Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

M y boots in the green water of The Aaruk never felt better. I rolled my neck and willed more magic to go to the younger equine shifter before me, one of Malachi's team. Unfortunately, it was the last of the shifters we were supposed to have healed today.

In less than five minutes, because of the brunt of my power having felt a deep frustration the past few days, the black mass left the man, and he was finally able to shift into a huge black horse. I had healed two of the four. But at least Emric and the Wylan Enchanted not used today could get ahead on the lottery by going again tomorrow.

"Well done," Emric said with a slap to my shoulder.

The horse was sure to press his head against my chest before taking off at a sprint. He had no wings; he was a black land horse. I was learning it was clear which horses in Dra Skor were shifters and which were normal horses. That sheen that all of the shifters had, yes, but also in just sheer size, the shifter horses were bigger from the size of their hooves to their height.

My first thought had been that they were built like the legends of war horses. And I wondered if those legends hadn't been derived from the power of the shifted equines themselves.

My eyes went to Malachi on the shore, making sure that every healed Enchanted who was about to pass out was taken to the castle under guard and protected. He'd left the war room meeting shortly after I had, wanting to be here for The Aaruk healings.

There would be no more attacks on the healed.

"You feel better?" Malachi asked as the shifter moved back into his human form and stumbled toward a healer.

I gave Malachi a shrug. "Can you call a few others?"

He stilled and spun toward me. "You sure?"

I gave him a nod and made no move to leave the water. So naturally he came over to me. His voice dropped to a whisper. "What's going on, Keir?"

I let out a sigh and quickly looked around to make sure no one else was listening in. "Last night Esta didn't let me fly with her to make sure Jagen was all right when news came from the cells. It went against everything in me. Add that she still will not use our bond to speak to me, and I'm not just frustrated, but angry. At everything."

Malachi considered my words as Emric neared us. "So you need to use more of your power?"

"Exactly. I need to be so exhausted from using my power that I am able to sleep for a solid eight hours when I return. Even if my soul bound mate is ignoring me."

Emric butted in, "If you think I am just going to allow you to push yourself to burnout, you have another thing coming. There must be another way you can get a respite from your anger."

What was it with Emric and his budding vocabulary? Was he trying to become John? Not that I was angry if he was, but Emric was Emric. He did not need to be like John.

"I do not wish to go to full burnout," I amended. "Which is why I need your help, Em. "

"So that if you near it, I will take over?" he asked.

The two of them were quiet, one looked to the other as they considered what I asked.

"Fine," Malachi finally agreed. "But I'm telling Esta."

"She will likely already know," I snapped. "If she is even remotely paying attention to the bond." I let out a long sigh. "I cannot hide my frustration or anger. Likewise, I cannot stop feeling her terror."

My rant was cut off entirely as Malachi moved to hug me. Not just a slap of a hug, a real one. He pulled back and smacked the side of my shoulder. "If I had a bond like that and was asked not to use it, to go through what you had to the last few days, I would've broken something by now. I know Esta has her reasons, but that doesn't mean she's right."

"She's the queen of Dra Skor, isn't she always right?" Emric asked lightly.

"Not this time," Malachi said without hesitation. "But do know that when her grandfather died, Esta went to The Drak to try to speak to Nana Ice on more than one occasion. It was not pretty. I'm sure that is what fuels her terror." He smacked me again, this time on the other shoulder. "It isn't fair to you though, brother. So if you want to heal a few more equine shifters, I am going to allow you to, as long as you do not get near burnout in the process."

I looked from Emric to Malachi, grateful for both. "Are the two of you my sitters or my friends?"

At the same time Emric said, "Yes," Malachi said, "Both."

Malachi shifted to give the orders to get me a few more shifters to heal.

I ended up healing one winged shifter who was stuck in his teenager human form, and one elderly shifter stuck in her equine form. The team waiting to guard the carriages as they traveled to the castle added the two extras I healed to the mix. And then to top it all off, the Wylan team spread out and practiced some combat training exercises in the meadow. I was certain the last time I had used my Enchantment this much was when I turned Esta back.

"Feel better?" Emric asked as I headed with the others.

More than I was sweaty, I felt exhausted. I needed entirely more sleep. "A bit."

I was thanking each of our team when a large shadow came over me from above. I would have known if Esta was near, so I wasn't surprised to find Nyx instead.

"Nyx," I greeted.

Prince.

"What are you doing in The Aaruk?"

Malachi fetched me. He thought you might want to spend some time in The Drak. Stretch your wings.

As if on cue, Malachi walked over to us in his human form. "I have to help get the carriages back safely, but based on the meeting today, those wings of yours need to be stretched."

Hop on, Nyx offered.

"Not without me you don't," Dex demanded.

I looked to Emric. Normally he dealt with the team after they were done every day, which was always before now. The morning meeting and my healing two extra shifters had delayed them. Not to mention our training session. "Go," he told me. "I've got it."

So Dex and I climbed on Nyx. I knew I couldn't fly all the way to The Drak. Not only because I couldn't reveal my wings yet, but also because I wasn't sure I could make that long of a flight without hurting myself.

You are mated to the queen, Nyx told me a few minutes into our flight. Her lair is now yours to use, should you tire while we are there.

