Chapter Nine Wyvern Firekiss

Chapter Nine Wyvern Firekiss

Elloren Guryev

Zhilaan Forest military base

An incandescent flash of heat pulses through me, sparks searing across my vision as, several hours later, I catch Yvan’s eye

across the Zhilaan base’s lightning-torch-lit terrace, his heat now tracing my mouth in an almost constant kiss.

Our bond’s pull no longer something either one of us wants to restrain in any way.

Open desire blazes through the thread of power he just sent to me, the feel of it like lightning through my veins, stealing

my breath and igniting our fire thrall to volcanic heights, the surrounding Forest’s fire power feeding into and amplifying

our draw.

Yvan is surrounded by Vothe and two other Wyvern-shifters. The military base terrace is rapidly emptying, the Vu Trin I was

conferring with having just departed, our battle plans solidified and lodging doled out, deep night closing in. Torch lightning

flickers over Yvan and the Wyverns, illuminating Yvan’s crimson hair and heart-stopping features.

His fiery gaze holds mine, and everything else fades away. We’re suddenly the only two people on Erthia, my surge of emotion

feeding into our heated draw as I send out a returning flare of beckoning fire, ready to take him as my own before we go to

war.

Yvan’s eyes flash violet as he bids goodbye to Vothe and the others, a knowing look on their faces as he strides purposefully

toward me and every nerve ending in my body sparks.

Kam Vin and Lucretia intercept him, and his shoulders stiffen, the caress of his fire around me now so all-encompassing it’s hard to know where the edge of his power ends and mine begins, every speck of our fire magic lightning-focused on each other.

Yvan listens to Kam Vin and Lucretia, his lip ticking up when Jules and Valasca join them, his fire continuing to stream toward

me and over my lips in a fiercely hot tide.

A quick, stolen meeting of our eyes, and we both smile, the two of us seeming to register the outrageous gallows humor of

our situation—the Icaral of Prophecy, ready to stand at the leading edge of a Dryad’khin army as we deploy, together, against

Vogel’s vast forces, and yet unable to break away from this damned terrace.

The amusement helps me beat back my ever-present fear of losing him. Emboldened, I send another tendril of flame toward him,

and Yvan shoots me a look so charged that it curls my toes as Lucretia says something to Valasca, Jules, and Kam Vin. There’s

a challenge burning in Yvan’s eyes as he gives me a slow smile and pulses another enticing flush of heat over my skin and

mouth.

Desire sears a prickling line down my spine.

Clear I’m literally playing with fire—monumental, scorching Wyvernfire—I recklessly send out a hotter rush of heat to brush

Yvan’s neck and slide under his clothing.

Yvan’s eyes widen, and he turns to face me fully, his smile gone, his eyes narrowing. His full aura hits me in a shimmer of

heat, cascading over my body like rain made of tingling embers.

My breath hitches against the wildly arousing sensation as I latch hold of his daring look and send out a dare of my own—a

rush of spiraling fire that cascades over his chest.

Yvan’s head arcs back a fraction, his jaw and neck tensing. My breathing quickens as I ripple invisible heat over his hard

stomach, his hip bones, lower...

Yvan’s arm lashes out in a quick arc, deftly capturing my invisible prismatic fire before drawing it into his palm and tethering

it there, his hand glowing as he tenses it into a fist, and I thrill to his display of mastery over both my power and his.

No longer playing, he bids a quick farewell to Kam Vin and the others and strides toward me, horns up, wings fanning out,

his eyes aflame. The powerful beauty of his lithe, muscular grace sends my heartbeat into a faster rhythm as I make my way

toward him as well, the two of us rapidly closing the distance between us.

He reaches me and arcs his wings around us, a more fervid hunger entering his gaze as his hot hand slides around my waist, trailing sparks. “I can’t control the draw of our bond any longer,” he murmurs, tugging me closer.

I smile. “I noticed. Your fire has been on my lips for hours.”

His mouth ticks up as he gives me a look so knowing, a flush blooms on my face.

“The Zhilaan Forest,” he says, glancing at it, “it wants us to be fully together, as well. I know you can feel its pull through

our bond.”

