Page 19 of The Barbaric Fae's Soul

I heard Aev roar as I swept down into the klynna’s view, catching its attention.

Its gaze tracked me, and by some miracle, it didn’t bite at me again.

Not that I stayed in place long enough to give it the chance.

The klynna’s attention jerked back to Aev, who was on the ground and looked… broken.

Too broken to get up.

Panic swelled in my chest as I spiraled toward him. I couldn’t grab him in my claws—I’d slice through his skin. I’d have to shift, and soar back into the sky quickly.

It might not even be possible.

The klynna might beat me to it, or take us both out.

But I couldn’t let Aev die.

I timed it wrong and stumbled when I hit the ground.

My small, human eyes collided with the huge, furious ones of the klynna only a few feet from us.

Aev’s arms wrapped around my waist, gripping me tightly.

But instead of snapping its jaws or blowing fire, the monster went still.

“Please don’t kill us,” I whispered to it.

It blinked its massive eyes.

The urge to lift my hand out toward it and try to press my palm to its warm nose was overwhelming. I didn’t understand why I felt that way, and I ignored it in favor of survival.

The klynna took one massive, ground-shaking step back.

And then another.

Wind assaulted us as it spread its wings and then launched into the sky, leaving me gaping after it as the trees and ground shook around us.

Six

“How did you do that?”Aev rasped from behind me.

I hurriedly turned around so I could face him, looking him up and down for injuries while he replied, “I’m fine. Just broke some ribs, and an arm. It’ll heal in the next five minutes or so.”

I gaped down at him. “Youjustbroke some ribs? Broken ribs are incredibly painful.”

His forehead wrinkled. “When have you broken your ribs?”

Right.

He only knew the pleasant parts of my life.

“What do you mean, how did I do that?” I changed the subject as I gestured over my shoulder, carefully feeling around his chest as I attempted to check his injuries. I could see bruises in four different places, and assumed they were all breaks. “I have no idea why it flew away. Maybe it’s going back to bring its buddies so they can eat us together?”

“Your magic connected to the klynna’s. I felt the pulse of power through our bond.” He tapped the center of his chest, and winced at the pain. “It felt like… light.”

“Light like a feather? Or light like sunshine?” I checked, as I eyed his arm. If it needed to be set, he must’ve already done it, because it looked like it was already healing properly.

“Like sunshine. The same way you smell.” He closed his eyes as I continued pressing my fingers lightly to his skin.

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