You might be finding a new appreciation for my otherwise difficult brother? Azar’s head swivels around so he can look at me, and he has one eyebrow raised.
I shrug. “Maybe.”
As long as you like me better.
“You know, people will tell you size doesn’t matter.” I chuckle. “But I really like my men to be big, and he is bigger than you.” I can’t help it—making fun of him when he has no idea what the joke refers to fills me with glee. It’s probably a character flaw.
Of course he’s bigger. Azar would definitely be muttering if he were speaking aloud, based on his sulky tone. He’s older. But you said you liked that Axel was closer to your size.
I pat his neck, deciding I’ve tortured him enough. Now that I know my siblings are almost certainly safe, kept that way by their bonded, I’m in a better mood.
Right up until Thunar drops below the cloud level. Now that was fun. I didn’t realize massive dragons the size of apartment buildings could smile, but apparently he can. I’ve missed war.
He’s missed. . .war?
I suppose I can almost relate. I did enjoy roasting those vanir, or you know, getting them all roasted. It would probably have been more fun if I was doing the roasting instead of playing bait. “How many vanir were there?” I ask. “Do you think they knew we’d be here? Or were they attacking the people of Finland and our presence surprised them?”
Thunar lands in the courtyard, taking up half the space. You let your earth child talk too much.
She asks all the same things I would ask, Azar says. Are you planning to answer?
A hundred? Maybe a hundred and fifty? He snorts. They were shocked we were here. It makes me believe they’ve been attacking the earth children in small bands for some time. Have they not told you?
We’re in Australia, Azar says. My guess is the vanir weren’t up to portaling, and they’ve stuck close to Iceland which is where they were released.
“Besides,” I say. “It’s not like we told the humans we released the vanir from the volcano in Iceland. The humans would think the vanir were just more blessed. Why would they tell us what we’re doing?”
So they’ve been secretly turning more humans against us? Azar sighs. That’s not great. We should tell someone about it.
“But for now, we should get back.” I’m not going to say it in front of Thunar, but I won’t rest easy about the kids until I’ve seen them.
We did send another few hundred brights back, Thunar says. So it wasn’t a wasted trip, and I believe we only lost a dozen or so blessed in this attack. The vanir are weakened and easy prey. His smile is disturbing, but if we have a lot of vanir to fight, I’m not as sad to have him here.
Thunar has his flaws, but he looks like a killing machine.
I’m a killing machine, Azar says.
I forgot how annoying it is that your entwined can hear every single thing you think.
Hey. Azar tosses his head. Are you portaling us back or am I?
Thunar probably believes the head toss was at him, but I know he was irritated by my thought that he’s annoying. Serves him right for being a snoop. I’m not hearing his every thought.
You should learn to shield better, Azar sends me on a private channel. Then I won’t be forced to hear every petty thought of yours either. But the bond is bright green, so I know he’s not really annoyed.
I’ve missed that.
My color barometer for how he’s feeling.
Thunar opens a portal and crashes his way through it.
You know, I send to Azar. I’m happy he’s attacking and portaling and whatnot. As the other blessed limp, fly, and hop their way through the portal Thunar opened, I realize that while only a dozen or so may have died, many of Azar’s people are injured.
The bonded ones can eat and recover.
Thunar’s going to wear himself out, and he’s still not bonded. I can’t help my glee. Maybe he’ll puke soon and die.
Nothing ever works out that easily for me, Azar says. With my luck, he’ll bond someone we know, like your mom, and then you’ll be begging me to keep him alive.
