Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

EMBER

" O kay." The next night, I'm standing in Rhiannon's living room, the locket warm and gently pulsing in my hand, my bracer hot around my arm. "So I just open the locket and...think about the place where I want to go?"

Rhiannon nods. "The magic to create the portal should be at your command."

I don't love the word should in that sentence, but this is untested magic. We're all operating on a certain amount of guesswork here.

"You ready?" Rafe asks. He raises a brow.

"Not even close," I admit. The best I can, I smile. "But let's do it anyway."

Rafe's smirking grin is so sexy I can hardly stand it. "That's my girl."

Amy and Grace are standing in the doorway. Grace's expression turns solemn as she watches me fiddling with the chain of the necklace.

Amy is less grave as she blows me a kiss and puts her hands over her heart. "Promise you'll be careful."

"Aren't I always?"

She snorts. "You literally get kidnapped or blown up every time I'm not around."

"You were totally there the last time I got blown up." Rolling my eyes, acting flippant to cover up for my nerves, I turn back toward my mates.

They can feel my racing heart. Last night, we all slept fitfully--probably because I was a nervous wreck. I know they don't regret sharing an emotional link, but it's got to be inconvenient when I'm too wound up to sleep.

I felt better after Rafe got me to open up. Their reassurances helped set me at ease. Deep down, though, I'm still worried about who and what I am. As much as my soul yearns to find my final mate, my heart keeps clenching up, reminding me why I'm also dreading it.

And there's one other piece.

I glance at Zahra, who's standing in the kitchen next to Obi, her arms crossed. She's mostly held her tongue, but she's obviously not happy about our decision to proceed.

What we're about to do is dangerous. King Zephyr and his guards have always been ruthless. Now they're also supported by Erembour's Shadow Dragon forces. If we're caught...

I look to each of my mates in turn. "I have to do this, but it's not too late for you to back out."

Rafe outright laughs. "As if."

"Never," Malik vows, his tattoos swirling and his blue eyes thunderous.

Jianyu reaches for my hand. "We're with you. Wherever you go."

I let out a rough exhalation through my nose. "Okay, then."

I shoot one more glance at Rhiannon, who nods in support. She's here to help if anything goes wrong, but we both agreed it was best I navigate the magic myself. It's not as if she'll be there to hold my hand when it's time to come back.

Steeling myself, I take the locket in both hands. When I open it, the same swirling darkness unravels in front of me, purple and pink clouds punctuated by bright stars. I choose to focus on those tiny points of light burning brightly amid the void.

"Maude's shop," I murmur, speaking to the power unfolding itself within the locket, directing it to the thrift store where I used to work.

All morning, my mates and I debated about the safest place to go. At first, I wanted to portal directly to Brynn's house. I'd give just about anything to see my cousin again--but it isn't safe. I trust her not to alert the authorities, but I trust my Aunt Helene about as far as I can throw her.

Anyway, it wouldn't be fair to Brynn. She'd keep my secret, but what would it cost her, after King Zephyr found out I'd snuck into the kingdom and made off with one of his sons?

Best to keep her uninvolved.

All the other places I thought of had complications. But the old secondhand shop where I used to work? It's guaranteed to be closed right now, and I know for sure that it has absolutely zero security.

The galaxy within the locket begins to rotate, and its warmth expands to fill my open palms. My bracer crackles with sympathetic magic, and I close my eyes, picturing the crowded shelves. The scent of the place.

Every other time I tried to summon a portal, it took basically all the magic I had. I followed a feeling--a sense of safety or the hot breeze of Air Dragon magic. The faint lights of my parents' spirits.

But now I can feel the magic coming to me. A lightness rises in my chest. This is working.

I open my eyes and lock my gaze with Rhiannon's. She's beaming with pride. As she should be--this was a stroke of genius on her part.

Still holding the locket in one hand, I reach out with the other. Malik places his palm in mine, clasping it tightly. Jianyu holds onto my wrist and Rafe my arm.

The instant all three of them are in contact with me, something inside me snaps into place. The breath is punched from my lungs as the bright stars and clouds within the locket sweep out, curling around me and my mates, and then we're falling. Sheer exhilaration shoots through as the magic takes form. All three of my men bleed life and magic and wonder into me, and it yanks the four of us forward. Rhiannon's living room dissolves, and all is blackness and stars, and we're hurtling and tumbling. My mates grasp onto me more tightly, and Malik murmurs my name, amazement warming his voice.