I nod, swallowing. “It’s as if there’s something essential about us taking each other as full mates. Something we don’t yet

understand. Something important to this fight.” A tremor kicks through me, suffused with desire for him I have no wish to

suppress.

Yvan draws me into a close embrace, his warm breath brushing my cheek. “I want to give you my fire, Elloren,” he murmurs in

Lasair. “ All of it.”

My flush sears into a pleasurable burn, every tendril of my magic straining toward him as I nod in breathless assent.

“Do you have Sanjire root?’ he whispers.

I nod again. “I found some in the Forest. Where should we go?”

Amusement sparks in his eyes. “Somewhere fireproof,” he suggests, his voice a silken thrum.

Oh, my.

I can’t suppress a returning, teasing smile, excited and intimidated and amused all at the same time. “You’re a bit stoked

up, Wyvern.”

He doesn’t blink. “After that fire you just sent me? I’m about two seconds away from burning all your clothes off. And mine.”

Sweet holy gods on high.

“Well, we better go somewhere fireproof and private,” I manage, throat dry.

“We’d better.”

“The room I was given?” I suggest.

He nods, and we depart without hesitation, hand in hand, toward the section of unoccupied barracks Hizar’drile offered us

all for rest this night and the next, the key to my room hanging from a cord looped around my wrist. Yvan’s fire aura burns

hotter and hotter, my body lit up by the sheer strength of the love and desire blazing through us both.

We reach my room, and I unwind the cord around my wrist before taking hold of the brass key, my hand quivering slightly as I insert it in the lock, which refuses to give. Yvan gently takes hold of my hand, his fingers a warm caress as he guides it away then proceeds to thrust out his palm and blast a violet-hot bolt of flame at the lock, melting it to glowing liquid before firmly pushing the door open.

Overtaken with want, I step inside then turn to find him inside as well, melting the door’s metal edging shut before he fixes

his eyes and fire on me with such volcanic intensity, it elicits a dizzying rush of warmth through my lines.

In a blur he closes the distance between us and catches me in an embrace.

I thrill to the feel of his warm body against mine as I pull him close and he pushes me against the room’s stone wall, his

wings arcing around us, his lips meeting mine with a sudden jolt of flame that lights up my entire body, every one of my lines

catching glorious fire.

I grab one of Yvan’s horns and urge him nearer, unable to hold back my moan as he deepens the kiss and I open my mouth to

his, our tongues brazenly stroking each other while I send a sizzling rush of flame over his entire body.

Yvan groans and presses himself against me, hard sparks of want flaring at the most brazen point of contact. A ravenous heat

surging, I wrap a leg around him to draw him tighter against me, desperate to meld straight into him.

“I can conjure more clothing if you burn it off,” I say.

“Is that an invitation?” he teases before sliding his hot mouth to the base of my neck and swirling his tongue in a tight

spiral against my skin, heat radiating from the motion and rippling toe-curling sparks through my every line.

“That is absolutely an invitation,” I gasp.

Yvan stills, a more explosive energy suddenly coursing through his fire. “I’m going to take you with more fire than you could

ever imagine,” he says as he raises his flaming gaze to mine, deadly serious, but with a spark of hesitation, as if he’s waiting

for my full consent.

“I want you to,” I prod as I teasingly trace my fingers along his lower back then up along the base of his wings.

Yvan shivers, his mouth opening in a harsh exhale, his fire pulsing hard .

“You like being touched there?” I ask, lit up by his feverish response.

“ Yes ,” he barely manages, his whole body rigid, his breathing taking on a rough, uneven cadence.

Wicked delight surging, I run my fingers up along his wings’ silken edges.

Yvan’s fire explodes through our Wyvernbond as he grabs tighter hold of me. The room shifts and spins, and I’m suddenly on the bed, Yvan on top of me, desperately unfastening my clothing. I reach down to help him, just as desperate, his claws snapping to life and shredding through the fused leaves of my tunic and pants as we tear the remnants off. Then he’s wresting hold of his own clothing and rapidly yanking it off his lean frame

Shocked delight sears through me, my breath catching as I gain a brief glimpse of his body before he captures my mouth in

another intoxicating kiss, his body pressing on mine once more, his skin blazing hot.