I was tired enough from using my first Enchantment that I was fairly certain I could've gone without flying and passed out, but I was not going to miss out on the opportunity to use my wings.

"Thank you for coming to get me," I told the dragon.

Don't mention it.

Over halfway to The Drak, my magic flared. It could have been in response to something Esta was doing, but I also felt like I had already lived this nightmare once.

When Dex asked, "You feel that?" I immediately told Nyx, "Land. Something isn't right."

He wasted no time as he tucked in his wings and plummeted to the ground near some tree cover. As soon as we got off him, Nyx shifted into his human form so the three of us could move further into the trees under cover.

"What is it?" Nyx asked.

"I don't know," I told him. "I looked around some but wasn't about to let them shoot another dragon out of the sky, so I had you land. As much as I want to fly back up there with you, all things considered, it's time to call in some help. Something or someone is out there lurking."

Nyx shifted back so he could alert the nearest shifters. Dex used his Enchantment to get random sticks and branches out of the way for Nyx's bigger form that way he could remain hidden.

Or as hidden as a dragon could ever be.

I reached for my tether to Esta to inform her of what was going on. Much to my dismay, as soon as I focused in on our bond, I felt Esta already in motion, her anger and fury hitting me in droves.

I didn't see anything, I told her. But Dex's magic and my own both flared. It wouldn't unless our Enchantment felt a threat.

She didn't say anything in response of course, but I could almost feel her speed pick up. Her panic was overwhelming my own senses, causing my own heart rate to pick up.

Meanwhile wherever we were, Dex wanted to go back up with Nyx to see what they could find, but I had absolutely refused. They were not going to leave me safe and risk themselves on my behalf. We would do this right. Wait for the team of shifters to fall in and attack, much like they had with the Agrian spy.

Whoever was out there lurking was about to get found.

Malachi and half of his team covering the carriages are moving this way, Nyx informed me.

"Not fast enough," I groaned. "Esta is panicked. And also heading this way."

I looked at Dex and he at me. I spun toward Nyx. "She isn't listening to me. She isn't using our bond to speak to me. Tell me she isn't so panicked and blinded by her dragon urge to protect me that she'll fly right into harm's way."

Nyx huffed smoke at me and responded, New bonds can take a while to get used to. Particularly strong ones. We had better get in the air. As soon as you feel her close.

I began trying to reason with Esta down the bond. Es. Please don't fly straight into danger. I am safe with Dex and Nyx. We are waiting on the team.

I didn't feel her slow down. I didn't feel anything but her panic. It was so thick and consuming I didn't know if she could even hear me around it.

Esta, I tried yet again. I am fine. Please wait for Malachi and the others. We will find whatever the threat is.

Again no response, but that wasn't truly all that surprising.

She is coming with Zaire at least, not alone, Nyx sent me. But he says she's furious. And not listening to him either.

I was feeling more panic than fury. And I guessed the secret of Zaire's healing was out, but I was also just grateful she wasn't flying alone .

Esta, I tried one last time as Dex got ready to mount Nyx. You are going to force us to get back into the air if you don't slow down and wait for the others. Breathe. Think about this. With you and Zaire and the others, whatever threat is lurking doesn't stand a chance.

I heard a roar in the distance I recognized as hers. My words somehow motivated her further rather than convinced her to wait.

"Let's get back in the air, Keir," Dex urged.

With a whoosh of Nyx's wings, we circled away from where I had felt my magic flare. We weren't in the air to find the threat first. We were in the air for back up.

Please fly further south, I asked of Esta as soon as she and Zaire became two dots in my line of vision.

But she did not veer from her flight. She was flying directly toward us, the area I felt the threat between us.

Esta, I snapped down the bond as she barreled closer . I feel your panic and fear. We will make them pay but do not put yourself at unnecessary risk.

Her answer was another roar as she swooped lower and flew faster than I had ever seen her fly before.

I took it to mean she did not care one bit about the risk to herself.

A glint of something airborne drew my attention off her momentarily. It was a spear, but this one was not like the other. It was flying far faster, far higher than the other had.

I immediately sent my power to stop it, but knew it'd be too late. It was flying too damn fast.

Her roar split the air as the spear struck her side.

It doubled me over in pain and blackened my vision. Her pain clogged my throat and thoughts simultaneously, blocking off even my airway with its acute sharpness. Because of all of those things combined, my wings were immediately out. Without thinking about it, I launched myself off Nyx and was moving as Esta tumbled toward the ground .

I flew like I had never flown before. Like I had grown up knowing exactly how to, instinct and fear took over.

Esta hurtled toward the ground, still alive, but in too much pain to use her wings. Instead, she reached around and grabbed at the spear with her teeth, pulling it out of her own body with a roar.

I saw Zaire move in to try to catch her at the same time I sent my magic out to save her. I had already used so much today, and she was so large in this form, would I truly have enough to save her? Would my Enchantment be enough?

And if it wasn't, could I use hers? I could possibly catch her by flying to her, but only if she shifted.

"Get her to shift," I yelled to Zaire as I pleaded down the bond, Shift!

I raced towards her, but she was falling so fast. Too fast.

Dammit you can ignore the bond later all you want, just shift!

I heard Nyx's angry roar as I assumed he and Dex took off after whomever had done this.

Screaming down the bond, I had time to plead only one last time. SHIFT.