5. Mira

five

Mira

"Wake up!"

I slowly open my eyes and squint at the weak sunlight that is streaming into the room. My body aches as I try to move; it's partly because I'm so comfortable, but also because Sunder is tightly wrapped around me like a blanket. I can only peek out from between his biceps.

"What's going on?" My voice is hoarse with sleep.

"Mira." Bobble's insistent voice is pleading with urgency, but I know him well enough by now. There's probably a double rainbow he wants to show me.

"That's sweet, babe, but it's too early," I mumble, trying to close my eyes again.

"You don't understand. You have to get up."

With a heavy sigh, I finally stir, wiggling my way from under Sunder's heavy arms. He grumbles in his sleep, trying to pull me back in. My cat, now in his man form, stands naked by the bed. His eyes are wide with fear as he gazes at me. I subtly gesture with both hands, shaking my head as if to say, Okay, I'm up. What is it?

"We have a problem."

Sunder's voice rumbles from behind me as he buries his face deeper into the pillow to hide his eyes from the threat of sunlight. "Third, what are you on about this early?"

"I found the Second Shard."

My mouth gapes, eyes wide. Sunder is on his feet, eyes darting wildly around the room, searching for our discarded clothes.

"Really? How?"

"Take me to him," Sunder commands, doing up the last of his buttons on his pants and hastily stuffing the long tunic-like shirt in. Sunder heaps my clothes on the end of the bed with an unspoken command that I will dutifully ignore until I'm damn well ready.

"You don't understand. He's not… something is off. He doesn't smell right."

Sunder stills, staring at Bobble with that intensity he gets when he's protecting me. I flop out a dismissive hand with the flick of my wrist. "I'm sure he just needs a shower. We were pretty stinky yesterday, if I remember correctly."

Another mate. I glance out the window at the first rays of sunlight turning the sky from gray to orange and red. Fine. I'm too excited to push Sunder's buttons this morning. I let my body stretch for one long moment before putting my clothes on.

"Explain."

"I went out for a walk…"

"In the middle of the night? Alone? Are you an idiot?" Sunder is grumpy from being woken up, but that's no reason to snap at Bobble. My eyes dart to Sunder with a raised brow, rife with warning, as I slide my pants over my thighs with a wiggle.

"I am a cat. I always come out of situations just fine."

"Bobble, you once tried to catch dust motes for a solid two hours." He shoots me a look that's so catlike, I can't help but grin. He may as well pin his ears back in annoyance.

He hands Sunder his shirt. "We need to get out of here. He smelled like Yurghen."

"Impossible." Sunder voices my own thoughts, but I can't help the chill that worms its way down my spine. His eyes meet mine, his usual seriousness replaced by a flicker of worry.

"I caught his scent on a breeze and followed it," Bobble says quietly. "There's a warehouse on the edge of town. At first, I thought it was abandoned. When I went inside…"

My jaw drops. I want to shake him. "You followed Yurghen's scent inside? By yourself?"

"Proceed, Third."

Bobble shoots me an apologetic glance, then turns back to Sunder. My eyebrows shoot up in shock a little. Nice to see you two getting along.

"He used the scent to lure me in. He had some books from his library, I think. Then he caught me and… we have to go. He smelled like… us. But different. And somehow, he has Chroma without the mate bond. Purple."

He says the color as if it's significant, but I take a moment to consider this. Is it even possible for a Shard to channel without the bond? I don't have enough knowledge about Chroma or this world to determine if this news is positive or negative.

Sunder's eyes grow wide, almost appearing shocked. Okay, so maybe it's bad.

He moves.

Tossing my shirt to me, Sunder barks orders at Bobble and me to pack our meager belongings into our knapsack. "I want to be miles away from here by the time the sun fully rises."

I blindly follow their lead as I race to dress. We bound down the steps two at a time, thundering like a herd of elephants and uncaring whether the innkeeper spots us. Once on the street, our heads are on swivels, checking all directions for life. It's still early enough that most of the people in the town would just be starting their day.

I don't see anyone on the streets as we run through the open gate; the guards shout after us as we pass, clearly unsure if we just stole something or skipped out on paying for our room. Sunder's arm is around my waist, urging me faster. My sides sting with effort as I pant, barely able to breathe.

Once we're past the tree line and no one appears to be following us, I practically collapse against a tree, trying to catch my breath. Not even winded, Sunder and Bobble glance around nervously, as if he'll simply materialize around us.

Finally able to speak, I have to ask.

"Isn't the point to find the other Shards? Shouldn't we at least talk to him?"

"I did, Mira."

"Yeah, but… you're a Shard too. It's not like you two got along right away. Remember?" They share a look, something unreadable passing between them before Sunder quickly averts his gaze. "I should talk to him myself."

"No," they say at once together before Sunder continues. "If he has Chroma and smells like Yurghen, has Yurghen's books at least… I don't trust that. Once we find the Fourth Shard, we can seek this one out again. Subdue him perhaps."