The whole scene cuts out as flame streaks across my vision, as if the room surrounding us has caught fire, Yvan’s power flowing

through me, searing away all thought. I wrap my legs around him, thrilling to the feel of his desire pressed hard against

me.

“Elloren,” he rasps, eyes incendiary with blistering heat, waiting for me to give him full leave to release it.

In answer I take hold of his hips and pull him insistently closer, capturing his mouth with mine as I send my fire straight

through him then snake a hand between us. Yvan lets out a tight gasp as I grip hold of him, our eyes meeting in a sweep of

fiery intention as I breathlessly guide him, both of us hurtling toward a molten precipice.

Yvan joins with me in a rush of fire so hot my body arches against him, a hard groan escaping his lips as his body trembles

against mine.

“My love...” he gasps in Lasair, every muscle tensed as he forcibly stills himself, his fire coursing through us, the pressure

of our connection sending hot, pulsing sparks of pleasure through me.

The sensations are so surprisingly intense, it’s almost unbearable as we fall into a slow then confident rhythm, the pulsing

force of it growing tighter and hotter as I sense him reading my fire, finding just the right motion, an explosive rush of

heat building.

With one strengthening wave of ecstasy after another, our bodies grow slick with fiery want. The hot pleasure builds, unbearably

intense, then crests and explodes into an inferno of flame, sun rivaling in its intensity. I cry out, overtaken, melding and

fusing into Yvan’s fire as he lets out a guttural groan, flame erupting around us as I’m flooded with the full force of his

heat.

Yvan stills inside me, the two of us breathing hard, his rough exhalation hot against my shoulder as we clutch tight hold

of each other and the flames die down around us.

Love floods through me and is instantly met with a returning rush of love from him, the emotion in it so vivid it’s almost painful. Overcome, I kiss his slick shoulder as it dawns on me—this was his first time.

The thought is bittersweet, another rush of feeling edging into the swirling haze of pleasure that’s overtaken me along with

his fire.

Yvan pushes himself slightly up and looks deep into my eyes. He’s still breathing hard, his angular face flushed. He makes

no move to separate us as his grip on my hip loosens into a caress, my legs still wrapped around him, my breathing ragged.

His gaze turns slightly questioning, a stunned awe in it, as if he’s been rendered speechless, all the words burned out of

him.

“You were a bit pent-up,” I finally manage, giving him a small, awestruck smile.

He huffs out a breath. “A bit,” he agrees. His lips lift into a slight, knowing smile as he glances toward where we’re still

quite joined before his gaze returns to mine, serious now, an ardent heat in his eyes. “Was that all right, Elloren?” he asks,

his powerful body glistening, his naked form a thrill to behold. “I threw out... quite a lot of fire.”

I lick my still-hot lips, wanting his kiss and fire back on them, his hot tongue in my mouth. “That was incredible , Yvan.”

He lets out what sounds like a breath of relief, then leans in to tenderly kiss my neck, lingering at the base of it before

kissing my temple and my lips, slow and sensual, and I surrender to his instinctual Wyvern finesse. Or maybe, I fervidly consider,

he’s just naturally, stunningly good at this.

“I love you,” he says with ragged passion.

“I love you too,” I respond, my voice breaking around the emotion. Around everything we had to go through to finally get to

this place. To finally be this to each other.

To finally be everything to each other.

“I love you in every possible way,” he says in passionate Lasair, his forehead coming to mine, his wings fanned out around

us. “I’ll love you forever, ti’a’lore.” And then he’s kissing me again between murmuring Lasair endearments.

Before long, the kissing grows more heated, and the tips of his claws brush gently against my sides.

He stills, and I can feel his desire rising once more.

“Elloren,” he says, almost hesitant, while his Icaral body is anything but. “Can I take you again?” His voice is throaty,

and my own scorching need rises in a fiery tide alongside his.

