5. Leila

FIVE

LEILA

L eila saw the shifter king transform from a charming true Viking hunk-of-a-god into a vicious brownish-red-colored bear who clashed hard into the air with the massive black bear charging them.

She had to look away.

It was too much for her mind to process. She had never seen a shifter battle, or one even change in front of her, for that matter.

She kept her eyes tightly shut, even with her head turned. Her ears were honed in on the battle raging beside her. There was no way to tune out the ripping of the skin and shedding of fur, only to be followed by a snapping jaw while all the thrashing was masked over with continuous threatening growls from each opponent.

Leila's ears perked back whenever she heard a growl in agony from a hit. She couldn't help but wonder if Rehn was causing or receiving the brutal hits.

Suddenly, a loud crying rumble erupted followed by bone-chilling silence.

Her eyes slowly opened. Not hearing even a breath, she turned around slowly, nervous at the sight she would see.

The brownish-red bear was breathing heavily as it stood over a form lying motionless on the ground.

Leila caught a glimpse of the black furry form between the red bear's paws.

Drystan wasn't moving. Not even a twitch. And Rehn stood exhausted, but victorious, over him.

Suddenly, the victor shifted back to his human form. It was so effortless that Leila had hardly noticed until he was back on two feet and hairless.

That was when she realized he was also naked. Her head snapped away again.

Eyes scrunched shut, she could feel her neck burn hot. She heard his footsteps approach.

"Are you okay?"

Rehn's voice was laced with concern.

Leila bit her lip. She needed to act like an adult here.

She forced her head to turn and face the naked king before her.

"Yes."

Her eyes wanted to leave his hazel ones so badly, as alluring as they were. But she would much rather gaze over his sculpted thick body, gleaming in sweat. Staying focused on his scruffy face took an absurd amount of self-control.

For a moment, she thought she saw an amused smirk about to form on the king's face. She cleared her throat, not wanting to let her awkwardness become more evident.

"Are you?"

He looked over his muscular body as Leila's eyes shot to the ground again.

"I'm okay," he answered after a quick assessment. "A couple of wounds, but they'll heal quickly."

Leila noticed a deep red against his white skin, forcing her eyes to look at his arm.

"Are you sure? That one looks nasty. I can try to heal it for you," she offered, taking a step closer.

"No, really. It's all right. Shifter healing is quick and efficient, especially for battle wounds that aren't too grievous."

She gave him a skeptical look until she noticed the gash was already smaller than seconds ago.

"I told you," he said, amused.

For a moment, she had forgotten he was naked. But when she looked at his crooked smile and saw his bare broad carved shoulders, she was quickly reminded.

"Uh, um… I assume it's normal for you to be naked?"

He chuckled, not even embarrassed. "Yeah. After shifting. The transition always rips our clothes. Plus, it's natural to be in the nude."

For some reason, the way he said it so matter-of-factly made her feel like she wanted to give in to her primal yearnings as well.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" he asked her.

"Oh, uh, no."

His eyebrow rose.

"Maybe a little," she admitted.

Leila hadn't wanted to offend him. She wasn't sure about the customs of shifters, especially when it came to their royalty.

Luckily, Rehn didn't seem fazed by her discomfort.

He looked around and spotted his shredded clothes.

"I would get dressed for you, but I don't think these would hide much anymore. Too bad you can't go back in time so I can be prepared for the attack and disrobe."

He was joking, but it gave Leila an idea.

"Here, let me see them." She reached out for the tattered clothes.

Rehn hesitantly handed her his rags. "I was just kidding."

She rolled her eyes at his unneeded explanation and concentrated on the material.

Her eyes closed as she raised her hands as if offering the clothes to the sky. She searched for the surge she had felt in her office. The one that had led to the magic.

There it was. She could still feel it softly pulsing inside of her. Channeling it with intention, she felt her chest begin to vibrate. It rattled down to her hands like a giant tremor, then, a soft purple flash, much more contained than the one before.

She felt giddy when she realized what she was holding out to Rehn.

"Thank you," the king said, amazement in his voice. He pulled on his freshly mended clothes. "How did you do that?"

"Past-manipulation. I think."

"You think?" Rehn pulled on his shirt.

"Well, I've never done that before either. I just thought about the past stage when your clothes weren't ripped and channeled all the..."

