Chapter 25

Kayla

That scum! Drovo was wheezing on the ground from Dameron’s unexpected blow, and I wanted nothing more than to lunge myself at the brutal male for hurting my mate. More hunters appeared from behind the trees, and I knew it was over.

“I thought you might try to escape. Now get up. You four are coming with me.”

I untied Jelly from his harness and petted him one last time. I did not think I’d be seeing my pet again.

We followed Dameron back to the valley.

“Where are you taking us?” Taylor asked.

“I’m going to expose all your lies. You will stand before the dekes under the full light of the moon and everyone will bear witness as not a single one of you glows for the other.”

My stomach sank to my feet as we walked through the gate toward the center of the valley, where there was a crowd already gathered.

Drovo squeezed my hand as the crowd parted for us and Dameron led us to the center of the dekes.

“I have always believed that these abominations deserved a punishment worse than exile, but I listened to your pleas and spared your sons. However, my mercy has now come to an end.”

Dameron turned to the crowd, eyeing each and every member of his dekes. “You will bear witness to their lies. You will see for yourselves how their skin does not glow. It is impossible for an abomination to be blessed by the goddess. Why would she bless this filth with mates, and not us, we who are pure of any imperfections?”

It was a cloudy night. The full light of the big moon had not yet shown itself.

There was a rustling of fabric to my right. Kahina and Holey pushed through the crowd, out of breath. Kahina looked wide-eyed with fear. Holey”s bottom lip quivered as she saw us standing there waiting for our judgment.

A cold breeze swept through the valley. The clouds began to move and the light of the moon finally hit the ground and crept toward us along the pink grass as the clouds moved out of the way.

My heart beat faster and faster with each passing second. Soon the moon’s light would be upon us, and it would be over. Our fates would be sealed.

Drovo turned to me with pain written all over his face. I could not help the tear that streamed down my cheek. My mate pulled me into his chest and I buried my face in his warmth.

My eyes stayed locked on the ground as the sparkling light of the moon passed over us. The pink grass shimmered at our feet, illuminated by the light that would be our doom.

I closed my eyes and let the world fade away. Dameron would separate us after this. I had no illusions about what he might do to Drovo once our lies were revealed. I wouldn’t think about that now. I needed to memorize this moment. Drovo’s warmth, his scent, the beat of his heart in his chest.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard a gasp and then another.

I felt Drovo’s skin change to bark. It was the full moon after all, the guys had no choice but to shift.

“They’re glowing,” someone whispered.

“They’re glowing!” Trivix shouted.

My eyes flew open, and I looked up. The first thing I saw was a shifted Drovo with a shocked expression on his face. Light glowed from his veins and his horns, that looked more like antlers in his shifted form, had turned black.

“My luminescence!” Drovo scooped me up in his arms and it was only then that I realized I was glowing, too.

I was overwhelmed with joy. We weren’t doomed after all. We were mates! Luminescence mates! Tears sprang to my eyes as it sank in that Drovo and I would be together forever. It was meant to be.

Taylor and Brexl! My heart sank at the thought that they’d be discovered as liars. There was no way I’d be able to leave them behind while Drovo and I went free.

I turned my gaze in their direction and gasped. They were glowing, too.

Brexl was looking down at his own glowing hands as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Taylor was standing protectively in front of her mate, staring down Dameron with a fierce what-are-you-going-to-do-now expression.

I’d thought I’d seen Dameron mad. We’d certainly angered him many times during our short visit here, but the expression he wore on his face now was beyond anger. It was rage. I’d seen that expression before, that rage, but again I couldn’t place it. That didn’t matter now. What mattered was, is the Savrix going to let us go free?

Drovo put me down, and I stood in front of him in much the same way as Taylor was doing for Brexl. Dameron wouldn’t hurt a female, not when his dekes needed them so much.

“You’ve seen for yourself that we weren’t lying. Let us go,” I demanded in a low, unyielding tone.

“No,” he growled in a tone that matched mine.

Drovo tried to stand in front of me, but I held him back. This was my battle. Drovo had fought against this Savrix long enough.

“Let us go,” I repeated, holding my ground.

“They don’t deserve mates. They are unclean! Abominations!” Dameron addressed the dekes. “Hunters, tie them up. This changes nothing.”

Scaron and his ilk took a step toward us, but Trivix, Favalor, Zoru, Kahina, Holey, and even Drovo’s father stood between us and them. Off in the distance, I thought I saw someone stand up from among the trees. They glowed as well, but not with the purplish neon light of luminescence. They had an orange glow to them like fire. They took a step forward, but must have changed their minds because they quickly disappeared again.

“What is this? I am the Savrix. I speak commands and they are obeyed.” Dameron’s low growl drew my attention back to where I was standing.

“Let them go, Dameron,” Kahina commanded. “The goddess’ will is clear here.”

At her words, the rest of the dekes came to stand between us and Dameron’s hunters. It seemed Kahina still held an air of authority over this dekes.

The Savrix took in the sight of all his people turning against him and scowled. “Fine, but this isn’t over yet. You may be luminescence mates, but I refuse to believe you are goddess blessed.”