Elvina cut in before anything could happen, and I was suddenly very glad for her presence. From what I knew about her, she didn’t seem the type to pander to drama, and I appreciated that in a person. We needed that right now, too. ‘We just came from the portal, and there’s a problem.’
That was one way to grab our attention.
‘What now?’ Abaddon groaned and shared a commiserating look with Phenex.
‘We can’t get through.’
‘For fuck’s sake!’ Oz swore and almost dropped Rakshasa in his frustration.
‘Can you elaborate?’ I asked, attempting diplomacy despite my growing need to also explode.
‘It’s like we can feel it, but something is still blocking us,’ George answered, and his explanation triggered a memory.
‘Like a locked door without a key,’ I said, and he shot me a surprised look.
‘Yeah, exactly like that.’
‘Because this is theunitytrials,’ Oz finished for me. ‘We need all five races to open the portal.’
‘We have Elvina,’ Kendra pointed out. ‘She counts for the Fae, right?’