"Power?" he offered.

"Yeah. This is just all new to me in a way. I can do magic, but messing with time is another feeling."

"Really?"

Leila looked at the shifter's truly curious eyes and felt exposed. He seemed so interested in everything she was saying. It was intense and very personal. But in a thrilling way.

Or maybe she was just used to a room full of students who tuned in and out.

"Yes. It's like wielding magic, but it's something I don't truly understand enough to know exactly what I can and can't do."

"Like your limitations?"

"Exactly."

"And that means you can't for sure get us back to the present."

Rehn didn't sound annoyed, but it still made Leila feel slightly ashamed to have to answer yes.

But before she could admit a fault, there was a cough.

"Finally," Rehn huffed as he stomped over to the newly naked man who was trying to get up.

"I thought he was dead!" Leila nervously asked in a hushed tone. She followed closely behind Rehn.

"If he were dead, he would have turned back instantly."

Leila didn't condone violence, but she had really hoped that she would never have to look at the bald nut job again.

"Now, we question him," Rehn growled as he kneeled down. "I need to know how you escaped," the king rumbled low and threateningly.

It sent shivers down Leila's spine.

A choked bloody laugh spluttered from Drystan's face as he seated himself against a tree. "Good to see you too, Your Majesty. "

"Save it and answer me. How did you get out?"

Blood was continuously spilling out of the corner of Drystan's mouth in a steady stream. Leila could feel his life-force leaving him.

"I can't give away all the small details," he gasped.

Rehn looked disgusted with him and stood up.

"Fine. Then I guess there's nothing left to do here." Rehn turned to leave.

"Don't worry, you'll get yours. I know you think you've won, but me dying won't save you from what's coming. It's beyond you, king or not."

Leila caught Rehn's smirk, but when he turned back to face Drystan's pale, bloody countenance, the firm expression was in place.

He was playing Drystan.

"If it involves you, I'll defeat it as easily as I did you."

A gurgled chuckle from the soon-to-be-corpse.

"Not this. It was powerful enough to get me out of your prison without a trace."

"And why would anyone want to keep helping someone who has been caught?"

"I was awaiting certain death, so I had nothing to lose. What was freedom for simply going after a girl?" His cold eyes ran over Leila's body. She felt violated and frozen.

"I was never told what a fine piece-of-ass she was though."

There was a snap and then Drystan was motionless, slumped against the tree.

Rehn has kicked him in the jaw hard enough to break his neck. Leila had barely registered what had happened by the time it was over.

She looked up and met Rehn's eyes. They held each other for a moment before he finally looked away to walk past her.

"He was going to die anyway."

"I know" was all she replied.

Had Rehn killed Drystan because of what he said about her?

Then, she thought about what else Drystan had given away.

"Wait, he was sent after me?"

"It sounds that way." Rehn turned back and looked at her as if trying to figure out a riddle. "Do you have any idea why?"

Leila shook her head.

"This is a lot."

"Yeah, no shit," Rehn mumbled, sounding just as dumbfounded as her.

Leila was still in shock that someone was targeting her.

Why?

Her breathing started to come fast as she racked her brain for answers and what Drystan wanted from her.

"Hey, are you okay?" she heard Rehn ask.

Everything was starting to become blurry.

"Hey, just lie down. Take a breath."

She felt Rehn guide her onto the grass as she attempted to steady her breathing.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"That doesn't help me figure out how to get us home!" she snapped. She was growing irritated at not having answers to anything.

Rehn's voice remained calm.

"You will. Just relax and focus. Nothing can harm you now. We'll find the answers together. I promise."

When Rehn put a steady hand on her shoulder to comfort her, she felt a surge of the same power again. Just as intense as it had been in her office.

Leila wasn't sure when she'd get that feeling again, so she honed in on it and felt it boil in her chest. She grabbed onto Rehn's arm as the purple light surrounded them in a sudden blast.

When she opened her eyes, they were back in her office.

Even Drystan's lifeless body had come back.

"You okay?" Rehn asked, still on the ground with her.

She nodded as he helped her stand.

"Maybe you can tell us what happened?" came Xanthus's voice.

Leila and Rehn looked up in surprise. They hadn't realized that her office was now full of the academy's personnel.

She saw the eyes of her mentor shoot toward the dead body.

"And maybe what happened to him, as well."