And then we're there. In the front room of old Maude's secondhand shop, right in the heart of Wynrath Crest, in the very center of the Air Kingdom.

The locket's roar dulls back down to its usual, muted hum, but as I click it closed, it still radiates a gentle glow of power. I exhale roughly. I'm no expert, but it seems like it has more than enough magic to get us back to Unity, after we're done.

"Huh," Rafe says, pulling his hand back and glancing around.

Even in the dark, the shop is unmistakable, with its distinctive scent of dust and old books and maybe just a hint of Lemon Pledge. That said, as I survey the area, a few changes are immediately apparent.

"It, uh." I chew the inside of my lip. "Used to be a little bit better kept up."

Guilt gnaws at me. The gods know that I didn't exactly plan my exit from the Air Kingdom. Storm and I were discovered, and King Zephyr sentenced me to exile, and then I had about four hours to get myself and all my earthly possessions over the border.

That doesn't change the fact that I clearly left Maude in the lurch. I only worked here part-time, but I did most of the straightening up and sorting through consignments and donations. In my absence, I'm not sure anyone's sorted through anything. The shelves are dusty and overcrowded, with piles of loose items on the floor.

As I'm processing the general state of disarray, Jianyu does a quick survey of the perimeter, checking in the back room and peeking out windows.

"Everything is secure," he informs us. His brow crinkles. "But..."

"Yeah," I agree. "It's a mess."

Malik keeps his expression markedly neutral as he looks around. "I take it this is not typical."

"I mean, it was never pristine, but no. It was never this bad, either."

This was our safest place to materialize, but we can't linger here. Maude's clearly having enough trouble as it is. I couldn't live with it if I brought more hardship to her door.

Also, there's barely space to walk, much less forge a life-altering soul-bond with a guy I hate.

"We'll have to bring Fury someplace else," I decide.

Rafe raises a brow. "You have a spot in mind?"

Grimly, I nod. It's a risk, but...

"I do."

Five minutes later, I'm standing in a darkened alley outside a building I never expected to ever set foot in again.

"Coast is clear," Rafe calls from just inside the door. Even though there were no signs of life inside, he and Malik insisted on going in first to make sure it was safe.

Jianyu nods and puts his hand to the small of my back. My throat grates as I swallow.

The first things to hit me as I enter are the scents of motor oil and spicy, male dragon. I clench down inside, and my heart squeezes with an excruciating pang within my chest.

A few months ago, Storm's garage was our sanctuary. We could meet up freely here, whereas everywhere else in Wynrath Crest, he had to pretend he didn't even know me.

But here? We talked and laughed, and I watched him repair engines. We fucked and made love, and it was the happiest place in my world, most days.

Unlike Maude's shop, the garage is basically the same as ever--if maybe a little tidier than I remember. But there's a coldness to it. A couple of new dents in the floor and wall, and a bit of ash in a corner of the ceiling.

All I can think of is Storm, pacing this place in a rage. Throwing something. His enormous silver dragon couldn't fit in the enclosed space, but it would be huge within his spirit--maybe large enough to spit fire.

Did he let out some of his anger, here, after his father and brother kicked me out of the kingdom?

What has he been doing since then?

Does he miss me? With the all-consuming pain that I missed him?

More importantly--do I care?

No. I don't.

I won't.

Hardening my heart, I banish the memories assaulting me. The space isn't huge, but with only one bay actually occupied by a car, there's ample room to meet our needs.

I nod. "It'll do."

"Very well." Malik cracks his knuckles and sets up a lookout near the window.

Even though we've negotiated the next phase of our plan about a thousand times, I still waver. I look to Rafe and Jianyu. "Are you two sure about this?"

"As sure as we can be," Jianyu says.

"Back in five." Rafe swoops in for a hard, deep kiss that lights me up from my fingers to my toes but does little to quell my anxiety.

Jianyu rolls his eyes before claiming a good luck kiss of his own.

"Be careful," I tell him.

"I will." Jianyu tips his head toward Rafe. "And I'll make sure he is, too."

"Thanks."

A piece of my heart goes with them as they slip out. I have to clasp my hands together tightly behind my back to keep from running after them. I should be there with them--not sitting here, doing nothing.

"It's for the best," Malik reminds me.

"I know." Joining him by the window, I drop my head into his chest and close my eyes, breathing in his ocean scent.