I press my palms to his chest and gently push. He follows my lead, letting me roll us both over until I’m straddling him, my hands now pressing his wrists into the bed, his fiery eyes widening then narrowing with wicked surprise.

I give him a sultry smile as my gaze rakes his slick form, his wings spread out beneath us. “No, Yvan,” I croon. “This time

I’ll take you .”

I’m awakened by Yvan’s kiss on my shoulder, the view from the room’s small window still night dark. Drowsily I stir, heat

kindling then surging through my rootlines as I find myself wrapped in Yvan’s embrace, his chest to my back, his arms around

my waist, his breath warm on my neck.

He’s awake.

So very much awake .

His body feverish with desire, his fire power churning with want.

I draw in a quavering breath and run my hand along the arms he has wrapped around me, my own fire quickly kicking up to burn

as bright as his.

His hot fingertips trace down my abdomen, then over my hip, trailing flame. He pauses, his fire reading the rapid-fire rise

of my desire, my heartbeat tripping over itself as he slides his hand around my thigh and coaxes my leg up.

I’m instantly caught up in the heart-thuddingly exciting feeling that we’re thieves, stealing something forbidden from the

night, as I press myself back against him and he lets out a groan against my neck, his muscles tensing, his power growing

incandescently hot. My mouth falls open in surprise as he smoothly joins us, a cry of astonished pleasure escaping my lips,

his heat overwhelming.

I can’t hold back the moan as his fire spirals through me, one of his wings flicking forward to arc around me as he pulls

me insistently closer.

“Elloren...”

My head arches back, my mouth falling open with another moan as he thrusts his body and fire into me again, then again, heat

building, the two of us lost to this deep-night haze of pleasure and flame.

A harder surge of his fire flashes through me, the power and force of his want intensifying. The motion of his flame grows

unbridled, his grip on my hips firming as he presses his mouth to the arch of my neck and I push back against him, wanting

more of the delirious flame and pleasure, wanting to merge with Yvan so completely we’ll turn liquid and fuse .

I reach up and run my fingers along his wing’s edge.

Yvan’s fire ignites into an inferno, a low hiss torn from his mouth before he regains a semblance of control, his rhythm increasingly powerful. His hand slides down my waist, my stomach, tentatively trailing lower as I sense his fire intently reading mine, guiding him toward my most sensitive spot.

Pressing lightly down, he spirals fire through it.

Ecstasy arcs through my body, bowstring tight, the pleasure so intense, it’s almost shattering. “Gods, Yvan ...”

Another blast of pleasurable heat scorches through me as his core fire rides my lines. I gasp and hurtle over our power’s

blazing edge, lit up like a star as Yvan sends every bit of his flame through my body in a volcanic surge and gives in to

his own explosive release. Quivering, I bask in his overwhelming heat and maleness, my whole body arching against his.

We still, and I pull in a shuddering breath, his arms tight around me, his chin pressed to my shoulder, his breath coming

in a harsh, uneven cadence, one gasp after another.

After a long moment, our grip on each other loosens as we lie there, seeming stunned anew by each other.

“Ancient One,” I half whisper, half gasp. “ Yvan ...”

He kisses my shoulder. “My beautiful fire mate. My flame. My true flame,” he murmurs in Lasair as his fire aura whips ardently

around me,

Love for him fluttering through my heart, I slide forward slightly, and he pivots himself back, breaking our connection. I

roll over to face him, and he takes my hand in his, caressing it lovingly before raising it to kiss the image of III on my

palm.

We exchange a look of sheer adoration, his fire a reverberating pulse through my body, a tingling pleasure still coursing

through my every line. I huff out a sound of astonishment, and he gives me an almost abashed look before he rolls onto his

back, fingers threaded through mine, and runs his free hand through his tousled, crimson hair, absently grabbing hold of the

base of one of his horns.

“You’re... fiery ,” is all I can manage.

His lips slant up as he turns to face me, humor glinting in his gaze. “I’m dragon’kin, Elloren.”

“I know but... you’re so reserved on the surface, and you’re incredible at... this.” I can’t get enough of him. I want to join with him without ceasing.

