Thirty-Four

Kai

Being back in Ravenshire did not feel good, and I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

Micah stood stiffly beside me, his eyes roaming over our surroundings, his hands curled into fists at his sides.

Slowly, I slid my hand over his, and he glanced at me, his grip loosening enough for me to slip my hand into his.

"Okay?" I asked, and he nodded, then frowned.

"I should be the one asking you that."

I shook my head. My experience in Ravenshire was barely more than a day long and had nothing to do with the place itself, but Micah had spent the first ten or so years of his life here. While I was a little uncomfortable, I didn't have any particular feelings about the place, but I knew Micah did.

Cam and Ember joined us as they shifted back, their eyes scanning the dark.

"Everything looks quiet. Come on. Let's cause some trouble," Cam said, leading the way.

Let's switch to the link so we don't make too much sound , Ember said into the link, and we all nodded.

I sense four, no, five people in there , Cam said, pointing toward the house with his chin.

The house was as big and pretentious as I remembered, and I scowled at it as we slid closer to the wall.

While Cam and Micah's place was also large, it was homey. It looked lived in and loved. This place, though? It might as well be a museum.

We came upon the back door, and Cam glanced at us.

Ready?

I nodded, and he grinned before twisting the knob and pushing it back, destroying the whole locking mechanism as he pushed the door open.

Ember reached forward, and a fire blazed around the door frame for a moment before going out.

Protective wards , he explained, and I nodded quickly. Of course. Any mage worth his salt would have a few around his house to keep unwanted people out. Unfortunately for Osric, my mates were much, much more powerful than him.

I sucked in a breath the moment I stepped inside, my instincts reaching deeper into the house.

It's here. I can feel it , I said, and Micah's eyes slid to mine.

Cam scanned the empty room, a kitchen that did not look like it was ever used, then turned to me.

Which way?

I pointed toward the right one of the two doors leading deeper into the house, and Cam started forward, Micah and I right behind him while Ember took the rear, watching our backs.

We walked into a sitting room full of gaudy decor and uncomfortable-looking furniture, and I remembered sitting there and wondering how Osric could ever feel relaxed sitting on something like that.

The pull drew me deeper into the house, so I pointed toward the other doorway, and Cam led the way once more.

We'd just stepped into the room when he raised a hand, stopping us in our tracks.

He tilted his head, turning just a little to face a doorway to the left, and I wondered what he was hearing. Was someone there? I tried to remember if I'd been that way in my short visit to this place, but I couldn't. Memories of that night were full of panic for me, and my brain had done its best to bury them.

Someone's sleeping that way , Cam said after a moment, then turned to me. Where do we go?

I pointed to a closed door on the other side of the room and Cam nodded.

When we reached the door, Cam used his strength and magic once again to unlock it, but his grunt of effort told me the wards on this door were much stronger. This had to be it, didn't it?

Cam pushed the door open, and we stepped into a room that made me think of a museum once again.

Magical artifacts were spread out all over the room, resting on shelves and tables. There was a corner that looked like a work space, with herbs, bits of cloth, and other things that I didn't pay too much attention to as my eyes searched for my coat.

It's here. I can feel it. I took a step deeper into the room.

Cam's eyes flashed over to Ember. Watch our backs .

Ember nodded, and Cam waved at me to walk forward. I let the pull of magic guide me as I proceeded, Cam sticking close to my side.

There , I thought as I spotted a familiar gray coat, folded up and stashed in one of the shelves like it was nothing.

I rushed forward, and I'd almost grabbed it when someone entered the room through a door we hadn't noticed before since it seemed to disappear into the wall as it closed, one of the men who worked for Osric standing there with his arm raised.

He splayed his fingers, sending a bolt of magic toward me, and Cam jerked me back moments before it could hit me. The magic crashed into the shelves at our backs, sending some things tumbling to the floor.

Another man spilled out of the secret door, and two more appeared through the door we'd come, probably alerted by the noise.

Cam pressed me into Ember's chest, then pushed Micah toward us as well, growling menacingly as he glared at the mages standing in front of him.