Rubbing his broad hand up and down my back, he holds me close.

Because here's the thing--if all goes well, I'm going to take one look at Prince Fury, and I'm going to fall into the brilliant abyss of a fresh soulmate connection. I've done that in public two times with three different men already, and both times, it was a public relations disaster.

This time? In the hostile Air Kingdom? Where the Shadow King's soldiers have infiltrated the monarchy? And where I'm basically a known fugitive?

It would be a life-threatening emergency.

And that's a best-case scenario. If things go the other way--if Fury isn't my fated mate...

Well, then it'd probably be the start of a war.

So we stick to the plan. Rafe and Jianyu have a list of the places Fury likes to go at night. They'll find him, subdue him, and bring him back here. Then, from the relative safety of this garage, I'll look deep into his eyes.

And I'll find out what the Gods have in store.

After nearly an hour of waiting, I'm pacing a hole in the concrete floor.

Turning to start my loop again, I pause and bite my nails before asking Malik, "What if something happened?"

He smiles placidly and shakes his head. "You'd feel it, beloved."

Of course I would.

My connection with Rafe and Jianyu is as strong and vibrant as ever. Dropping my hand from my mouth, I close my eyes for a moment. All I feel from my mates is focus. They're unharmed, unafraid.

I need to trust them. And I can't distract them.

So pacing it is.

The time ticks away at a snail's pace, until suddenly, the thread of my bond to Jianyu and Rafe pulls tight. I inhale sharply, going still. There's effort, adrenaline.

And then the tang of victory.

My eyes flare wide. "They've got him."

Not ten minutes later, I feel them drawing close. At my signal, Malik goes to the door and lifts the covering over the glass to peer out. He nods, then hauls the door open.

Jianyu and Rafe are all grim determination and strength as they bustle a limp but familiar figure in. My mates have knocked Fury out and put a canvas bag over his head--making sure I don't connect my gaze with his until I'm ready--but it's still unmistakably him. I suck in a harsh breath, fluttering inside with nerves.

Prince Fury is as jacked as he's ever been, his muscles bulging against the confines of his expensive jeans and perfectly tailored shirt. My stomach twists as I take him in. Moments from now, I may have an irresistible, bone-deep need for this man.

For right now, though, all I can think of is the cruel sneer on his face as he transformed into his dragon on the night of the Emergence. How he lifted me like a ragdoll and all but threw me on the ground outside my aunt's house. He told me it was only his father's mercy that spared my life; if he'd been in charge, he would have shredded me limb from limb.

Doubt tears at me. How can I possibly have a soul-bond with this monster?

How can I love him?

I don't even realize how tightly I'm clenching my fists until Jianyu puts his hands over mine. Wrapping me in a gentle embrace, he reminds me, "We can always take him back to Unity to do this, if you want."

And delay what's already shaking me to my core?

"No." I curl into him for a moment, soaking in his strength, before pulling back. "It has to be here. Just in case..."

I trail off, unable to say it.

"Are you ready?" Rafe is tying Fury to a chair in the center of the unoccupied half of the garage. Once he's tested the ropes, he steps back and grasps the edge of the bag over Fury's head.

I laugh darkly. "Not even close."

"You can do this," Malik says, standing beside me.

It's not as if I have any choice.

I nod at Rafe. In a single, swift move, he yanks the cloth off Fury's head, revealing his face. It's more handsome when he's not actively throwing insults at everyone around him, but I still can't help but recoil.

"Malik," Rafe prompts. "If you would do the honors."

"Gladly." Malik's tattoos glow, and he lifts his hands into the air.

And it's not as if I didn't notice the shop bucket he filled with water from the bathroom earlier. I just figured he'd dump the thing over Fury's head like a normal person.

But oh, no. With dramatic flair, he draws the gallon or so of water right out of the bucket with his magic and whips the sloshing mass of it across Fury's face half a dozen times before releasing it in a gush over his entire torso.

I bite back a laugh, but the mirth dies on my tongue as Fury sputters and coughs. His eyes open, and all the air leaves my lungs.

"What the fuck --" Fury whips his gaze around wildly, struggling against his bonds. His jaw sets as he takes in my mates, who look like ripped, magically adept bodyguards.

I hold my breath as his gaze continues scanning.

Until finally, inexorably, he registers my presence. His eyes fly wide in recognition. His mouth hardens.

"Reject," he sneers. "What are you-- "

And then his cold, gray eyes meet mine.