“Wyverns can be a bit... insatiable,” he admits, searching my eyes for a reaction. “Or so I’m told. And... our bond ...” His gaze rakes over me, and I raise a brow at the lust still swimming in his eyes. He lets out a long breath and gives me a shy smile. “Don’t worry, Elloren. I’ll let you get some sleep.” His gaze roves over me once more. “Even though I could keep you up all night.”

I swallow, a spark of hunger igniting. “That was... what you just did... you behind me... that was... interesting . I never knew that position was even...”

He cocks a brow as I trail off.

“I’m wondering...” I say, flustered by his effect on me. By how he is, in this. “I’m wondering if you have any other...

tricks up your sleeve.”

“My sleeve?” Amusement dances in his eyes.

“Or... other places.”

He narrows his eyes and smiles, and a shiver races down my spine at the sultry warmth in it.

“It’s not like you’ve done this... quite a lot...” I note.

“Elloren, you’re my first.”

“So, how did you know about... that ...”

Mischief lights his expression. “I have an active imagination.”

“Well, you should run with it.”

Yvan laughs, and I grin at him, his fire ramping up hotter. His smile widens.

“What?” I ask, sensing his deeper flicker of amusement.

“We’re such... Westerners.”

A laugh escapes me. “I know.”

“We just... joined,” he says, “and we can barely speak of it.”

He pulls me into a loving embrace, his fire flaring. His desire flaring.

Holy all the gods.

“I love you, Elloren,” he says, heartfelt. And I realize, Yvan is reserved in so many ways, but not in this. His heart is

wide open. Wide open to me.

“I love you too,” I tell him, my heart equally open to him.

The two of us fully bonded, in every way, save for the Wyvern bite.

Yvan moves back a fraction and traces his fingertip down the center of my body, stopping just below my stomach, his touch

hovering between my hips.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he murmurs, his gaze lifting to meet mine. “Tell me if you want me to stop.”

I reach up, thread my fingers through his hair, grab hold of a horn, and pull him toward me, kissing him deeply in answer.

In a flash he’s over me, wings fanning out. “You truly want me to run with it?” he asks, eyes flaring hot.

I bare my teeth in a cheeky grin. “Get creative, Wyvern.”

The lascivious heat in his gaze ignites hotter.

“Go ahead, Yvan,” I prod, “make up for lost time.”

“Just lie back,” he offers as he pushes himself up a fraction, the assured heat in his voice sending a shiver down my spine.

“The Zhilon’ile Wyverns told me about something called the Wyvern Firekiss. I’m going to show you what that is.” He opens

his mouth slightly to reveal his tongue heating to glowing violet at its tip.

I clutch the bedcovers, my heart quickening, as Yvan kisses the center of my chest then slides his tongue down the length

of my body, trailing fire. He traces kisses lower and lower, that serpentine tongue flickering intimately over me as an inferno

of pleasure detonates, I call out his name, and my vision cuts to fire as hot as a star.

We’re summoned to wakefulness by a military horn.

I turn to Yvan, his face awash in predawn’s pale blue light. He turns toward me, a steady, grave simmer to his fire.

Emotion grips my throat, and I swallow it back, holding his intense stare, the feel of our joined fire conveying more than

words ever could.

Yvan takes my hand, and we tighten our fingers around each other at the same time, our breathing momentarily unsteady as the

invisible flames of our bond surge covetously toward each other and I struggle to force down the sudden surge of emotion.

Yes, we might lose each other in the looming fight. We might lose everything . But Erthia needs us if there’s to be any future worth having.

“I was drawn to you the first moment I saw you,” Yvan quietly admits as his fire gives an impassioned surge.

A thick laugh escapes me through my brimming tears as I give him a wry look. “You looked at me like you hated me.”

His expression tenses with obvious remorse. “I had such a strong reaction to you I didn’t know how to handle it. The instant

attraction... it was seismic .”

I lift a brow at this, a flush sizzling over my neck as I realize I felt an instant draw to him too.

