“It should, but the stone will be charred around the edges.” Unless they shattered it entirely. Those of the Fifth Kingdom had even less patience than he did. If one of them could endure the pain long enough, they could destroy the stone to break the barrier between the wards.
With the increasing volume of the raging tempest and the futility of speaking over it, Lexi simply nodded that she had heard and hopefully understood. She urged her beastie onward.
Jeros kept his stallion alongside her, watching her with furtive glances while looking for the markers. They should have found the stones by now. They were intact. He could sense their magic. Barely, but he could sense it. The angry cloud cover and incessant rain plunged the forest into a murky darkness.
“There!” Lexi shouted as she pointed to the right. “Is that one of them?”
The faintly undulating lavender light lifted his heart. “Aye!” He dismounted and hurried over to it, crouching to rest his hand upon it. The magic was still there, but extremely weak. Someone had tested the ward and stood its punishment long enough to almost completely drain it of its energy. Who the devil were they dealing with here?
Even through the rain, the warm scent of lilacs made him close his eyes and breathe in deeper. She was beside him. He knew it without looking. His soul and her fragrance would always tell him exactly where she was.
“Is that it?” she asked, leaning closer and shouting.
“Aye.”
“Can I touch it, or will it zap me?” She reminded him of an inquisitive child, and it made him ache to beg her to stay. Her interest in all things to do with his world strengthened his hope.
“Nothing of mine will ever harm ye, my lady. Not ever.”
She flinched as though the sentiment behind the words caused her pain, then blinked and shuttered away her emotions. With a careful hesitancy, she reached out and barely brushed her fingertips across the top of the stone. It immediately glowed brighter, as if her touch healed it and made it whole.
Jeros was jealous. She had the power to heal him and make him whole, but thanks to his thoughtlessness, it was only a matter of time until he lost her. “Can ye feel it, lass?”
She smiled down at the rock, her face lit with its brighter glow. “It’s warm and…” She flattened her palm over its surface and suddenly went sad. “Comforting.” She lifted her gaze to his. “It is you.”
He barely nodded. “Aye. It is me.” When a Fae royal set a magical ward boundary, a piece of them, a part of their essence, took hold of the rock and strengthened it. They remained mystically connected to him until he severed the bond. Were he to be destroyed, the wards would return to harmless stones.
“You shouldn’t be out here. If anything happens to you, nothing stands between the Fifth Kingdom and Sevenrest.”
Her concern gave him even more hope. He reasoned it away by telling himself she was more concerned about those of Sevenrest than she was about him. “Dinna worry for me, lass. I shall be fine.”
She surprised him by touching his cheek and holding the connection. Blinking away the rain, she shook her head, her anger and frustration clear. “You should not be out here. This might be a trap.”
He covered her hand with his, reveling in the softness of her touch. “We must find the three. They are naught but yearlings. If they’ve fallen into the hands of the Fifth Kingdom, it could be dire for them.”
“As soon as we find them, you’re riding home as fast as you can go. I’ll bring them back by myself.”
He couldn’t help but laugh as he rose and helped her to her feet. “Stubborn woman. Three young unicorns are more difficult to herd than cats. It will take the both of us to bring them home. Trust me.”
She touched her forehead, rubbing the Pegasus star. “Maybe he’ll help us. Is there any way to call him and Lunaria? Could we ask Aylryd to find them, or would they be afraid?”
“It would be unwise to send the tiger in search of the younglings or the alpha and his family. Unicorns and Fae tigers coexist, but not with ease. That is why I advised him to stay at the manor until we knew more about the situation.”
“I understand.”
She rubbed her forehead again, squinting her eyes shut and seeming to strain every muscle against some sort of pain.
“Lexi. What is it? Are ye unwell?” He caught hold of her hand.
“Shh. I’m thinking really hard to Pegasus. Maybe he’ll hear me.” She kept her eyes shut and bowed her head, straining even more.
And then he noticed the area growing lighter and taking on a familiar pale blue glow that turned iridescent and almost glittered. The stallion and mare from the Sevenrest herd lowered their heads in a respectful bow.
A sense of awe filled Jeros. Lexi had discovered how to summon Pegasus, and the mighty alpha had deigned to answer. He reached out and touched her arm. “He is here, Lexi. Pegasus is here.”
She opened her eyes and smiled. “Thank goodness. I had no idea if it would work.” She turned to the great unicorn. “Three yearlings are gone. We need to find them and make sure they’re safe. We’re afraid the Fifth Kingdom might harm them. Can you help us, please? They’re just babies and could be in danger.”
Pegasus stared at her with his great, dark eyes, unblinking, completely motionless. His horn took on a golden glow, then Lexi nodded.
