Chapter 32

Rayna

Her body hurt, and her head ached from hours of relentless fighting. Rayna enjoyed an intense battle as much as the next person, but this had been a long night. She’d lost count of the number of dragons she’d slayed. It had to be at least twenty, though most were in the first few hours. When the infected humans came, she’d had to shift her focus. They were far more numerous, crafty as hell, and some had surprising fighting skills. Even those who didn’t know how to wield a blade showed more strength than the average person.

Swinging her sword, Rayna cut off the head of a middle-aged woman in a dress who she’d been fighting for the last five minutes. The lady was probably lovely before the Kandoran got a hold of her, but she’d turned into something dark and lethal.

About two-thirds of the humans she fought against weren’t challenging and could be finished in moments. The other third, however, must have had more time to develop their strength and skills before the war started. They were ruthless. Rayna had gashes and cuts from head to toe from battling them, probably a concussion, and her right leg barely held her weight after receiving a hard kick to her knee.

Wiping her blade on the dead woman’s shirt, she turned to look for her slaying partner.

Hugo had been near her not long ago, but now she couldn’t find him. It wasn’t totally surprising. Dead dragons and human bodies wereeverywhere, and it was so dark it was difficult to see. Clouds had moved to cover the sky hours before, blocking the stars and moon and unleashing rain for about half an hour. It had been cleansing at first, but then it got muddy.

“Hugo?” she called out.

No response.

“Yoouuu!” An infected Kandoran came running at her.

He was a young man, maybe twenty years old, covered in blood and gore. Rayna could barely make out his features through the grime but couldn’t miss the red-rimmed eyes. His gait was awkward as if one of his legs had been wounded. These people weren’t zombies and didn’t try to eat flesh, but they were single-minded with violent tendencies.

The infected human raised an axe, leaving himself wide open. She sidestepped and struck her sword into his chest at the last moment. Gurgling sounds came out of his mouth as she stood face-to-face with him. His weapon fell from his fingertips and thunked to the ground. Keeping her grip on the blade hilt with her left hand, she pulled a dagger with her right. Best to make this quick and get moving.

Rayna shoved the smaller blade into the man’s temple. “Night, night.”

He crumpled to the ground, both of her weapons sliding out of him as he went. While beheading was ideal, she’d discovered if she shoved a knife deep enough into the brain, that did the trick as well.

A ferocious growl came out of the darkness. She spun around, trying to find the source. A painful roar came next that sent her running. There were so many dead dragons on the field that she couldn’t see much else as she skirted around them and kept searching.

The ground began to slope downward, and she could make out the Red River, still and quiet. It was the border between the Taugud and Faegud territories for this section of land. Along the bank, she caught sight of a dragon with burnt-orange scales. He had a larger-than-average body for a shifter. To her horror, seven Kandoran humans were attacking him simultaneously with blades in their hands, stabbing him relentlessly.

Need some help? she asked.

Galadon growled in her head. Not from you!

Rayna winced as one of the attackers dragged a blade down the lone shifter’s already mangled wing. He’d probably suffered severe damage in the air and worse when he hit the ground. Seven humans wouldn’t have been a problem for him otherwise. Of course, he’d likely die before accepting her help, but she couldn’t stand by and watch. These guys were the more relentless kind that were harder to kill.

Dashing forward, she almost slipped on the riverbank as her boots hit the mud. At the beginning of the battle, Galadon had sent a storm that covered both sides of their respective borders for miles. Rayna had taken advantage of it.

Shooting more than a few lightning bolts usually drained her powers quickly, but he’d already created the perfect elements. She barely had to use any magic at all. Mostly, it was guiding the energy down to hit her targets. A dozen died by her strikes before she had to concentrate on the enemies coming at her on the ground. The later rainstorm had been natural, or at least she didn’t sense any magic from it. By that point, though, she was too tired to use it.

Rayna went for the human who was tearing up Galadon’s wing first. He didn’t notice her since she came from behind. She swung her sword, lopping his head off in one swift motion. A Kandoran, stabbing a knife gleefully into the shifter’s back, stopped what he was doing and leaped onto her.

