Page 11 of Taloned Heart

He struggled to keep up with her as she darted away from the hamlet. “Do you think that’s the best idea right now? I thought we were going to find Beauty first. That way, we would have some kind of backup when we go to get Zephyr?”

Apparently, she had forgotten how to use her ears. Grumbling under his breath, Abraxas picked up his pace so he could catch her. “Lore?”

Still no response. Her face had darkened with that angry expression he knew too well. The one that suggested she was going to make a massive mistake.

“Lore!” Abraxas grabbed her arm as they reached the edge of the forest, spinning her around into him. “Would you listen to me?”

She looked up at him then and he saw the tears in her eyes. He felt the frustration pouring off of her in waves and how she was struggling to hold herself together when all she wanted to do was fall apart.

“Starlight,” he whispered, drawing her against his heart and squeezing. “Why are you crying, love?”

“I could have been here,” she said, her voice catching on a sob. “I could have prevented all of this from happening. What if I hadn’t gone to find you? What if I hadn’t been so selfish and stayed for them?”

His heart broke for her. And not only because of the pain, but because he would never feel guilty that she had chosen him over this kingdom. Where she could wallow in this guilt and feel it crashing over her head, all he could feel was the happiness that she’d chosen him. The same as the first moment he’d seen her.

Kissing the top of her head, he rocked her back and forth. “You are not responsible for the world, Lore.”

“Then why do I have this power? This never-ending gift that could change the very fabric of the world. That’s what the prophecy said. That’s what everyone expected of me, and instead, I left to go find you.” She tilted her head back, eyes already rimmed with red. “And I would do it again. Does that make me a horrible person? I would always choose you over everyone else in this kingdom.”

He cupped her jaw, trailing his fingers up her cheeks to gently smooth away the tears there. “No, it does not make you a bad person. It makes you a woman in love. You are mine and I am yours, Lore. We will never choose another over each other. It is who we are and there is no shame in that.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I cannot save them all.”

“No, you can’t.” He ghosted his lips over hers. “But we will save the ones we can. If you want to see the castle, then we can. We have to walk right by it. But we will not charge into that building and tear it to the ground without knowing what is actually going on here.”

“You’re right.” She pressed her forehead to his and sighed. “You’re always right.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear.”

He tucked her hood around her hair a little better, making sure no strands would fall out, and then took the lead. He knew these woods like the back of his hand. Abraxas had spent many evenings wandering through them, wishing he wasn’t in the position that he was. Every tree, every rock, every animal had known exactly who he was and what he could do. Now, they all rejoiced that the dragon had returned.

It was strange to be here after all that had happened. The death of the king. The hatching of dragon eggs he’d been so certain would never see the light of day. Falling in love with an elf. Seeing his homeland. All of these memories played through his mind as he brought them to a ridge that overlooked the castle.

By the time they reached the rocky precipice, the sun had disappeared from the horizon. But he’d planned it that way. He wanted Lore to see through those castle walls while the moon could fill her magical reserves.

It was the only way he could care for her. Making certain that she was glutted with power.

Lore crouched beside him, her eyes narrowing on the castle. “Where is everyone?”

“I do not know.”

There should be guards on the castle ramparts at the very least, but the monolithic building appeared empty. No movement. No sound. Nothing but empty stones and the racing sound of wind.

His eyes cast over the castle, wondering what went on in the walls, when he noticed a movement across the field nearest the castle. He pointed silently, lifting his brow as a line of humans marched across the plane.

Then there was sound. The wailing efforts of mortals pleading for their lives. Their guards, all elves, drove them forward. Tall and lithe, the elves wore armor from ancient times that had long since passed. The black metal gleamed in the moonlight.

“So they are bringing them here,” Lore breathed. “For what purpose?”

“To punish them?” Abraxas had a hard time imagining what Margaret’s plan was, but he could assume that was part of it. “To enslave them? Who knows? We won’t figure it out laying here.”

Lore huffed out an angry breath. “And you’re not going to let me sneak into the castle, are you?”

“Not until we have an army that can storm it with you.” He arched that brow again and met her fiery gaze. “Unless you agree that I can take the castle apart rock by rock to get you back?”

“We don’t know what weapons they have that might harm a dragon.”

“I’m going to take that as a no.”

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