The mages from the secret door sent more magic our way, and since it would hit us if Cam stepped out of the way, he stepped forward instead. Somehow, he seemed to absorb the magic instead of getting hurt, and he flung his hand out, sending magic back at the mages that I could clearly sense, not only because my senses were sharper with my coat so close, but because he seemed to have mixed his dragon magic into the mages' magic. I hadn't known he could do that.

I turned around as one of the two mages at our back stepped forward, and Ember sent up a wall of flames, blocking their path. When I glanced back, both mages were slumped on the floor in a heap, and Cam didn't look any worse for wear.

Walking closer, he checked me over, his green eyes bright. "You okay?"

I nodded, and he checked on Micah as well before walking through the wall of flames and dealing with the other two mages as Ember extinguished his fire.

I was so caught up in watching Cam's absolute magnificence that I didn't notice the newcomer, and neither did Ember or Micah. Not until something cold and icy slammed into my back, sending me crashing to the floor. Fuck, that ice magic was familiar.

Forcing myself to move, I turned around, spotting Osric standing near the secret door in nothing but a robe.

It's him , I said into the bond, a shot of fear racing through me.

His eyes fell on me, and his brows shot up, surprise flashing across his face. "You survived. You shouldn't have come here, you stupid fish."

Before he could do anything, Cam let out a loud roar. A very inhuman roar, and I felt the house shake as a dome of flames covered Micah, Ember, and me, protecting us from the falling debris as Cam shifted into his dragon form in a room much too small to contain him.

Osric's eyes widened in fear, and he took a step back. Before he could tuck tail and run back through the secret door, Ember blocked it off with another wall of fire, stopping Osric in his tracks.

Realizing he couldn't escape this, Osric shot a powerful spell toward Cam. Like before, it did nothing as it hit Cam, simply soaked into his scales, making them gleam brighter for a moment.

Cam retaliated with a flick of his tail that sent Osric to the floor as Micah and Ember helped me up, though I couldn't pull my eyes away from the fight, and neither could they.

Kai, you okay? Cam asked through the link, and it took me a moment to get my mind in working order.

Yes, yes, I'm okay. You're amazing.

Glad you're impressed , he said, his mind-voice coming off smug and completely at ease, as if he wasn't in the middle of a fight.

Focus, Cam , Micah told him, and Cam turned his head to flash us a toothy grin.

Yes, princess .

While he chatted with us, Osric had gathered himself, and he sent another bolt of ice magic at Cam that he once again absorbed. He'd never mentioned having this power before, and I wondered if it was something he'd just discovered.

Cam had sent Osric's magic back at him once more, freezing the mage in place.

Osric crashed back into a worktable, then slid to the floor, his eyes wide as he stared up at Cam. I realized with a start he'd used some kind of immobilization spell that was now keeping him trapped. Had he planned to capture Cam? To try to steal his magic like he'd stolen mine?

Kai, get your coat, Cam said in my mind, jerking me into action.

Rushing through the rubble, I sighed in relief as my fingers sank into the familiar soft fabric, then picked it up, dusting off the dirt before pressing it to my chest.

I had it. I had my coat back.

My mates—because I could sense our bonds now as strongly as I could sense all the other magic—had kept their promise. They'd gotten my coat back.

Ember

Anger unlike anything I'd ever felt blazed through me as I glared down at the bastard who'd stolen our mate's coat. He was a pathetic little thing, frozen on the floor with his own magic, and I was tempted to kick him a few times, but I held back. Not because of him, but because I didn't want to scare my mates.

Let's get out of here , I said into the mental link, and Cam glanced over at me, tilting his big dragon head as if asking me if I was okay. Could he sense my rage?

I nodded, and he glanced from me to the mage, then smacked at the mage with his tail, making him jerk.

Turning to us, he shifted back into his human form, then smiled softly at Kai, who'd returned to Micah and me with his coat clutched firmly against his chest.

Ready to go?

Kai nodded quickly, shooting a glance at Osric before turning toward the doorway we'd come from, eyeing the two mages who lay slumped in the corner, their chests rising and falling evenly.

Cam started to make his way to us, then changed directions to approach Osric instead.