They landed in the mud, with his blade sinking into her shoulder and sending shocks of pain through the joint. Ow, that hurt.

It didn’t hit anything vital, but it did make it more difficult to move her left arm. She punched him hard with her right. That sent him sprawling to the ground with an annoyed grunt. The infected humans rarely spoke, but they sure made a lot of sounds.

She jerked the blade from her shoulder and stabbed him just below the sternum, angling it for the heart. He gasped and cursed at her. Next, she leaped to her feet, drawing up her sword. Rayna sent it down to plunge into the Kandoran’s neck. He raised his hands to block her, but her momentum was too great. She sliced through his arm and halfway through his throat. His eyes rounded, and his mouth opened, but no sounds came out.

She jerked the blade back and swung it down again, separating the man’s head from his body. One thing she’d learned was that she couldn’t count on grave wounds killing the infected humans. Unless they lost their heads or took severe brain damage, there was a chance they’d heal and rise to fight again. It was annoying.

Rayna looked around for more enemies, but Galadon was smashing the head of the final one into the ground with his feet. By the time he finished, it resembled a bloody pancake. The others lay on the ground, torn into pieces.

“Well, that one isn’t going anywhere,” she said, aloud this time.

He snorted at her.

Upon closer examination, it appeared both his wings were a mess, though one had been torn up more than the other. His scales were covered in gashes and blood, and several of the spikes along his spine were shorn off. He undoubtedly kept taking on more enemies than he could easily handle—stupid males and their egos.

More are coming, he said in a strained voice.

His tone told her he must be in a great deal of pain. She wouldn’t let him fight alone, whether he liked it or not. How he ended up on the Oklahoma side of the border, she didn’t know, but he must have inadvertently flown in this direction during the battle. Rayna had initially been a little farther north, so she understood how easy it was to migrate on the battlefield.

“I lost my partner, so I’ll stay with you for now. It will be dawn in about an hour.”

He glared at her. I don’t need your help.

Good grief, did he have to make everything difficult? Rayna didn’t know why she persisted in helping or talking to him. He was such an ass. It was just…she was drawn to him and couldn’t stay away even when she tried. Just like the sorceress foretold years ago when she said the two of them would meet. Yoel had said a lot more, but it hardly mattered at the moment.

“Would you at least consider watching my back then?” she asked, deciding on a different approach. Let him think she needed help if that would soothe his enormous ego.

Footsteps squished in the mud nearby, alerting them to the enemy’s approach.

Galadon growled. Go away. I will deal with these.

He began stomping toward the two figures who emerged from around the brush. Half the vegetation in the area had been burned away, but plenty remained this close to the river. Galadon snarled and began swinging his claws at the humans.

Before she could decide what to do, she caught sight of a dragon falling through the air. It landed twenty feet from her with a loud thump . She ran toward it, noting the scales were green and its chest rose and fell. Of course, it was still alive. A glance above revealed a shifter flying toward the north to take on another Kandoran. No others were above her. She tried as best she could to monitor the skies since she preferred to avoid getting smooshed by falling bodies.

Rayna ran up with her sword ready. The dragon’s red eyes were open, but it wasn’t trying to rise to its feet. That was good. She walked cautiously up to it, avoiding the beast’s head. It would only take a second to snap its jaws at her with its long neck.

She leaped to stab its side, but inches from the strike, the dragon’s massive tail came around and slammed into her side. Her ribs cracked. Rayna cried out as she was knocked to the ground. Lifting her head, she found herself a mere few feet from the beast’s face. Shit! She scrambled backward, keeping a tight grip on her sword. The ache in her chest was awful, and her right knee protested, but she had to set aside the pain.

The dragon rumbled a low growl and lifted onto its front legs. She managed to find her feet and stumble back a few more steps. The Kandoran crawled toward her, slow and methodical, as it dragged its rear half behind it. Spinal injury? That was rare for their kind but not impossible.

