As I return my attention to the creature before me, I’m floored by its presence. Rarely do I get to see something so pure in this world. Lorian bears the unique glow of his kind, precious and rare. His colossal, spiralling horn also sheds its own gentle light. This beast is something out of a dream. Impossible and…pure.
Like my regina.
It reminds me of my own impurity and how close I’d come to reliving an old past. But then Aurelia, as if she knows what I’m thinking, glances up, her eyes glistening with emotion. In this moment, every bad thought of mine tumbles away into the abyss. She has real love for me. And if a perfect, powerful creature like her can love me, then I must be worth loving.
A smile touches my lips, and she smiles back at me before attending to Lorian. He speaks to Aurelia quietly for a moment, though the words are hidden from me. I can’t help but be jealous that he gets her focused attention. But then my regina steps back.
“Take us away,” Celeste says to Lorian. “Get us out of this world, my love.”
Power cycles around the two of them, and that fabled horn glows brighter as the air around them spins, then warps and melts. To my psychic eyes, they sparkle and gleam in the way of otherworldly powers.
Then they are gone, only a faint opalescence painting the air in their wake. We all stand there for a moment, stunned at having witnessed something so unexpected.Out of this world,Celeste had said.
Aurelia sucks in a breath and turns around to survey what’s left of this night. I want to reach for her. Want to press her to my body and never let her go. But there is something dark clinging to my body. Something that demands to be scraped and bled off.
Connor and Hyacinth approach us. “We’ve released everyone,” Connor says. “Some are unwell, but there are a few avians who can help.”
“We have Lady Hyena in…custody.” Hyacinth’s lips twitch. “She’s not coping with the oestrous injection.”
“Will you kill her?” Aurelia asks, and I glance at her proudly.
“Not yet.” Hyacinth nods at me. “She may be of use.” The hyena gestures to her two mates, who bear the ex-hyena queen between them, her elderly body bound in obsidian chains.
“We need to clear the area,” I advise. “Mace and the others will come looking for Katerina and opportunities for livestock. I will call for vehicles. May I use your phone, Hyacinth?”
“Of course.”
I make a quick call to Rufus, informing him of the current state of things and my imminent return. We’ll need some buses and medical staff, and I’ll finally get to make use of the new safehouse I had built after the Lily Institute attack.
Connor seems to enjoy taking the lead, and I shake his hand in thanks. “Keep them safe,” I tell him. “Once you’re at the safehouse, you shouldn’t be disturbed. I will send you more security.”
“We’ll be here to help,” Minnie pipes. “And my mates are almost here.”
Of course the Caspian and Siberian tigers aren’t far away. They’d no doubt followed their regina at a distance, in case their insane plan didn’t work out. I give Marduk a call too. My regina is at my side the entire time, and after I return Hyacinth’s phone, I run my hand down Aurelia’s black length of hair, now unbound and wild from all the shifting. “I need to leave with Xander,” I say softly. “I need to go to sea, regina.”
Something shifts in her bright blue eyes. Fire and water andrage.“No,” she snarls.
Lyle brushes a knuckle along her cheek. “Everyone is tired, angel. And we are saved. You can rest now.”
“No,”Aurelia snarls again, her power booming in my ears, gravelly and deep. “You are mine. Mine only and mine to take. I will bear you, and I willkill and consumeall others who try.”
The bloodlust in her eyes is stunning me speechless, and then her power wraps around the four of us and reels us in likefour fishing hooks. Savage lets out a hoot as we’re all pressed together in a tight circle around our regina. She reaches out to clutch my and Lyle’s shirts on her left and right, a low constant growl rumbling from her chest. Blue eyes dart left and right as if looking for an enemy. Lyle and I exchange a glance.
“Uh-oh,” Xander says, but there’s a strange, gleeful yellow around his aura that I’ve never, not once in the time that I’ve known him, seen before.
“What’s happening?” Savage asks, looking between the dragon and our regina.
“This,” says Xander with fascination, “appears to be a treasure haze.”
PART TWO
Chapter 36
Savage
My strong regina carries us over the land and far, far away where the rest of the world can’t hurt us. Scythe and Hyacinth organised everything with the captives so they can get to a safe place, but when Scythe started frowning into the dark, I knew it was time to leave and herded everyone up.
We ride into the sunrise, and it feels like Aurelia’s flying us to heaven, which is very, very different to what we had in the last few weeks. Each of my bones feels sore, and my skin is all itchy and gross, like I haven’t showered in months. Have I showered? Everything I remember of The Collector’s house is all blurry. I shake myself out.
