19. Mica

Chapter 19

Mica

Fuck. Panic filled Mica as he felt Ra moving further and further away from him, but there was nothing he could do. Every drop of his power was being spent keeping the ley line from splitting any further and interweaving his defences with Elysia's against the falling rock and whatever other foul play was no doubt about to be attempted. What little attention he had spare was focused on trying to calm the stronghold enough to figure out what the fuck had happened.

He knew he should've used more reassuring words when he'd spoken to Ra, but, with his mind split in three directions, all he'd been capable of was responding to direct questions and stating facts. It was fact that the damage had come from one of the buried scanners, but given Mica had imbued them with the necessary magic himself, he was certain whatever had caused it happened after he and Ra had finished with them.

It was telling that three of his senior courtiers were all trying to pressure some kind of response from him on this. He had no doubt one or all of them were responsible. Only time would tell if they'd realised how fragile the stronghold was before they'd acted. Were they only trying to drive a wedge between him and Ra, or were they trying to start a war? Had they known how much damage this would cause?

A tremor through his consciousness heralded another series of tunnels collapsing through the stronghold's panic. From the flashes of images he was getting from Earthshine, he didn't think anyone had been hurt, but some of his people were now trapped within the caves while the limestone rumbled in fear and anger around them.

Earthshine, it's okay. I won't let them hurt him and we will try again and help you heal , he told the stronghold.

Traitors! I will swallow them and grind their bones to dust! the caves screamed back.

Complete sentences were progress at least.

I need you to stabilise the rift so I can deal with them , Mica said, sending a wave of calm he wasn't feeling toward the sentience along with a hint of his own murderous thoughts towards anyone trying to harm his mate so the stronghold knew it wasn't alone.

The pressure in the back of his mind finally eased a little as the stronghold hyper-focused on the task he'd given it now it was reassured he wasn't about to attack Ra.

Elysia had kept their shielding strong as he worked, and with the sentience not slapping at his subconscious and the wounded ley line staunched for now, he could finally turn to his friend.

"I don't like this. Only some of these falling rocks were from Earthshine. The rest reek of mage craft," Elysia said.

Mica nodded. Raising one hand, he drew deep on his vast power that was magnified a thousand-fold by his connection to the sentience, even as damaged as it was. Copper magic flashed from his body in three perfectly spinning blades that temporarily severed the other mages' connection to their power. Igneous rock pattered to the ground like rain until, finally, silence fell.

Closing his hand into a fist and twisting, he forced the three men to kneel before him, knowing his eyes were flashing with raw power and rage. How dare they try and harm his mate? How dare they harm his land and his people?

"Explain yourselves. Now," Mica growled, as he pulled out his phone to call for his enforcers to bring the magic-blocking shackles they used when powerful mages went rogue.

It was Wren who broke first, babbling words so fast he could barely follow as the other two glared at the seneschal.

"It was just supposed to be a small rockfall on the outer edge of the caves. No one should've been hurt. Just enough to get you to send the human home or kill him."

A deadly calm settled over Mica. "Just enough to kill my mate?"

Wren's face turned white as a sheet and he opened and closed his mouth several times before his strangled voice asked "Your what ?"

"I have a good guess at Wren and Lachlan's motivation, but yours is more puzzling, Garett. You are supposed to be a healer, but you've broken open the stronghold's wounds that had barely closed over," Mica said.

"You betrayed us the moment you asked a necromancer for help. Death magic is anathema. You learned that as a child the same as me. We could all see the way things were heading with Ra. You already had his necromancy tech defiling the stronghold. It wouldn't be long before his so-called brother started showing up and you reached out to the vampyr who are just as abhorrent. You needed to be reminded of what the human's true nature is," Garett said.

Fucking hell. All this over an outdated prejudice? The Soul Court had saved their land from destruction over and over again. He'd known it would take time for people to get over their aversion to soulweaving, especially with Bastion raising its profile with the way he was adopting the few soulweaving elemental children in the world, but he'd thought his closest circle could at least appreciate what Bastion had done for them. Instead, they seemed determined to become an isolationist outpost while the rest of the world moved toward peace.

He should've paid more attention when Kaia pointed out how strange it was that only elementals resided in the stronghold and Tree City. That was on him. He should've done more to encourage his people to reach out to the other species they now co-existed with. That didn't excuse his courtiers' betrayal, though. They had almost brought about the catastrophe he'd spent months working to avoid and their actions would definitely draw the problem to the attention of the other courts.

A flash of wings on the edge of the glade heralded the arrival of five of his enforcers, all covered in a thin layer of limestone dust that made them almost ghostly in appearance.

"These three are guilty of treason. Cuff them and take them to the cells," Mica said.

The enforcers' eyes widened and flicked between him and the three elementals still kneeling. It had been centuries since they'd been faced with a crime of this nature and he'd likely be dealing with the repercussions of three of his trusted circle betraying him for decades to come. Before he could say anything more, a sudden draw on his magic had his head jerking toward the direction Ra had disappeared.

The remote magical defences in his mate's collar had been activated and he could feel them flickering under an assault it wouldn't be able to hold against for long.