Taking a chance, she darted toward its back and dashed up its body. It was the best place to be if one wanted to avoid being hit by a tail or bitten. Usually, she still had to put up with them bucking, but this dragon couldn’t do that with its injuries. She straddled the beast and plunged her sword down with all her might. The ribs were closest together in the back. She had to use all her strength to get the blade through the narrow spaces between the bones and toward the heart.

The Kandoran tried to snap at Rayna as she grunted with effort. All she needed to do was keep pushing deeper. Finally, blood began pouring through the opening her sword had created. It was enough that she had to have pierced the heart.

She watched as the dragon’s head dropped. Underneath her, the body slumped and stopped all movement. It was a good thing she didn’t have to cut Kandoran dragon’s heads off like she did the humans. They didn’t know why there was a difference, but they didn’t complain that the dragons were slightly easier. Even their scales became more brittle and softer if the infection remained in them for long.

Rayna pulled her sword back out and stumbled down the dragon. She started to search for more enemies but realized the remaining Kandoran were running or flying west in retreat. A glance to the east revealed a hint of orange on the horizon. Dawn was finally coming.

She spotted Galadon in human form stumbling close to the riverbank. His nude body gave her a glimpse of a strong back, tight rear, and muscled legs. It would have been intriguing if not for the numerous open wounds and smears of blood covering his skin. He stumbled over a tree root and fell to his knees. Her heart twisted as she watched the proud shifter painfully struggle back to his feet. He probably didn’t want her anywhere near him when he was vulnerable like this, but she couldn’t leave him.

Rayna set aside the pain of her own injuries and hurried toward him, hiding her limp as best she could. He didn’t hear her coming until she was half a dozen steps away, and then he stopped moving. His hands clenched into fists.

“Go away,” he said, not looking back at her.

He must have caught her scent despite the blood and death all around them.

She sighed and kept walking. “Let me help.”

“I’m not trusting a slayer to do anything.”

She ignored his protests, slid her arm around his waist, and ducked her head under his left arm. He cursed under his breath, but he didn’t pull away. She did her best to avoid looking at his frontal region. Something had to be wrong for him not to bother drawing clothing from shiggara. Had he tapped out all his magic?

“I’m here, Galadon,” she said in a soothing voice, wishing he would trust her. “And I’m going to help because it’s the right thing to do. You’re not my enemy.”

He grunted, and they began to walk together.

Her knee and ribs were killing her, but he leaned on her enough that she knew his injuries had to be far worse. They stumbled together over the uneven terrain in silence for a while. The nearest bunker had to be at least a mile away, maybe more. In the throes of battle, she’d lost track of her location. She considered calling for her horse, who waited behind the shield. It would be safe for Onyx since the fighting was finished for the day.

Galadon nodded toward the river. “It’s narrow enough that we can cross here.”

“There’s a bunker with a doctor on this side, and my horse could help us.”

“My mother is at the other one,” he said, pausing to suck in a breath when his ankle twisted. “She can heal us better than one of your doctors.”

She really didn’t want to go to the Faegud side. The shifters over there were even less welcoming toward her than the Taugud. Galadon’s clan tolerated Bailey because she’d proven herself and had a shifter child, but she was the only one they liked. Still, she would do this for his sake. He’d absolutely hate it if a fellow shifter had to carry him back, and the alternative was him spending hours limping painfully there when he needed rest.

“Alright, we’ll go to your mother, but I’m calling Onyx. Neither of us can walk for that many miles.”

He sighed and pulled away from her to stand stiffly. “Very well.”

As Rayna used telepathy to summon her mount, Galadon swayed on his feet. He gave her a warning look when she tried to take hold of him again. A couple of shifters flew toward them, but she warned them away. It took about twenty minutes before her black Friesian horse crested a hill, long mane flowing in the morning wind.

Onyx trotted toward them and nuzzled Rayna. “Good boy.”

“Can he get through the river?” Galadon asked.

It was shallower where they planned to cross, but she thought it best to stay off the horse until they reached the other side since they’d add a lot of weight on him. “Yes, horses can swim, but we’ll wait to mount him. It’s hard to tell how deep the water is, and I’d rather not risk any accidents.”