“I felt guilty about it,” he admits. “ Wildly guilty. It just got worse when you started working in the kitchens, and I scented how sincere you were. How truly ignorant

you were about the world you’d landed in... and what your people were doing. I tried to keep my distance from you. But

not only did I want you—” flame kicks up in his eyes “—I could scent how drawn you were to me, as well. I’m truly sorry for how I treated you, Elloren.”

I shake my head, refuting his need for an apology as I wince internally at the memory of my own ignorant self and my unknowingly

cruel actions.

“You’re the Icaral of Prophecy,” I say, “and I’m the granddaughter of the Black Witch. This was always going to be... complicated .”

He gives me a poignant smile as his fire power lovingly encircles me. “We were on a collision course from day one.”

I nod at this, sending my fire out to fan over his back. He pulls in a tight breath, his smile sharpening as he gently ripples

his invisible fire over my shoulders and the back of my neck.

“I think I was first drawn to you,” I tell him, “that very first day I came to the kitchens in Verpacia. I looked through

the storeroom window, into the main kitchen... and little Fern, she was running around laughing and blowing bubbles. She

spilled her bottle of bubble soap all over you. And instead of getting upset at her... you smiled .” I pause, overcome by so much emotion I’m rendered momentarily speechless. “Something in me lit up in that moment,” I finally

manage, giving him a wavering smile. I shrug. “And I started to have feelings for you. I didn’t realize it fully in that moment,

but I realize it now.”

Yvan pulls in a long, emotional breath and slides his arm around my waist, his wing arcing over me, his hand gently tracing

a caressing spiral against my lower back, a shiver of sparks chasing his touch. “I think about Fern often,” he says, voice

low and serious as his touch stills. “I haven’t seen her in a long time. But it’s a comfort to know that Fyon and Mora’lee

are taking care of her in the Sublands.”

“Fernyllia asked me to fight for a better world for Fern,” I confide, a tear escaping my eye at the remembrance of courageous,

kind Fernyllia.

Yvan nods, reaching up to gently brush away my tear. “Fernyllia took me aside the last time I saw her,” he says. “Asked me

to do the same. I always got the sense she knew I was hiding something from her. From everyone . I think she guessed what I am.”

We grow quiet for a moment as I think of Fern and all the other young children currently being sheltered in the Eastern Realm

Sublands—Sage and Ra’Ven’s baby, Fyn’ir; fierce Nym’ellia’s little sister, Tibryl; and the fiery Icaral-child, Pyrgomanche,

whom Yvan and I rescued from Valgard’s Icaral prison. And many more.

I send up a silent prayer to whatever god or goddess will listen to help them survive what’s to come... if they’ve even survived what’s already come to pass.

Tension weighing down the air between us, Yvan and I exchange a somber look. I can feel us both mindfully putting all these

children first—putting Erthia first—but refusing to let go just yet as we pull each other into one more close hug.

We embrace for a moment in wordless, ardent alliance and unextinguishable love before we share one last kiss... and get

up to face the world.

The predawn sky has lightened to a deep blue through Zhilaan’s dome-shield when Yvan and I step onto the broad, torchlit terrace

hand in hand, our Wyvernbond whipping around us with a steady new intensity. Row upon row of charged weapons line the entire

terrace, their multicolored runes glowing bright. Suspended, prismatic Dryad runes hang above them, feeding foliage power

into their wards, and a steadily charging sky portal slashes across the sky directly above us.

Set for the West.

The terrace is already populated, a series of long tables set up, plates, mugs, and utensils stacked in their centers. I catch

Rafe’s eye, and he waves me over. Diana, Andras, Aislinn, and Jarod are standing around him amidst scattered Vu Trin Dryad’khin

as Zhilon’ile Dryad’khin soldiers bring out bowls of food. Valasca and Ni Vin are standing to one side near the terrace’s

edge, their arms looped around each other as they converse in low tones with Trystan and Kam Vin.

I glance through the suspended runes over the dark carpet of trees, a low rumble shivering through my rootlines as the Zhilaan

Forest notes Yvan’s and my presence and flows a rippling line of its fire power through our Wyvernbond, as if searching for

something.

Diana raises her chin and cocks a blond brow as Yvan and I approach, her nostrils flaring.