Lachlan's mouth twisted in a smirk. "He ran right where we directed him. We win no matter what you do to us. When Bastion learns you let him die, you'll be at war with both the Soul and Water Courts. No necromancers or vampyr will come here in peace again and the Earth Court can finally be rid of their taint."

"You'd better hope for your sake that's not true," Mica growled, throwing himself into the air.

The last thing he heard before he was speeding across the jungle canopy was Elysia's reassurance they would handle the tunnel collapse and the traitors. If Ra was hurt or killed, Elysia would have to hide them somewhere until he'd calmed because he would exact every injury on them a thousand times over.

Pushing the limits of his power, he accelerated his flight to a speed he'd seldom attempted, his magic ripping through him like a magnitude 10.0 earthquake and his muscles straining. Ra's presence was a shining beacon pulling him forward. A target every atom of his being was focused on reaching. Even so, he felt the shielding embedded in the collar flicker and collapse just as he hurtled to the ground hard enough to send a shockwave echoing out that formed a crater where he'd landed.

He'd aimed his body like an arrow, hitting the hovering gold and white feathered form of Ra's attacker mid-air and taking her to the earth with him where his power was greatest. His booted feet crushed her ribs with a satisfying series of cracks as he pinned her down.

Nearby, the too still, too pale form of Ra's body was lax where he lay sprawled in a nest of earth that cushioned him from the chaos around him. Mica's vision went red and he became nothing but rage as he felt the tenuous grip Ra held to life. Earth magic sprung to his call, slamming into the weakly fluttering heart of the elemental lying beneath him and stopping it forever. Without a backward glance, he scooped Ra's unconscious body up into his arms and somehow flew even faster back to the stronghold than he'd arrived.

Time was of the essence and there was no way he would risk his mate's death if he could help it. He had no pride to swallow as he used his earpiece to call Bastion as he flew. Nothing was more important than the man in his arms.

"He's dying. I need Kairon here now," Mica all but yelled into the mic as he landed on the balcony, not even bothering to wait for Bastion to speak. He couldn't risk calling his own healers until he figured out how deep Garett's betrayal went and whether anyone else was working with him.

For once, the stronghold was a focused presence in his mind working quietly with Elysia in the background so it didn't distract him from the danger to his mate. As if it could sense that distracting him now would mean a disaster they would never recover from. Through their connection, he could feel the shifting rock and the patter of running feet as the tunnel collapse was repaired, but he ignored it all.

Reaching deep into the depths of the earth, he spun his magic through Ra's body, urging his blood to keep flowing, his stuttering breaths to continue. Unlike Caelus, Lucia hadn't just cut off the oxygen from around Ra's face. She'd dragged it from every blood cell in his veins while her power tore through bone and sinew. The only reason Ra was even still breathing at all was because there had been less than a second from when the collar's shielding collapsed until Mica arrived and their connection was reinforcing his tenuous grip on life.

Sinking down to his knees, he cradled Ra's head in his lap, gently stroking a lock of blond hair from his face with shaking fingers.

"Hold on, my love. Don't you dare fucking die on me," he rasped.

It was a measure of how distracted he was that he didn't even notice the portal forming at his back. The first he knew that company had arrived was the looming presence of the black-winged soulweaver over his shoulder.

"I was all set to rip you a new one, but I think you're probably doing that yourself already," Bastion said, the chilling sensation of his power filling the air as he worked to hold Ra's soul with the living.

Ignoring the soulweaver, Mica glanced behind him and breathed a sigh of relief as Kairon stepped through the portal.

"Hurry, please," he begged the vampyr.

Worry in every line of his face, Kairon sped to where he was kneeling with a speed even Mica would have trouble matching on foot. The flash of a blade appeared and was gone before he could react as Kairon sliced open his palm before letting the blood-red of his healing magic coat Ra's body until he was surrounded by a throbbing sphere of power.

After long minutes, Kairon finally broke the silence. "He's stable now, but his recovery will take time. You can release your magic from him. It might interfere otherwise," Kairon said, brushing against his wings as he crouched down and stretched out a hand over Ra's chest.

Everything in Mica screamed not to trust his mate to anyone else, but he shut it down. If he'd listened to Ra and called Kairon for help in the first place, none of this might've happened. Ra trusted Kairon, so he would too. Reeling his magic back under his skin, he kept his senses alert for any deterioration in his mate, but the vampyr magic seemed to be working.

None of them spoke a word as Kairon continued to work and Mica didn't shift away a single inch. He couldn't. The stronghold had locked the doors to his wing, responding to his own fear there may be more traitors in his ranks. He was grateful for the chance to block the rest of the world from his mind and ignore the chaos this unannounced visit from Bastion would cause in his court.

Stroking his thumbs along Ra's gorgeous cheekbones over and over, he sat otherwise perfectly still on the hard, cold stone. Some of the tension left him when Ra's breathing improved enough that he could feel his exhalations against his fingers where they brushed against his lips.

Finally, Kairon straightened, swaying slightly, as the red of his power faded. "It's safe to move him now."

