“Mmm,” I murmured softly against her skin. “That one had a kick to it, kind of like?—”
“You enjoy the burnt taste?” she cut me off, voice tight but still teasing.
“No,” I rebutted and grinned, thrilled to be of use in more than one way. “But I can taste when there is a different amount of magic in your blood, and that rune draws something to the surface. Perhaps keep that base but make small adjustments.”
Her eyes flicked to mine, sharp and curious before looking at Steele with excitement. They both shared a look of elation and a warmth blossomed within my chest at the renewed energy that surfaced in their eyes.
We had to be getting close.
“I didn’t think the crazy blood mage would be of use in this way,” Steele admitted aloud before sending me a thought inprivate.“Thank you for your patience and help. We’ve needed it.”
My hand flew to my chest dramatically as I cried out, “Oh my heart! The stoic commander, who once didn’t want us anywhere near his rebellion, is now thanking me.” Soft chuckles came from them as I popped up and waggled my brows. “How about a balloon sword fight for old times sake?”
Kieran let out a beautiful, tinkling laugh as she shook her head and squeezed my thigh. “Maybe later, Bash. Ready to go again, Steele?”
While I admired their determination, I heard her stomach grumbling, a reminder that we’d already skipped lunch hours ago.
I shook my head as Steele gave her a nod, cutting in. “No. At risk of sounding like our mother, Ronan, you both need to eat something.”
“I’m fine,” she quickly answered, trying to shrug off my suggestion.
My eyes narrowed on her as I leaned in closer and let my voice drop. “I’ve drank enough of your blood today to know just how untrue that statement is, Darling. What kind of a leech would I be if I didn’t at least ensure my blood bag got sustenance?”
Steele barked out a laugh at that and pushed to his feet. “How romantic. But he’s right, Kieran, we need to keep our strength up in case things turn fast. I’ll be back with some food.”
With a heavy sigh and gentle smile, my Darling relented, sliding sideways to rest against me. Soon Steele returned with sandwiches and water for us all and we ate in companionable silence. Well, silence out loud, at least.
“Can you close the door to your mind? It’s a bit frightening how you seem to be on a nonstop wheel of nonsensical thoughts.”
My gaze cut to Ronan striding toward us. “I’ll have you know that you should be thanking me! Where were you to forcefeed our mate, per usual, hmm? I had to do it!”
Ronan’s mouth twitched, the faintest ghost of a smirk. “You’re annoying,” he muttered, but there was no real bite to it.
“Such little thanks around here,” I sighed before biting into my own sandwich.
After our short break, we got back to it. As Steele thought of new rune shapes, I glanced out at the sun beginning to make its exit for the day. It had the audacity to make the sky beautiful while we waited for it all to burn.
Gold and amber spilled across the forest canopy, and for half a second, I hated how calm everything looked. It made my nerves feel louder, more obnoxious—like they were shouting in a quiet library. Kieran winced as Steele attempted to activate another rune on her shoulder. The burn spread fast—a spiderweb of light curling beneath her skin before flickering out, rejected like the last three. She didn’t cry out, but her jaw tightened, and that was enough. I leaned forward without a word, brushing my thumb over the blood before licking it clean, tongue dragging slowly across her skin.
My veins practically buzzed with power looking for an outlet, just waiting for an excuse to escape.
A moment that could have almost been romantic shattered in an instant.
The sky cracked open above us, a wave of pressure roaring through the camp as if the surface of Alfemir itself were being peeled back. My ears popped as tents buckled and loose parchments spun through the air. Every instinct screamed at once, and we surged to our feet, wings snapping wide.
Light spilled down, harsh enough to sear the air, as shadows filled the sky. The first wave of Dominions followed in its wake. Each one looked like someone had stitched together four angelsand then dipped the result in nightmares. Gold light pulsed off their bodies and every Dominion dragged the air down with it, pressing down on all of Alfemir like gravity itself had doubled from their mere presence.
Then came the real problem.
White-blue fire streaked through the clouds, the air around them wavering in a mirage of heat, each trail so bright I had to shield my eyes. The Seraphim. Theburning ones. Not myth or poetic exaggeration. Just a flaming reminder that we were very, very fucked in comparison.
Two balls of light stopped just above the inner circles of Alfemir. They were far enough away that distance should have made them specks, yet their alarming size devoured the horizon. They had six wings each, their bodies so engulfed in a white-blue flame I wasn’t even sure if there was anything solid under it.
“Well, shit. It’s a good thing I just forced you both to eat,” I muttered, mostly to myself, but Kieran gave a humorless little huff next to me.
“It’s time to end this, once and for all.” She turned, eyes catching the celestial blaze over the city as shouts rang out in alarm throughout the camp. “This is our home and I’ll burn the heavens themselves before I let them take it from us again.”
I caught her chin gently between my fingers and gave her the kind of kiss that said all the things I didn’t want to put into words—likeif you die, I’ll lose my goddamn mind and follow you. I pulled back just as Steele leaned in to do the same, his hand at the nape of her neck like he could anchor her to his side if he tried hard enough.