The crossing wasn’t easy, but they paused near the bank to wash off some of the blood. Rayna did her best not to look at Galadon, but she caught a glimpse of his nude form before she could stop herself. The shifter was built like a god. It was too bad he looked at her like she was his worst enemy because she couldn’t deny she wanted him. No one had ever attracted her like this before. She knew very well he only endured her now because of his injuries, but that tolerance wouldn’t last.

It was so frustrating. The only men who ever wanted her were the types who found it exhilarating to have sex with a slayer, but they didn’t want anything more than a night or two. The seer had been wrong about Galadon. Rayna knew very well that no one, including the lone shifter, would ever desire her for something more serious.

She forced those gloomy thoughts from her mind.

Focusing on her wounds, she noted most had begun to close. A stab wound in her shoulder blade was deep enough that it still seeped blood when she checked it, as well as another on her left arm, but the rest were getting better. It was her knee and ribs that hurt the worst since bones and tendons didn’t heal as fast.

After they reached the other side, Galadon drew in a breath, and magic sparked around him. Black camrium clothes finally covered his body. She hid her disappointment by turning away and taking a chug of water from her canteen. At least he’d gotten enough power back to get dressed, which would make things a little less awkward.

Rayna convinced Onyx to lower himself so they could mount his back. The horse was tall and had no saddle or stirrups to help them. With their injuries, it would be a difficult climb. She got on first and patted the space behind her.

“He won’t mind me riding him?” Galadon asked skeptically.

The shifter knew the horse was fireproof, but Onyx would be the first he met like that.

Rayna rubbed the animal’s neck. “Come here and see for yourself.”

Galadon limped slowly to the spot she indicated and cautiously touched the horse. Then he flattened his hand and began petting him. Onyx stretched his neck and nuzzled the shifter on his shoulder where he wasn’t injured. Rayna had never seen him do that with a stranger before.

Galadon brows knitted. “He’s…impressive.”

The animal sent impressions into her mind. They weren’t exactly words, though the horse knew some English, but rather images and emotions that she could translate. She thanked him for telling her.

“Onyx likes you.” Rayna smiled. “He says you are a fierce warrior worthy to ride him.”

“He said that?” the shifter asked, giving her a dubious look.

“Not in those exact words, but he showed me how he felt.”

“You are a remarkable animal as well,” he said, and carefully mounted behind Rayna.

Onyx rose and began walking slowly, aware of their numerous injuries and taking care with his steps. Rayna didn’t know the exact location of the nearest Faegud bunker, but Galadon helped guide them there. They sat stiffly for the first half hour and avoided touching each other. After a while, though, the pain and exhaustion got to them.

She relaxed until her back rested against the shifter’s stomach. He didn’t jerk away, and eventually, he wrapped an arm around her waist. They supported each other to keep themselves upright on the horse as weakness overtook them from their wounds and blood loss. When Galadon flew her, his body was always stiff and unyielding, but this was different. It felt more intimate, and a part of her wished it could be under different circumstances.

The sun had been up for a little over an hour by the time the bunker came into view. Relief filled her. She guided Onyx until they were close to the entrance, ignoring the glares of shifters resting in various places around the stone shelter.

Rayna turned to look at the shifter, who glowered back at his brethren. “I think you can make it from here.”

“Aren’t you coming?” he asked, frowning.

She pointed north. “No, I’ll head back to the other side.”

Thankfully, there was a bridge to cross the river that wasn’t too far from their location.

“You need a healer, and your horse requires rest after carrying us,” he said, carefully dismounting.

He wasn’t wrong, but she knew Onyx could handle it with only her for the return trip. Rayna’s throbbing injuries would be the hardest part. All she wanted to do was lie down somewhere and pass out. The unwelcoming gazes of nearby shifters told her that would be unwise.

She shook her head. “We’ll be fine.”

He sighed. “Come with me. You need to heal, eat, and rest.”

