Chapter 40

EIRWYN RACED OVER THEflames of the forest to the castle. A large group of villagers led by Scarlet stormed the castle, pushing through the gates as she circled her former home. They fought the guards, but many guards just tossed down their weapons and held their hands up.

Eirwyn looked up at the balcony above them and saw Bella"s yellow dress. Eirwyn flapped, pushing a gust of wind to gain altitude to see–

She gasped. Knox and Gastone wrestled on the balcony, and Bella screamed and reached out a hand. Knox slammed back and fell over the railing. She gasped, then shot through the sky like an arrow.

"Knox!" Her cry pierced the air. Eirwyn flew like an avenging angel on wings of shimmering light, wind wrapping around her to keep her airborne.

Her heart raced faster. The next balcony was rapidly approaching as Eirwyn slammed into him, changing his trajectory to a closer roof.

She wrapped her arms and magic around them to slow their fall, wind and shadows swirling. Magic wouldn"t keep them from being splattered on the cobblestones below, and adrenaline race through her.

With her arms around him, she couldn"t use them as wings. Knox was limp in her arms, and they slammed onto the roof.

They skidded along the tiles toward the edge. She gasped, digging in her heels and sending a burst of wind to slow them. She pulled on the waistband of his pants to keep him from going over.

They slid to a stop, and she panted as she looked below. Her eyes teared at the near death experience, but when she looked at Knox, she forgot all about it. All that mattered was him.

"Knox?" she gasped, wiping her eyes and shifting slowly to kneel beside him.

Tears pricked her eyes as she felt along his chest, pushing the necklace to the side. There was no pulse, and her eyes teared again as she shook her head. "No, no, Knox, don"t do this. I"m here. Come back to me."

The soft whisper was lost on the wind, but her heart yearned with all the longing, hope, and love she had to give. She didn"t know what to do or how to save him. She began to cry as despair washed over her.

Shadows wove around them, and fear knotted in her stomach at the lack of light in them. It gnawed at her, beating her down and making tears streak down her cheeks.

She pounded on his chest. "Knox, don"t leave me. Please, I can"t–please you have to stay with me. I love you. You said mates forever. Stay with me forever, please."

Her mouth found his in a desperate kiss that held nothing back. It begged him to stay, and she whimpered.

At the touch of their lips, magic surged through them, weaving their fates together. Her body began to heat and light, shadows, and wind swirled around them.

Her heart thudded wildly, afraid to hope, afraid to think of what this meant.

Then his tongue teased the seam of her mouth, and she gasped, her eyes flying open as she trembled in his arms. He used the moment to sweep his tongue inside. Her eyes fluttered, and her heart stuttered.

This was more than just a kiss. It was a hello, a promise of eternal mates, and a declaration of love all wrapped up in one.

His lips were soft, and his short whiskers tickled her lips. Their tongues met in a wet, hot slide, and she felt the familiar magic envelop them protectively.

Her heart ached as his tongue dove deeper. She moaned, her hands resting on his chest. Tears trailed down her cheeks at the feel of his heartbeat, the flow of his breath across her face. Their tongues dueled as if speaking some secret language.

She ached for him, and the kiss shifted deeper, wilder, needier. She bit his lip, and the tangy taste of blood teased her senses. The blood brought another swirl of magic. It lifted her hair around them, and his hands came up to rest on her waist. The kiss–their first real kiss–sent electricity through her veins.

Then his lips changed too, no longer soft and welcoming. His nose grew, forcing them to break the kiss. When she pulled back, his body shimmered as magic swirled, and his skin turned green.

He was bigger than a horse, her arms no longer able to hold him. His scales shifted, covering his entire body. The change put too much pressure on the edge of the roof, and it collapsed, plunging them through the debris and air.

She screamed, "Knox!" She gripped him tightly, her eyes closing as they plunged into the courtyard below. Magic swirled through her, wind pushing them up.

She took another breath and then a third one. A tightness squeezed her stomach, but the falling feeling was gone. She opened her eyes.

She blinked and looked around as they soared into the air above the castle. The sun was setting but she was in shadow. Massive claws were wrapped around her waist. She looked up and gasped, her hands holding onto his claws.

"Knox?" It was a question, but she knew the green dragon who held her. His massive head looked down at her in his claws. She spread her arms wide and let her magic create wings, then she tapped his claw that wrapped around her waist.

"Let me go."

He released her, and she soared around him. Her brain took a few seconds to process what she was seeing.

"Oh gods, Knox, you"re–you"re a full-blooded dragon! I mean, I know you said you were, but this..." She tilted around him, the wind bearing her up.

His entire body was covered in brown and green scales thick as a knight"s shield. The emerald and gold necklace hung about his neck just like the dragon in their vision. His horns had grown points as long as her arm. He hissed, a puff of green smoke shooting out and dissolving into the cloud.

Higher they rose above the castle, sweeping through the lowest white cloud.

He beat his leathery wings and thrashed his tail as he learned the size of this body and how to maneuver it. Eirwyn laughed and flapped her arms, her shadow wings now back and keeping her aloft.

"You"re really alive! You"re alright," she said, a grin splitting her face.

He looked at her and somehow she knew what he was feeling, like what she felt from the birds. He arched a large brow.

Seriously, you think this is alright?

She laughed again and flew toward him, raking her hand along his back to trace over his scales. He shuddered and flapped his wings. She felt him, knew he loved her touch.

"I love you, Knox. I love your dragon form too."

He grinned, his dragon fangs dripping the same green venom that had wrapped his tail before. They flew, swirling around each other. Eirwyn laughed, joy shooting through her to know they were both alive.

