Noth lounged impeccably. “Undoubtedly. This man thinks he’s a Godd amongst monsters.”
I twitched a smile. “Wait, old fart. Did you just compliment me on my mate?”
Noth looked down his long nose at me. “As you know, we’re the same age, even if I’m the handsome one.”
I put my hands on my hips. Not even close. Noth was at least a century older than I was. It was good to have my oldest friend back after he looked so haggard. A few nights of good food and sleep, and the elf was amazingly resilient. “Handsome? I think you’re a little too pretty for that.”
He showed me his long row of sparkling, sharp Walker teeth in some approximation of a smile. “I never believed you would get close enough to anyone you thought you might hurt. Glad you found a true mate who is able to destroy you in a blink.”
He knew every one of those scars I carried from my youth. “I guess I needed my bear to remind me it would happen. And just because the elves don’t believe in mates doesn’t mean they don’t exist. You’re just afraid you will be next.”
“Terrified. She should keep you on your toes for the rest of your life, and who needs that? Are you going to do a human wedding? I think I attended one of those a few centuries ago.”
Was I supposed to? I wanted to bind her with my bite, but would take any way I could. Noth didn’t have a bad idea for once. Something low key. Would she be my wife and my mate? “I’ll think on it.”
“Well, if we all survive this, some sort of celebration will be in order, and I want to give you away. I think that’s how it works.” He tossed his hair in a gesture that said the idea pleased him.
I couldn’t remember how it worked. Dane’s wedding was a blur of druids. But I could get Evie’s friend and sister to tell me.
It was something to hope for as we readied for battle. Noth and I rejoined the brood. I piled armor on Evie until she batted me away and handed most of it to Declan, the temple boys and Noora. That she had an inner circle to protect her if something happened to me made the coming clash marginally easier. I knew they would fight to the death for her.
I mounted her on Greg. We started out as Noth dispensed with armor and shifted into his Nightmare form. Evie edged closer to me.
I hugged her shoulder. “It’s better not to look at him too directly.”
“It’s making me seasick—on land,” she said and turned away.
Too soon, the brood stopped at the edge of the valley because it was chock full of ominous figures. As the mist swirled over a multitude of forms both animal, human and mechanical arrayed against us, I was afraid even one of us making it was an optimistic outcome. We wouldn’t win this with some jokes and a prayer, nor with the surprise and ferocity we showed the worm.
Evie’s eyes grew enormous. “I can still try and dragon out.”
I wanted to say something soothing, or clever, to make this easier, but I could only kiss her with all the passion inside me.
I patted her leg when I really wanted to pull her down and hide her. “Your power is still too unpredictable. I can protect you in your human form until it’s time for you to destroy everything with that raw power.”
I could… Right? I didn’t know if I was ready for this.
We are,my bear assured me.If we work together, we cannot fail this test. We won’t.
I just want her by our side when all of this is over.I crumbled more of the barrier I erected between my bear and I. I didn’t really think he would hurt anyone with the way he treated our mate. He deserved my trust as well. What I told Noth was true. That I kept him caged hadn’t served me very well.
Then don’t fight me. Fight for her,he implored me.
The morning fog didn’t clear, so we entered Bitter Valley with cover. Noth gave the brood enough information to get into the Shrine of Revelations. Noora and the temple boys would scout our flanks. Only one of us had to make it.
I saw the deadness in the closest shifter’s eyes. No compassion lived there and they would not hold back. As much as it pained me, I recognized we would only win this conflict with violence, pure savagery, unleashing our inner animals. Their number would overwhelm even my magic. If only I could use both. But only dragons had the power to use magic as their animal.
Everyone shifted into their second forms, so I did, too. Resolute, I gave my bear full permission, tearing down the last of the terrible cage I made for him. We swelled bigger than ever before, towering over the rest of the shifters. I would probably reach Evie’s shoulder. Even Greg shied away from us.
Wow, if that’s what having a mate does for you, sign me up,Noth sniggered.
You will put Evie in as little danger as possible. I will get us to the temple.I sent my next words down the mate bond only for Evie.Can you sense the relic in the Shrine?
“I can tell it’s there like Noth said, but it's muffled. Any last minute Goddess assistance would be appreciated,” Evie called into the sky. When nothing happened, she muttered, “Figures.”
Shifters!I called to our brood.Go for their crowns. We win or die toget?—
A bear, half my size, launched out of the mist, claws raking in my direction. He had a device affixed to his head, much like Noth’s, but without the relic. Only a sinister, red, unnatural eye glowed in the center of his crown. I swatted him to the ground, teeth savaging the crown until it was nothing more than torn metal and broken bits. Through the mist, I recognized other attempts made on our brood and more screams in the mist. For every crown we broke, we hopefully had another ally, but they would overwhelm us with a coordinated effort.
