“Cockblock.” Tristano elbows Charen, who nods in agreement.
So, we return to our trek. I try to keep my head up, eyes on the road and thoughts on battle, but sometimes I fall into memories. Dark ones. Eraldon’s whispers and the touch of his cold hands. I could paint his eyes, the dark slashes of his brows. Maybe I will one day. Fill a canvas with his evil and let Solano burn it into oblivion.
We pass a lone farmhouse, and two changelings stride out of it, their blonde hair braided in neat rows and each of them wearing leather armor something like my own. They join the column, their faces grim but resolute. It’s like this everywhere we go.
Solano sent out the call, and the people of his realm have answered. We will not go down without a fight.
* * *
“He won’t fight for you.” Brock crosses his arms over his chest as I stare out at the misty island in the distance. “Especially not after what happened the last time you two met.”
“He’s part of this realm, one of theoldestparts. If he won’t fight for it, then we’ve already lost.”
“He’s also still scorched.” Brock points. “Barely any trees left, and his horns are blackened.”
“He’s fine.” Solano cracks his knuckles. “Get me close to him.”
“I’m coming with you.” I stand on the shore and remember the last time I was in these waters. A shiver races up my spine.
“It’s safer here,” Solano says. “I’d rather—”
“Nope. I’m coming. That brute tried to eat me. I’m not just letting that go.”
“He’s not much for conversation, Emma. And he definitely will have zero regrets about attacking you.”
“He’ll regret not having her for a snack,” Tristano chimes in.
“I’m going.” I have a score to settle, and Malnaloch owes me.
Solano pinches the bridge of his nose, then throws up his hands. “We don’t have time to argue. Just stay close to me, and if you see any hint of his tentacles coming out of the water, fly away. Understand?”
“Sure.” He doesn’t have to tell me twice to fly away if tentacles are coming for me.
“I’m serious, Emma. I want him to fight for us. Antagonizing him won’t accomplish that, and if I have to destroy him, no one wins.”
“I got it. Come on. Let’s go. I want to see those googly eyes again.” Because I want to punch them, but I don’t say that part. I also want to make sure the creature keeps his suction cups off my mate.
“This is a bad idea.” Brock frowns and spins up some wind to carry Solano across the treacherous water.
“You always say that.”
His glower sinks even deeper. “And I’m always right.”
Solano takes flight with ease as I flap my wings and join him in the air. I can almost feel the intake of breath from the legions on the road behind us as I stretch my wings. My shoulders ache just a little as they loosen up, but soon I’m swooping around Solano, seeing if I can catch Brock’s magical wind and float higher.
“Why isn’t he singing this time?” I ask.
“Still licking his wounds, I suppose.Or perhaps you’re immune to it now.”
I hope he’s right about me being immune. Falling under any creature’s spell is firmly in my ‘never again’ column.
As we approach the island, the mist clears, and I get a better view of the damage Solano inflicted on the enormous monster. The sheer power inside my mate is unbelievable, as evidenced by the blackened ash and soot that now litter the island.
We move closer until the water far beneath us starts to tremble.
“Far enough.” Solano stops, his feet firmly planted on a narrow wall of wind.
I drop beside him, almost miss the landing, but he grabs me and pulls me to his side. When I look down, all I see is air. “Brock is kind of amazing with this wind thing.”