I can spot the other Lupines doing a quick double take as well, their eyes widening slightly, and realize they’re reading

what’s transpired between us. Taking obvious note of their reaction, Valasca narrows her gaze on me, one black brow rising.

A sly spark dances to life in her dark eyes that warms my cheeks as Trystan surveys everyone in that quiet, insightful way

of his.

Diana rushes toward us, an overjoyed light overtaking her expression that pushes back the serious energy suffusing our world.

“You two have mated! Finally! ” she enthuses, so brazenly that a hot rush of heat sizzles over my face and through Yvan’s fire. She throws her arms around me with gusto, then embraces Yvan, joyously kissing us both on our cheeks before drawing back, grinning widely.

Yvan and I exchange a brief look of surrender to the huge, slightly mortifying cultural chasm.

Unfazed by our wall of silence, Diana’s nostrils flare once more as she gives Yvan a look of shrewd appraisal. “Ah, he is

virile!” she announces, sounding deeply pleased.

Yvan’s crimson brows fly up as Diana grins at her own pronouncement, my lips parting as I cast about for some response to

her outrageous statement.

Diana nods at me in smug approval. “I can scent him in you. Scent the power in your draw to each other.” She claps Yvan on

the shoulder, a tremor of deeper emotion passing through her gaze. “You are well mated,” she declares, amber eyes sheened

with feeling. “I’m so glad of it.”

She glances around expectantly, as if waiting for everyone else to mirror her vocal enthusiasm for this quite private thing. Diana’s blond brow knots as she finds Aislinn flushing and averting her eyes, Rafe grinning and looking to the sky

while Trystan wryly takes us all in and Jarod suppresses a bemused smile.

Diana narrows her eyes further and tosses her blond hair haughtily over her shoulder. “You are all ridiculous .”

Rafe laughs as he steps toward her and pulls her into his arms. “We most certainly are. But we’re not without our charms.”

Diana snorts and mock-scowls at him as he nuzzles her neck, her annoyed stance returning as she mock-glares at Jarod and swipes

her hand toward Yvan and me. “Well, aren’t you going to at least congratulate them?” She looks at Yvan, and something serious

and heartfelt flickers through her eyes.

My throat tightens as Yvan holds Diana’s stare, a returning warmth in his gaze as Jarod and Aislinn approach, affection lighting

their amber eyes.

“I know your Keltish traditions are more reserved,” Jarod says to Yvan. “So, I’ll simply say, I’m honored to call you brother.”

Yvan’s fire gives a potent flare toward Jarod and Aislinn both. “I, as well,” Yvan responds as he and Jarod draw each other

into an embrace, and then Trystan joins us, everyone offering congratulations and hugging us.

“Welcome to the family, Yvan,” Aislinn says as she draws back from his embrace, beaming at him with tears in her eyes.

“I always wanted a sister,” Yvan confides, returning her wavering smile.

“Well now you have two !” Diana crows, and Yvan and I laugh before we all grow somber once more, the very air shifting toward what’s to come. And

how much there is to lose.

This miracle of time together, all too brief.

Overcome, I turn to find Valasca giving Ni Vin a quick kiss before sauntering toward us, a knowing gleam in her eyes. I sense

the jaunty flare of Valasca’s sapphire geo-magic as well as her welcome desire to lighten the mood.

“Well, don’t you look worn-out,” she drawls at me before cocking a brow at Yvan. “But you seem positively lit up, Icaral.”

Yvan grins. “I have limitless fire,” he shoots back, surprising me as he throws his reserve to the wind and a private line

of flame to me, an amused light sparking in his eyes as they meet mine.

Both of Valasca’s brows fly up before she chuckles and claps him on the arm. She turns her probing gaze back to me as I stand

there, shaking my head and blushing over her outrageous level of openness.

“Wyvern’kin!” Vothendrile’s voice booms to us from across the terrace as a knot of Wyvern males stride onto it, Vothe’s brother,

Gethindrile, amongst them, their lightning-flashing eyes pinned on Yvan, a broad grin forming on all their faces. “You’ve

mated!” Vothe enthuses.

