Nora rested her head on Melody’s other shoulder. She’d remained consistently close to her sister since we’d departed the seaside kingdom. They’d resolved their recent spat after Nora extended the invitation for Melody to join this march into battle. Personally, I would have preferred she stayed the hell away from the monsters who’d hurt her, but fear hadn’t lingered in her since our rescue. Rage had.
I understood why those closest to Melody saw her as a precious flower. She was sweet as pie, gentle as a summer breeze, and beautiful as a sunrise. But once she’d learned to touch her power, there was no holding her back. She may have been friendly sunshine to the world, but a sun at its core is pure fiery energy, and she was ready to unleash herself.
Her power may not have healed the curse, but she was one of Highcrest’s greatest weapons. All curves, soft edges, and pure fucking delight. To take my mind off the bombshell seductress beside me, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, torso tightly wrapped in a fitted shirt that accentuated her soft breasts and graspable waist, I had to redirect my thoughts.
“When we get back, I’m going to have to insist that Hu bake us something. My mouth has been watering since you explained with extensive detail about how good his stuff is,” I said, chucking another rock with my magic and striking his knee cap.
Jasper straightened, cocking his head to the side. “Wait, you don’t want to try my cooking?”
“Well, you just called baking ‘cooking’, so…no.”
Melody lightly smacked my chest. “We’re sure your creations are delightful, Jasper. I wouldn’t say no to you both preparing something.”
I pressed a kiss to her temple, covering my whisper. “Nice use of the word ‘creations’.”
She hid her mouth by pressing her nose into my cheek. “Dante said if something’s not edible, you can’t call it food.”
I choked on laughter.
“Hey, what are you saying over there?” Jasper crossed his arms, popping his hip to the side.
“They’re suggesting you take over for my head baker at the castle,” Nora chimed in. Melody and I looked at her with astonished surprise.
“Oh, well, I don’t know if I could dedicate the time. Though, you would be lucky to have me.” Jasper rubbed his chin, pondering the idea. “No, I’m sorry Queen Nora. Hu would never forgive me if I took his dream job.”
“That’s a shame,” Nora shouted before turning to us to whisper, “Maybe gods exist after all.”
“Why would you even risk that?” I whispered, keeping a pleasant smile plastered on my face, though the tension on my forehead remained fraught.
“I’ve seen how he gets. We’re about to battle the most powerful group on the continent. I’m not dealing with a gargoyle pouting beforehand, and you two certainly weren’t going to help that,” Nora scolded, but all in good fun.
“Something’s coming,” Dante said loudly. Everyone within hearing distance ceased what they were doing. My grip on Melody’s hip tightened.
“Stay alert, you hear me, sunshine?” I kept my eyes glued to the forest in the direction Dante focused on. He shifted into his beast form, towering over Marco and Nicholas on his two legs.
The two men retreated to their partners. Or whoever Alaina was to Marco.
“Ready yourselves,” Nicholas called to our group of magic wielders mixed with guardsmen.
A series of shouted orders traveled down the army. Jasper flew over and landed next to Dante, who flexed and balled his furry fists with nervous energy.
“What do you sense?” Nora asked Dante, daggers drawn and in her hands.
Dante spoke to us from over his shoulder. “They’re harnessing the magic. The land is screaming.”
A wave of fear washed over all of us, thickening the air. Nothing changed in the forest that I could sense, but that somehow made the impending doom more ominous. We hadnothing left to do but wait. Melody and I reluctantly walked forward to stand beside Jasper and Dante. Then Nora appeared on the other side of Melody. She slid her hand into her sister’s as Nicholas stood beside her. Marco went next to him, Alaina joining.
We formed a dividing line, ready to stand against the evils that approached. For all the times that I’d prepared for battle, never had solidarity rang this true. We stood beside friends, family, lovers, all willing to risk our lives for the chance to save people we would never even meet. To give life a chance to carry on.
Because in the end, if no one takes a stand, we’d all fall.
74
Ro
Icould hardly breathe, and not just because Dae tore through the woods like a fired arrow.
Because we hadn’t been able to stop them.
