Page 64 of The Barbaric Fae's Soul

To make stupid jokes with Summer again.

To love Aev, and learn what it felt like to be loved by him.

Tears leaked down my face as I hurried to save my own life.

I felt my heartbeat slow, as the mixture began to work—or as the life began to drain from my body. I supposed I didn’t really know which one it was. Whether I lived or died was in Vevol’s hands.

The klynna plopped down next to me, its eyes on me. Though I wasn’t looking at them, I could still feel the connection between us. It was thick, and strong, and real. And something told me that it just might be permanent.

My own eyes closed slowly, despite the fierce effort I put forward to hold them open.

To keep them on the creature, or on the sky, or on the trees.

And I was lost to the pain in my chest, to the mud and blood on my skin, to…

Well, to Vevol.

Seventeen

Aev

My mind fell into a calm,cold place when everything went to hell, the same way it always had. All I could do was freeze the klynnas’ jaws, to stop them from burning our fae.

To protect my female.

But there were too many of them.

And my energy was waning—it had been waning for days.

When I reached the end of my ice, I shifted forms and launched through the trees. Flames filled the sky, and my heart pounded hard, my chest aching fiercely as panic flooded every fiber of my being.

I tried to watch the sky, but the flames were too massive.

Too thick, and too bright.

I couldn’t see her.

I couldn’t see my mate.

My Thorns.

My emotions rattled around in my chest, stronger and fiercer than I knew they could be, as I waited for the life-bringers to regain control of the monsters in the sky.

Minutes passed so slowly they may as well have been hours, days, or weeks.

And finally, the fire faded.

Blue and Oren dove toward the ground, with an injured Presley in his claws.

My heart froze in my chest.

Fear stole my breath, my thoughts, my mind.

I dove too, tapping into Vevol’s magic and managing to land just lightly enough not to break any bones. I rolled to my feet, popping up and running toward them.

“Where is she? Where’s Dakota?” I demanded, desperation making my heart pound like a drum and my breaths move faster than any klynna.

Blue frowned. “Someone grabbed her. They were both falling—weren’t they?” She looked at Oren, who lifted one shoulder. “Everything happened so fast,” she added quickly. “And then they just left, without us doing anything. I don’t know what happened.”

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