"If you ever step foot near any of my mates, you won't like what I do to you," Cam growled, a bit of his dragon flashing through. Osric's eyes widened, and I knew he could tell Cam meant what he'd said. He knew this was a fight he would never win.

"Let's go!"

Cam helped Micah while I helped Kai navigate the rubble from the walls and furniture that Cam had destroyed by shifting, and once we were out the door, he started leading the way once more. I kept an ear out in case Osric tried to follow or take his chances with a dragon. People like him could be too dumb for their own good sometimes.

Once we were back outside, Cam turned to Kai. "Okay?"

Kai nodded quickly, a relieved smile on his face as he continued to hold his coat tightly to his chest.

"Micah?"

"I'm fine," Micah said with a sigh, though I wasn't sure if I believed him. "I didn't even have to do anything."

"I'm glad you were here, though. Thank you for coming. I know you don't like this place, so it means a lot to me that you were willing to come for my sake," Kai said, giving Micah an earnest smile. He seemed to have lit up now that he had his coat, and I realized just how much its absence had affected him. The man we'd met had been a shadow of the real one, but now that he had his other half back, we'd finally get to meet the real Kai.

"Of course I came. You're our mate, Kai. Where you go, we go. You can sense it now, can't you?"

Kai nodded, a pleased flush darkening his cheeks. "Sorry I doubted you before."

I shook my head, reaching out to cup his arm. His hands tightened infinitesimally on his coat, as if afraid it'd be taken from him again, and I squeezed his arm once before dropping my hand. I didn't blame him, not for his earlier distrust or his current fear of losing his coat. I certainly wouldn't take it personally.

"It's okay. You had every reason to."

"Exactly. Now let's get out of here before that asshole unfreezes and decides to go for round two."

"He seems dumb enough to try," Micah said with a snort, and I had to agree. He seemed like the type of narcissistic asshole who thought he could take on a dragon simply because he thought himself that powerful.

But he was no match against Cam, especially when—if I was right—Cam had just unlocked his true potential.

Every dragon had a type of magic that they unlocked at some point during their lifetime. Like Cam's dads, for example. Raiden was a storm dragon, while William was an earth dragon, though he didn't use his powers much.

I'd expected Cam would be something similar when he finally discovered his type, but what I'd seen today said otherwise. We'd need to talk to Raiden to know for sure, but I had a feeling Cam had just unlocked the rarest—and most powerful—type of dragon magic to ever exist, something I'd only heard about in stories.

Really? Micah asked, and I realized he'd been listening to my musings. We were in the air now, minutes away from Mistvale, from home.

Really, what? Cam asked before I could answer, and Micah glanced back at me, brows raised.

Micah was asking me if I really thought you'd unlocked your type of dragon magic.

And? You think I have? I've never done anything like what I did back there. It was like I absorbed the magic they threw at me, added my own little zing to it, and sent it right back at them.

Hearing him describe it, my doubts lessened even more.

Yes, I think so. We'll need to talk to Raiden to know for sure, but if it's what I think it is, you might one day be more powerful than him, and it won't take you 2,000 years to get there .

Cam gave a loud snort, turning his big dragon head to give me a look. You really think so? Me more powerful than DD?

I nodded, and he shook his head, facing forward, Raiden's familiar magic washing over us as we crossed into Mistvale.

As soon as we were inside the town limits, I felt my muscles relax. I hadn't even realized I'd been braced for attack, but I knew we were safe now that we were in Raiden's domain.

Not that we wouldn't have been able to take on that pesky mage and any helpers other he had, but I'd been worried about Micah getting hurt. Physically, he was the most vulnerable one out of the four of us, and I didn't know what Cam would do if someone hurt Micah.

I knew Cam cared for Kai and me, but I'd be a fool to think Micah wasn't his number-one priority, as he should be. To an outsider, it might seem like Cam was the center of our dynamic. But honestly? It was Micah. Micah was the glue that held us together, whether he realized it or not.

Judging by the looks he was shooting at me as we started to land, I'd say not . It was okay, though. I was sure we'd have all the time we needed to show him the truth now.