"When will he wake?" Mica asked as he stood with Ra cradled close to his chest.

"It's hard to say. He heals faster than a human because of his bond to you, but not as fast as you or I would, or as fast as he would if you were mated," Kairon said.

"We're not leaving until we're sure he's fine," Bastion said, breaking his silence.

Mica nodded, barely paying any attention to the other lord. "You two can take Ra's room and the guest room over there," he said waving toward the doors off the living area.

"Won't Ra need his room?" Bastion asked, a teasing note to his voice now the immediate danger had passed.

Mica growled. "Ra will be in my room where he belongs."

Fuck. His fear for Ra had made him lose all his filters. Glaring across at Bastion, he raised an eyebrow in silent question. Was the Soul Lord going to make an issue of this?

"It took me a while to see it, but I'm not going to stand between my brother and his mate," Bastion said.

Of all the elemental rulers, Bastion was the only one who would really understand this drive to bond he was feeling because he was the only one who'd succumbed to a mate bond himself.

"I do have some control. We're not mated," Mica muttered. But he wished they were. Ra might've healed already if he'd been brave enough to form the bond.

"Yet," Bastion added with a smirk. "Take my brother to your room and let him rest. Then we have things to discuss."

Mica headed for his rooms, the stronghold opening doors for him along the way until he could place Ra gently down on his bed where he should've been all along. Rage threatened to overtake him again as his mate's body remained limp and unresponsive as he carefully undressed him down to his t-shirt and boxers before tucking him under the grey silk comforter. Had he realised he'd decorated his room in the exact colour of Ra's eyes before? No. He just hoped Ra would wake soon to tease him mercilessly about it.

Leaning forward, he brushed a kiss to his mate's forehead before silently making his way out of the room. The stronghold dimmed its glow as he went, ensuring Ra could sleep undisturbed.

As he re-entered the room, his first stop was the cask of Ra's whiskey by his drinks cabinet where he poured five generous measures.

"Are you expecting company or are you planning to line those up and shoot them all back yourself?" Bastion asked.

Serena and Elysia's arrival that he'd sensed through the stronghold meant he didn't need to bother answering.

"What the fuck happened?" Bastion asked once everyone was seated.

The time for secrets was past. There was no way to explain the shitshow of an afternoon without explaining the damage to the stronghold and what it meant. Even if he'd been able to weave a glamour over the rift that extended from the stronghold out to the coast and beyond, he couldn't do anything about the damage he could sense extending into Lady Nerida's territory in the ocean.

Fuck. Nerida.

As if his thoughts had conjured it, his phone rang with the distinctive ringtone he allocated to the other courts' rulers.

"I can explain," he said in lieu of a greeting, putting the phone on speaker.

"I should fucking well hope so. I thought we were at least close enough that you'd tell me if we were at war in person," Nerida snapped.

Sighing, Mica pinched the bridge of his nose and took a long sip of whiskey. "We're not at war."

"Greetings, Lady Nerida," Bastion chimed in.

"Hello, sweet Water Lady," Kairon added.

There was silence down the line and Mica winced. Maybe whatever antagonism was happening between Nerida and the vampyr would distract her from the damage to her court?

"You've got two minutes to explain what the fuck is going on and why you're cosying up to another court and that vampyr just as your magic invaded my territory," Nerida said, voice low and dangerous.

It took longer than two minutes, but thankfully Nerida seemed to regain some patience after he launched an explanation of the cause and nature of the damage to his stronghold.

"We knew it wouldn't be plain sailing when we initiated the global summit," Nerida said grudgingly after he explained the prejudice behind his people's betrayal. "I assume they will be made an example of."

"I will go even further than that. If you want them, I will hand them over to you for justice in recompense," Mica said.

Bastion jerked in surprise and stared at him. It was a big call. Nerida was bloodthirsty in her punishments. Usually, the courts would refuse to hand over a courtier in that way, regardless of the crime, but his people had knowingly betrayed him and the Earth Court in a way that could incite a war. As they'd discussed the magical damage to the ley lines, Nerida had shared an image of the effects on her stronghold. The Water Court that usually floated suspended in the ocean wherever she and the ley lines saw fit was now trapped static in a huge whirlpool; the only thing keeping it intact was the combined vast magics of her and her stronghold. It was a disaster in the making.

"You would forego taking revenge for what they did to your human?" Nerida asked, surprise in her voice.

Mica growled in distress despite himself before cutting it off. This was bigger than his possessiveness and he knew Ra would never forgive him for starting a war in his name. "Yes. To demonstrate my commitment to peace between us," he said.

"And what of your stronghold? I can feel the instability from here," Nerida said.

"If the Soul Court is willing to assist, I will do what Ra suggested in the first place and have them help design a solution. I'm confident we can do it," Mica said, carefully avoiding mentioning that he would be including the vampyr Nerida couldn't stand as well.

Kairon met his gaze over the coffee table and nodded his assent to the unspoken request.

"I'm glad to see you're finally admitting I was right all along," a croaky voice said from nearby.