I frown at that, my brows pinching together. That sounds a lot like forcing the bond, but I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Instead, I ask, "How does he have Chroma without the bond?"

"I'm not sure. If he smelled of Yurghen," He trails off, unwilling to complete that thought. "Purple Chroma means he can catch glimpses of the future. You know that phrase, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well, the visions are widely open to interpretation. It's led many magi down dark paths."

Bobble pipes up from beside me. "He just seemed… off. I can't explain it."

Sunder and Bobble exchange a glance. Sunder's brow furrows, creating deep lines across his forehead. Bobble's eyes dart to the surrounding trees with suspicion, like they might be listening. There's a long moment where some kind of energy is passing between them. It reminds me of back when the internet had a dial-up connection. I hear the distinct sound in my head.

A noise of disapproval from behind us causes me to freeze. Sunder and Bobble still, their eyes fixed on something over my shoulder. A deep voice, smooth like honey, drifts through the empty air with a hint of amusement. "Looks like you two are trying to share a single brain cell."

My heartbeats slow, in sync with the stillness that falls over the forest. The sounds of chirping birds and scurrying squirrels come to an abrupt halt, as if someone hit a mute button. I spin around to see him, but there's no one behind me. The air in front of me shimmers and shifts, sparkling in the dawn's morning light. Purple shadows seem to dance and sway around us.

The disembodied voice lets out a low chuckle, each sound carving deep into the air with a sense of foreboding and hidden darkness, like a deep well filled with dangerous secrets echoing through the crisp air like a siren's call. Bobble grabs my hand in his, comforting me with his steady warmth, as a figure emerges from within those shadowy hues.

One time, Lisa and I went way too deep down an Instagram hole in which we watched videos of men in masks as they posted thirst traps. This fae isn't wearing a mask, but the energy is the same. Something about him screams ‘bondage,' and it's not entirely in a good way. He's almost as tall as Sunder, but where Sunder is a roiling pile of muscles, he's sleek and lean like a panther. His black suit is made from fine material, fitting snuggly against muscular thighs.

Deep green eyes tunnel into me with keen interest. A hint of recognition flashes in them before he shifts his focus to the men behind me. My breath is stolen in one passing glance. He's gorgeous.

Sunder and Bobble move protectively in front of me, obscuring my view of the newcomer. He shoots a mock pout at them. "What, I don't get to meet the mate we've all been waiting for?"

"You will stay away from her, Second," Sunder growls.

The man snorts with disdain, and the purple shadows around him swell as if amused. "Tairyn, not Second. Reducing someone to nothing more than an assigned yet arbitrary number is rather debasing, don't you think?"

"No, Second. I don't." Sunder snaps back.

I sense, rather than see, Tairyn's grin.

"So, this is her," he says in that evil-genius drawl, ignoring Sunder's refusal to call him by name. "The Vessel."

I want to comment on the hypocrisy of calling me by my role, but now doesn't seem to be the time. The tension between them is almost tangible, but as their mate, I should be able to ease the situation. I step forward, my body squeezing through their thick arms as they tense up at my sides.

Nervously, I offer my name to him, my hand tentatively extending towards his. He studies it for a moment before gently grasping it in his. Beside me, Sunder growls in his chest, but I can barely hear him. The unexpected warmth of Tairyn's skin against mine hums in my body. As he brings my hand to his lips, my stomach flutters. His soft lips brush against my knuckles, and I can't help but hold my breath as our eyes remain locked. My heart beats wildly in my chest, the sound echoing in my ears like a thunderstorm.

My magic swells inside me, begging to be unleashed at his touch. Brilliant sparks of white Chroma surround us, popping in and out of existence. I gasp while Tairyn's eyes widen, his hand recoiling from mine as if stung by a venomous serpent. Sunder lets out a low growl and shields me once more, pushing me behind him. The whirling white fades away, leaving only dark spots in my vision. "She is none of your concern."

Between muscled arms, I glimpse Tairyn's face again. That flicker of horror on his face is gone, easily replaced by a cool indifference.

"I'd say that she's exactly my concern. As I am hers," he purrs.

I hate how sexy that voice is. It rolls through me, a cascade of sounds that feel like pure molten lava as they ricochet through my nerves.

"She is nothing to you," Sunder snarls.

"Yeah," Bobble adds in a quavering voice.

Tairyn steps closer, clearly undeterred. "I think that you'll find the Vessel will be quite safe with me. After all, I am the one who studied soul magic and bonds for years. Certainly more than you, oaf." He shoots Sunder a pointed glare. "Or you, the idiot," he snaps at Bobble.

Um, no.

He did not just insult my sweet Bobble cat.

I explode from behind them. "Hey! You will not-" I get out before Sunder is already swinging a white-knuckled fist. I watch in slow motion as it connects with Tairyn's sharp jaw.

The world turns purple. I gasp as a strange mist invades my lungs.

Then everything fades to darkness.