Page 62 of Taloned Heart

“Beauty,” he breathed, reaching for her without another word.

She launched into his arms with a soft sob, burying her face in his chest as though she couldn’t stand to look at Zephyr like that. “What did they do to him?”

Tears burned in his eyes and the bridge of his nose ached. He stared up at the ceiling as he said, “They did everything they could to break him. But he is strong, Beauty. He’s still here.”

“I didn’t think...” Her voice broke. “I didn’t think she was so cruel. Even after everything that I’ve seen, I didn’t think she could do that to him.”

None of them had thought it possible. But he supposed any manner of cruelty could be explained away when saving a kingdom was the end goal. Wasn’t that what Lore had just done to the elves in that cell?

As he looked at his elf, working so diligently to save their friend, he wondered just how different she was from Margaret. If their story was told from another perspective, were they the villains?

He already knew the answer was yes. To so many elves in this kingdom, they were the monsters who said the humans had to stay. That magical creatures had to stare their tormentors in the face while smiling and accepting them into their homes and businesses. The kingdom the magical creatures had hoped to build would never become true if the world turned the way Lore was fighting to turn it.

But she was right. He thoroughly and wholeheartedly believed she was right. Two different kinds of people could not continue to rip and tear at each other without ever stopping. The humans would find a way to rebel, just as the creatures had.

He tightened his arms around Beauty and reminded himself that there was good within their ranks. Good people with hearts of gold and souls that shimmered like coins. Just like her.

A soft inhalation from the bed made him stiffen one more time. There Zephyr was, eyes blinking open and staring around the room in disbelief.

“Am I still in prison?” he asked, his voice hoarse as if he’d spent hours screaming.

Lore leaned over him with a bright grin stretched over her face. “No. You’re with me.”

Beauty struggled out of his arms and raced for the bed. She gathered Zephyr’s hands in hers and waited for him to look at her. When his gaze met hers, Abraxas could almost feel the love between them. He could almost see it, bright and powerful and achingly perfect.

“There you are,” Beauty whispered as she gently kissed his lips. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

CHAPTER24

Lore refused to stay any longer. She’d already talked with Algor. He’d understood her need to move and was very kind in providing them with a few enchanted packs to take with them. Lore already had her and Abraxas’s new armor packed away in it, and she’d never know the bag wasn’t empty.

Handy, having dwarves around. She would miss them quite a bit.

Still, she had to get her head on straight now. The dwarves were easy to bargain with. They were unlikely to be sneaky about what they wanted or what they would do to get that.

In this case, she’d already promised Algor a boon. He hadn’t said what he wanted, only that the Fallen Star would help them when they needed it. Whether that was in a few years, or a few centuries. As long as Lore was alive, she would come when the dwarves needed her.

It was an easy promise to make.

She’d have done anything for them, especially considering they were Goliath’s relatives. Even being around them reminded her so much of her dear friend, and it soothed some ache in her soul that desperately needed to be soothed.

Their humor, the way they moved, how they laughed in the face of danger, as though living in this place wasn’t terrifying at all. Everything made her remember a time when she’d lived across from a dwarf who painted a rising sun on his window because he didn’t care if others saw it.

With a soft smile on her face at the memories, she opened the door to their private chambers. They’d added Zephyr now that he was feeling a little better, though not by much.

Two days wasn’t enough for him to heal. Two days and he still could barely walk.

Lore couldn’t use her power here, at least not in the way she wanted. The strength of the spell she’d have to conjure to heal him would let Margaret know exactly where they were. And they still hadn’t figured out the poison that he’d been given, so they couldn’t get him up on his feet without fearing that he might fall over.

Pushing his body when there was poison in his veins was sure to speed up the effects of whatever herb or potion he’d been given.

Still, it was good to see him awake. She leaned against the door jamb and watched the three of them talk. Abraxas was telling a story from the dragon isles, his hands animated as he wove his tale. Beauty rested snug against Zephyr’s shoulder, holding his hand as she laughed at the dragon’s antics. Even Zephyr, pale faced and still slightly shaking, had a smile on his face at the story.

Her dragon was always making sure that everyone was as happy as they could be, she mused. Abraxas would stop at nothing to make sure that his companions were well taken care of. But, oh, it made her heart hurt to see them all like this. As though nothing had happened.

The darkness crept back into her mind. Memories floating in front of her. Zephyr’s body limp on the ground. The elf kicking him, threatening him with worse torture and saying no one would ever come for him. Goliath’s body laid out on the ground with a heavy mace stuck through his chest. Draven under a siren’s spell because she hadn’t anticipated that her friend would attack him like that. Beauty, too thin and gaunt with ash on her cheeks and no home to return to.

Abraxas. Poor Abraxas with a pale face, too thin, certain that she had been dead and so he would follow her into that oblivion.

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