Rayna wanted to ask why he suddenly cared, but it would only antagonize him.

Still, she hesitated. “They don’t want me here.”

“They will get over it,” he growled, extending his hand. “Let us call a truce for now.”

If she weren’t so tired, shock would have filled her. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Rayna didn’t resist when he took her by the waist and pulled her from the horse’s back. Galadon held her steady for a few seconds, allowing her to regain her footing before letting go. It had felt even more intimate than riding with him because he’d deliberately touched her this time instead of it being the result of exhaustion. The look in his eyes was almost gentle. She told herself she couldn’t read anything into his behavior when he was tired.

She ordered Onyx to find someplace to eat and rest. The sweat-slickened animal nuzzled her chest and then trotted away, veering around a group of shifters eating sandwiches and fruit. They gazed at the horse with mild curiosity, probably wondering how Galadon had been able to sit on him.

The two of them limped slowly to the stone bunker. It was about the size of a middle-class house, but it was square with no windows and only a single door. she knew it was larger than it appeared. In addition to the top floor, there’d be underground tunnels and rooms to store supplies.

“We make quite the pair,” she whispered with a hint of irony as they continued to draw the attention of nearby Faegud.

He grunted. “For once, I agree.”

Bet we killed a lot more Kandoran than they did, she said telepathically so the others couldn’t hear.

He glanced at her with an amused gleam in his eyes.

They entered the bunker. It took a moment for her vision to adjust to the dimness, but once it did, she was surprised by the number of injured inside. They lay on blankets, taking up nearly every available space. For those seriously wounded, healers were instructed to stabilize but not fully mend them, so they didn’t exhaust their powers too much.

Everyone in the room fell under the severe category, by the looks of it. Some were missing limbs, others had torsos with open gashes, indicating they had major internal damage that had been tended rather than the external skin. One guy’s skull was exposed. It had been bad enough seeing all the dead bodies in the war zone, but this was worse. The suffering both shifters and humans endured was unimaginable and lay everywhere before her eyes.

A woman with long, black hair, a lithe form, and intelligent golden eyes looked at them. Rayna recognized her from when the Craegud rescued them at Ft. Sill. Ujala hadn’t healed her, but she had tended toBailey and Conrad.

Her expression lit up when she spotted Galadon.

“Tali, tali,” she said, telling them to “come” in the dragon language.

Rayna had learned it over the years between her time with the Straegud and other dragons she’d befriended. She wasn’t quite fluent, but she understood most of the essential words.

Galadon put a hand on her lower back, gently nudging her forward. He’d avoided the gash on the right side and only touched an unwounded spot. His mother gestured for them to enter a back room with only one other patient. That one lay on a pallet along the far wall, appearing deathly pale. She couldn’t discern his injuries with the camrium blanket covering him.

Rayna and Galadon sat on a bench. On the opposite side of the room from them, there was a table with bandages and other medical supplies on it. She was amazed they had any left with all the wounded in the other room and who knew how many more scattered outside.

“Rayna first,” Galadon said.

She shot a surprised look at him, not only because he wanted her treated before him but also because he usually avoided saying her name. Today was full of firsts.

“Very well,” his mother said, speaking in English as she moved closer. “Let me see what ails you, brave girl.”

She had a kind voice and didn’t look at her suspiciously like the other shifters.

“It’s nothing. Just my knee, ribs, and a couple of gashes that haven’t closed yet.” She pointed to each. “But I’m sure they’ll get better soon if you want to save your energy for your son.”

“Nonsense.” She leaned down to take Rayna’s arm. “Oh, this looks painful. It must have been quite deep if it still looks this bad. You are a slayer, are you not?”

“Yes. Doesn’t that bother you?”

The female shifter shook her head. “It would if you were anyone else.” She cleared her throat before holding her palm over Rayna’s arm to begin healing it. “I mean, you two were quite close when you arrived, so I assume your control is excellent.”

Had she seen them ride up on Onyx from the open doorway?