Yvan gives me a look of resigned good humor, and I motion for him to go ahead and join them, sure my blush will incinerate

my face if I have to endure the brazen congratulations of this entire crowd of men.

As Vothe pulls Yvan into a hearty embrace and they welcome each other as brothers, the contrast between this scene and my

experience with Gardnerian culture triggers a memory that prompts a sudden upswell of aching grief.

My Sealing night with Lukas.

Men congratulating him while belittling and excluding me—and Lukas secretly and aggressively railing against that.

Tears are suddenly welling in my eyes, a knot forming in my throat. Because Lukas never had the chance to be embraced by a

more open and accepting culture.

And he deserved that chance.

“Rescue me,” I plead with Valasca.

Peering at me with searching intensity, she takes hold of my arm and walks with me to the terrace’s deserted far end. She leans back against the terrace’s railing, a drop of what seems like a million feet to the Forest floor just beyond her, a small cloud wafting by below like a silent ship.

“Diana’s right,” Valasca notes as she raises a brow, a kind smile on her sky blue lips as she glances at Yvan then back to

me. “Your reserve around pairing is ridiculous.”

I roll my eyes at her and turn, leaning my forearms against the railing, the painful grief tightening inside my chest. I stare

over the Zhilaan Forest toward the shielding’s storming edge.

Toward the chaos of the West.

An image of Lukas holding up his wand just before he exploded the upper half of the Vo Mountain Range and a large portion

of Vogel’s army with it resonates through my mind.

The pain in my chest becomes nearly unbearable.

“Elloren,” Valasca says, nudging my arm with hers, “I jest, but I’m happy for you and Yvan. Truly. So happy for you both.”

I swallow, my throat constricting. “I love Yvan, Valasca. With all my heart. But... I can’t help but think about Lukas

in this moment.”

The dam breaks, my hand flying to my mouth as tears pool and I shudder against them.

Valasca nods and pivots to lean over the railing beside me, the two of us gazing toward the West. “Then think about him,”

she says, and she sets her dark gaze back on me. “You loved him. You’re not betraying any of us by being honest about that.

And you’re not betraying Yvan.”

Struggling, I blink back the tears. “It’s been difficult to reconcile my feelings for them both.”

She nods at this. “You loved Lukas. And he was cruelly taken from you. But his love wasn’t .” She reaches over to gently tap my breastbone, right over my heart. “It’s forever there. Alongside your love for Yvan.”

She gives me a deeply significant look. “Elloren, it’s important to keep your heart open in this world and embrace all the

love you feel.”

I nod, bottom lip quivering, as Valasca straightens and draws me into a hearty hug.

“My faith in you was well-placed, Dryad,” she says as we hold each other tight and, for a moment, I let the tears flow. And

surrender to my vast grief for Lukas while embracing my expansive love for Yvan.

“My faith in you was well-placed as well, Amaz,” I whisper, heartfelt, as I draw back from her.

Valasca grins. “Then let’s get to work.” Her expression turns lethally serious. “Tomorrow, we bring the full weight of the Prophecy down on the Magedom’s heads.”

I nod, a warrior energy suddenly rising around us both. I look toward Yvan and the Wyverns just as Gethindrile lifts his arm.

The heavily Varg-warded Noi Fire Hawk perched on it takes wing and streaks across the sky, a translucent green, bubble-like

shield bursting to life around it.

As it wings southwest to bring word of our battle plan to Tierney and Or’myr.

I say a quick prayer that the courageous hawk will find them before I turn back to Yvan and freeze as I find him giving me

an unsettled look, the Zhilaan Forest’s equally disquieted energy suddenly blazing around our bond in a searching flow. A

slim strand of Yvan’s invisible fire whips out toward the edge of my shoulder with what feels like a surge of longing before

it yanks back, as if of its own volition.

Concern and confusion ignite through our bond as Yvan holds my gaze, a growing conflict in his eyes as my empathy picks up

on a deeper well of his power I’ve never felt the extent of before, straining toward me but blocked from our bond, the flow

of my own fire abruptly guttering toward his to no avail.

Our magical auras, locked into a desperate flow toward each other, unable to connect.