Then they flew through a gray smoke, and both of them turned to dip under the clouds.

We have to save the forest and defeat your brother.

Eirwyn nodded. "We need to save my brother, but he can wait. Gastone"s injured, but Bella is taking care of him, so let"s put out the forest first. But how?"

Knox swooped down toward the trees, and Eirwyn admired his iridescent green scales as they shone in the sunlight.

Knox beat his wings, pushing wind down on the treetops that burned with a red glow. Eirwyn felt his intent and flew behind him, pushing wind to swirl into a vortex.

Together they worked to suffocate the fire, but it wasn"t enough. Eirwyn swirled the wind, but the air just created a fire tornado that began to rip through the trees again.

"Knox, use your breath," Eirwyn screamed, pointing to the tornado.

Knox blew green gas on the fire, and Eirwyn shifted the wind to give it the most impact. The toxic fumes began to suffocate the fire, and they moved to the next section. Tree by tree, they poured green smoke onto the fire while Eirwyn took away the air, suffocating it one by one.

Eirwyn"s arms began to shake from the effort to stay aloft. She"d been flying for so long, and it was only her first day with wings. She"d gotten a burst of energy when they"d kissed, but she was already running low in her magical well.

Exhaustion crept up. Her stomach knotted. They were almost done. She could make it.

The last of the fire was finally out, and Eirwyn glided down to the edge of the burnt forest. She hit the ground and rolled to a stop.

She groaned, laying on her back as the last light faded. The ground shook beside her, then Knox" big dragon head peered down at her.

She smiled and reached up a hand to trace his nozzle. "I"m fine," she said. "Just tired."

He snorted. Yeah, it"s been a big day, hasn"t it?

She chuckled as he nuzzled her. "Yes, but we"re both alright now."

I thought I lost you.

Tears burned her eyes as she replied, "Me? I thought I"d lost you when you went over that roof. Don"t scare me like that again."

He huffed, and the hot wind of his green breath made her giggle and her body perk in awareness.

I won"t if you won"t. Don"t push yourself into the Beyond again. Or the Edge either. Deal?

She grinned and stroked his scales. "Maybe. Are you going to spank me if I do?"

He snorted a laugh, and a scream rang out from the castle. Knox the dragon tensed, his tail raising with barbs out. His head swung up to stare at the castle.

"Gastone," Eirwyn whispered, burying her face against the warmth of his scaly neck.

I need to defeat him. We can"t let the people suffer under his rule anymore.

Tears fell and a weight settled on her chest. "I know, but he"s still my brother, my only family. Maybe if we can bind his magic we can get him some help?"

Eirwyn.Knox shimmered and magic swirled in a green haze. Then he stood before her in his pants and boots. He pulled her into a tight hug and sighed.

"Eirwyn, I have to tell you before anything else happens. He"s the one who had your parents killed."

Her chest tightened, and she reared back. His emerald eyes burned with emotion, and his arms dropped to his side as he ran a hand over the side of his head.

"There was a vampire assassin there. Your parents... were already gone, but he couldn"t touch you, an innocent babe."

Eirwyn shook her head, her hands covering her mouth. "No, it couldn"t have been Gastone. He always said Glathen hired the assassin. He was only a teenager. I–it was an accident."

Knox shook his head slowly, reaching out for her. She stiffened and danced away from him, her mind whirling.

"I"m sorry, Eirwyn, but it wasn"t. Your brother admitted to it when we were fighting."

Eirwyn"s head ached and tears streaked down her cheeks. Her chest was too tight, and she couldn"t catch her breath. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands.

"No, it can"t–he–" she choked on a sob, then Knox" arms came around her. He sat down behind her and pulled her onto his lap, rocking her gently.

He didn"t say anything, but she didn"t need him to. She could feel his worry for her, his remorse... and his determination to kill her brother.

She understood, but she didn"t like it. She had denied the truth of it for years, even when she knew he had been trying to kill her.

On some level, she"d ran to the tavern whenever she"d started to feel his sneaky attacks getting worse. She"d gone to the tavern to eat real food that wouldn"t make her sick. She"d gone to the tavern for a friend to listen.

And now her friend was on the roof of the castle with her maniac evil brother. Her heart jumped, and her breath caught in her throat as her tears slowed. It ate at her until she pulled back and looked up at Knox" deep green eyes.

She bit her lip, unsure of what to say, and he just pursed his lips and nodded.

"I know," he said. "You stay here, and I"ll take care of it. You"ve pushed yourself too much already. You"ll be safe here, right?"

She nodded, tears pricking her eyes as more fears rose. "But what if he hurts her? What if you need me?"

Knox kissed her forehead, and then they stood up, his hand on her elbow. "Then I"ll scream, and you"ll come flying. But would it make you feel better if I did a pass over the castle courtyard and tried to find Scarlet or the Robins?"

She frowned and pointed at him. "Oh yeah, the Robins. Why didn"t you tell me–"

Another scream ripped from the castle roof and a burst of magic split the sky above. Eirwyn"s stomach twisted at the horrible star burst of colors, every color of magic represented.

"Oh no," she whispered, dread filling her. The fear was eating her alive and terror left her frozen in place.

Knox kissed Eirwyn"s cheek and stepped away, shifting into his hulking dragon. He bent his knees and lunged into the air, flapping his wings. She gave him a gust of wind and said softly, "Be safe."

Then he was flying straight to the castle. Worry twisted her stomach, making her feel nauseous as she held her stomach bump, barely filling her palm with the size of it. She could join him, she hadn"t pushed herself too much yet, but if she was pregnant... She had to wait for him.

She bit her lip and watched him fly away.