“It is, especially after battle,” Rayna admitted, surprisingly comfortable with the female shifter. Ujala had such a kind disposition that it was hard to believe she abandoned her son at a young age. Surely, she must have had a good reason.

In seconds, the wound was closed. There was still an angry red line, but that would fade within a few hours. Healers usually wouldn’t leave any marks, but they had to minimize the amount of energy they spent during wartime. Galadon’s mother had Rayna stand so she could examine her back, lifting her camrium tunic to get a full view.

The male shifter sucked in a breath when he saw her wound. “How did that happen?”

“The same way you got so many gashes. Several Kandoran humans attacked at the same time, and one of them slashed a serrated knife across my back while I fought off the others,” she replied.

It had been bothering her, but so had all her injuries.

He frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to have a partner?”

“We got separated shortly before I ran into you, but he was there at the time. He just had several attacking him as well. It was when the infected humans first arrived and overtook all of us. We did the best we could.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “I was still in the air thenbutsaw it. There were many.”

“It’s too bad they’re immune to dragon fire, or else you all could take out a bunch of them for us,” Rayna said with a sigh.

Galadon grunted. “Hmm, yes.”

“Regardless, try not to fight so many at once.” Ujala clucked her tongue. “I prefer if you could avoid getting injured so much,” she said in mock disapproval.

“I’ll try my best,” she said with a laugh.

“Good.”

Galadon grunted. “She runs headfirst into danger every chance she gets, so I wouldn’t count on that.”

Rayna leaned forward and whispered in the healer’s ear. “So does he.”

Ujala shook her head. “I don’t doubt it.”

A few minutes later, she had finished working on Rayna. Relief swept through her as nearly all her pain was gone. Only a faint throb remained for the worst wounds, including her ribs, and those would likely be better after she rested.

“Is there food somewhere?” Rayna asked as Ujala began working on her son.

“Yes,” she said, pointing toward the next room over. “Just go in there, and someone will have something for you.”

“Thank you.” Rayna looked at Galadon. “I’ll see you…later.”

He frowned. “Don’t go far. It’s safer if you stay close to the bunker.”

His concern surprised her despite their temporary truce. “Would it really bother you if the other shifters hurt me?”

“You are a necessary ally for now, whether any of us like it or not. I would not see you harmed by my own as long as this war lasts,” he said.

Rayna wanted to laugh and thank him for being so magnanimous.

Ujala looked at her. “You should remain close. Ask for a blanket when you get your food and find a place nearby. We’ll make certain no one bothers you.”

How could Galadon’s mother be so kind when he wasn’t?

“Okay,” she agreed.

Sure enough, she found a human female in the next room. The woman smiled as she handed over food and a blanket. “Just return that this evening before you leave.”

The instructions made sense. It wasn’t as if anyone needed blankets while fighting, but people would require them each day when they returned to rest. They had to think long- term for this war, especially since it would be turning cold in the next couple of weeks.

“Thank you.”

Rayna made her way outside. There were shifters scattered all over the place, and a couple groups of humans under clusters of trees. She settled on a spot against the wall of the bunker, figuring she couldn’t get any closer to safety.

The food wasn’t half bad. She had a beef sandwich, a hunk of cheese, and an apple. Considering the amount of calories she’d burned during the night, she’d need every bit if she expected to keep up her fighting pace for a while. Galadon came outside when Rayna was finishing her meal. He had a blanket and food, too.

To her surprise, he also settled against the wall—five feet away.

“You’re going to sleep there?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I insisted you stay here after you helped me. It is only right that I ensure your safety for the day.”

“It won’t bother you?”

“Only if you start talking too much,” he said, giving her a warning look.

She laid her blanket on the ground. “Luckily for you, I’m too tired to talk anymore.”

“Good.”

She refused to respond to that and settled onto her blanket, wrapping it around her like a burrito. Sleep was all she wanted. Still, it took a while to quiet her mind and get comfortable on the hard earth so she could rest. Before falling into slumber, she heard the rustle of Galadon lying down, shifting even closer to her so their heads were no more than two feet apart. Though it should have bothered her, she felt safer with him there. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.