Chapter Forty-Nine

"Let me go!" I shouted.

Toby hardly had a handle on me as we landed on the mountain. As carefully as he could, he began to drag me toward the cabin.

Zerk heard the fighting and opened the door. "What is going on?" he asked.

Toby tossed me into Zerk's arms. I tried to tear away from him, but Zerk easily pinned me to his chest.

Toby slicked his palm back over his hair and glared at me. "She always killed us twice on the way up here. But," he chuckled, "since she brought me back to life, I'll let it slide."

Zerk looked down at me with wide eyes. The wisdom on his face looked far away, and he was amazed at me. "Amara … how?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. The Dragon King hung him for saving me, and I wanted to do anything to save him."

Toby's smile softened, and he winked at me. "Well, now that I'm back on Earth, we need to get her wound looked at again. He stabbed her."

Zerk's gaze shifted toward my side. "Oh dear," he whispered. "Let's get inside—,"

I pressed my heels against the ground to stop us. "Dorran is fighting his father. We can't leave him."

Zerk looked toward the kingdom. "We don't need to worry about Dorran. His father isn't nearly as strong as he is. Dorran will be fine."

I wanted to believe him, but my body needed proof. "Please—,"

"Amara," Zerk said. "You're bleeding profusely. Your infection is worsening. Come inside, and then we'll check on Dorran."

Pain throbbed in my side like a heartbeat. When I didn't argue anymore, he helped me inside to the kitchen table.

I stared at the ceiling as he cleaned the wound and bandaged it. The feeling of my wound reopening rivaled the initial stabbing. For several moments, I wanted to die.

I wanted him to kill me because of the pain. However, with the adrenaline of saving Toby, I'd been able to push it to the side. Now it was consuming me.

Zerk placed his palm on my shoulder. "Toby is going to carry you to bed. You need rest. I'll send Toby down to check on him."

I nodded because the overwhelming sense of tiredness swarmed me.

When I woke, I wasn't sure what day or time it was.

The stiffness in my body told me that my dream of bringing Toby back from the dead had been real. I rolled my neck, moaning as my muscles called out in pain. Reaching my toes toward the end of the bed, I slung my forearm over my eyes and searched for Dorran with my other hand.

The sunlight was bright through the crack in the blinds, and the cool sheets told me that Dorran hadn't been in bed with me. Swinging my feet to the floor, I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my palms.

The chatter from the opposite end of the hallway made me smile.

It seemed ... normal. Was that even fathomable?

Something that seemed so far away the last time I was awake.

My side ached when I stretched my arms above my head. I winced. One thing at a time.

I walked down the hallway with soft steps, halting when I noticed Dorran standing in the living room. He looked rough from the back. His body was bruised and beaten, but there was something different about him.

He noticed me as I stood behind him staring.

His emerald-colored gaze shifted toward mine. There was so much relief in his face. I stepped toward him and he turned to face me.

"Thank God," he mumbled.

I shifted my weight as he approached me. He lifted my chin and kissed me as if he would never get another chance.

Toby's wolf whistle made me smile into our kiss.

Dorran pulled away and pressed his forehead against me. "I love you, Little Mouse."

"I love you, Dragon King."

He made a low sound under his breath and breathed me in.

Sasha, who I didn't realize was in the room, walked over and pulled me into a hug. "Thank you for saving him," she whispered. "You"re going to make an amazing queen."

I hadn"t even thought about being queen. "What happened?" I asked suddenly.

Dorran stroked my mouth with his fingertips. "I fought my father. He's now in jail until I figure out what I'm going to do with him. He's surrendered the throne."

I let out the breath I was holding. "You're safe."

"We're both safe," he said.

Sasha walked into the kitchen and brought me a cup of coffee. "Here you go, Bestie. You've been out for two days. I'm sure you need this."

"Two days. That must have taken a lot out of me."

I reached to take the coffee mug from Sasha. My fingers cried out at the hotness, and the mug slipped from my fingers.

Using my palm, I tried to stop it from falling but it shattered on the hardwood, making Sasha jump back and scream.

I stared at the liquid for several minutes.

Maybe I was too tired to use my abilities?

Dorran shifted beside me. "Everything okay, Amara?"

Turning to Sasha, I reached out and tried to lift her into the air. She lifted both brows. "Are you okay, Amara?"

My mouth opened but nothing came out.

Walking toward the door, I swung it open, looked back at Dorran, and said, "Catch me if I fall."

Dorran gave me a warning glare that mimicked the one he'd given me the first time I tried this. I ran over the rocky mountain and leaped off into the air.

The breath in my lungs sunk into me.

All of my powers were gone.

It hit me as Dorran nosedived toward me and wrapped me in his arms.

I'd given up my powers to save Toby.