This was more satisfying.
“I’m going to leave the rest of this to you. Somehow, I think you’re more equipped to handle her than other people,” the shiny man told Ryu before looking up at Ilith. “Don’t think I don’t know what you did at the elevators. Your bonded and I will have a lot to discuss when we next speak.”
Tate groaned in the back of Ilith’s mind as the dragon watched the shiny man and his guards leave through the distortion.
“Did you have fun?” Ryu asked Ilith with a little of the dragon still rumbling through his words.
Ilith looked away from him, pretending not to understand. It wasn’t that she was intimidated. Such a thought was nonsense. No dragon, two legger, or other had ever managed to make her feel daunted.
Ilith nodded to herself. Yes, that wasn’t why she looked away. It was to keep Ryu from feeling bullied.
One side of Ryu’s lips tilted up as he stayed quiet, watching Ilith with an intent gaze.
Dewdrop folded his arms and glared at the dragon. “Tate is not going to be happy with you.”
Willa was the only one of the three who seemed unaffected by Ilith’s actions. She darted around Ilith’s front paws, hopping over them before twisting and trying to wiggle under them. She whined and growled when she couldn’t budge them enough to burrow under.
Dewdrop started for her. “Willa stop that. Ilith’s in trouble. You can’t play with her now.”
Willa evaded him, standing on her back legs and tapping Ilith’s chin, the only thing she could reach.
A questioning chirrup came from the Veles. The faintest trace of another mind brushed against Ilith’s.
The dragon wasn’t the only one who felt surprised at the unexpected action. Tate’s excitement transmitted to Ilith.
So far, the twins had made no progress on mental speak. Night theorized their ability to take on a two-legged form negated the need for telepathy.
Ilith didn’t agree, but no one really asked her. Telepathy had been one of the Veles primary attributes in the before times. She saw no reason for it to have faded in the second generation. Maybe in time if the Veles continued breeding with the Silva the trait would disappear.
Ilith thought instead that the twins simply needed time to grow and develop. The discovery of their two-legged form probably delayed that development since it negated the need for mind speak.
Willa’s voice was faint, losing the connection almost instantly.
Ilith reached out with her mind, helping to guide Willa into forming a more stable connection. Mind speak was an art rather than a science. It required feeling around blind until you could reach another mind. It took time and constant effort to hone the abilities.
It was why Night’s voice was so broken and disjointed the first time he talked to Tate and the first time he tried to reach Ilith in the same manner.
With her skills, Willa only had enough discipline to send a single word.Change?
Don’t you dare, Ilith. You just ate an amalgam. You probably haven’t had time to digest it yet.
Ilith didn’t pay her any attention. Willa was a smart predator. The best way to get out of trouble was to give the body back to Tate.
Ilith,Tate started.Don’t you leave me to deal with your mess again.
Ilith chuckled. Sometimes it was her turn to protect her Savior. Other times it was best to let Tate handle things. She was always so amusing when she was in a snit.
Ilith gave up her hold on ascendancy as Tate called her name one last time. Pain started along their limbs as Ilith dove into the comfort of darkness before Tate could stop her.
* * *
When Tate came back to herself, she was kneeling on cold stone. No glimpse of Ilith’s world came with their switch. Something Tate was grateful for. She didn’t think she’d fare as well if she had to experience Ilith’s world first hand. Even the peripheral shot she’d got was enough to overload her senses.
It wasn’t only Ilith who’d been filled to the brim. Power nipped along Tate’s nerve endings. A constant buzz invaded her veins.
She closed her eyes and took a breath to center herself. Only when she released it again did she open her eyes, taking stock of things.
Luckily, her stupid dragon had left her with clothes. Thank goodness for small mercies.
