But it was too late. Mistral shot out the front door with dizzying speed, aided by his air magic, and disappeared into the sky.
We failed to get the sword back. And in its place, I had an injured Meeko.
9
Meeko
I was a realistic person.I didn't think confronting a spirit would be entirely safe, yet I couldn't help but be shocked that Mistral actually struck me. In our first meeting, he seemed like a coward. He didn't even give me a proper fight. He swooped in, stole what he wanted, and left me in the dust.
This time I actually went head-on with him, but it changed nothing. The sword was still in his possession.
I was so angry with myself. How could I let this happen twice?
I no longer cared if the spirits were all-powerful magical beings or whatever. They pissed me off. I despised those who exerted their power over others who were already weaker than them. I should've fought harder against Mistral. I should've ripped out all his feathers when I had the chance. I should've—
"Meeko."
Cloud's gentle voice was a balm on my fury. His expression brimmed with concern.
"What?" I asked wearily.
His brows knitted together. "Your face…"
I didn't know what he was talking about until I lifted a hand to my cheek. It came away with blood on my fingertips. I scoffed. Of course Mistral didn't just hit me. That wasn't humiliating enough. He had to make me bleed, too. I roughly wiped my hand on the borrowed pants.
"Are you okay?" Cloud asked.
"I'm fine."
That wasn't true. I was far from fine. I was so mad I could've screamed. Part of it was directed at Cloud. Why hadn't he jumped into fight? Why did he just stand there trying to play peacemaker with the enemy? I didn't understand this alpha. Weren't they all about glory and dominance and whatever?
Cloud wasn't like that. I didn't get him at all. If I was an alpha harpy, with his powers…
That idea trailed off. WhatwouldI do? Would I go around bullying those weaker than me, like Mistral? Or would I use my strength to uplift them, like Cloud did? I would be a hypocrite if I said the former.
I blew out a long, hard breath. The battle was over, but the war wasn't. I’d get the sword back no matter what. This was just one more obstacle.
Cloud clicked his tongue. "It's bleeding harder now," he murmured. "Here, let me get it."
He reached for my wounds the same way he reached for my sleeves when he was cuffing them. But this time, my reaction was tainted. My brain flashed the image of Mistral's claws swiping at me. Instead of standing there and letting Cloud help me, my body flinched away.
The hurt on Cloud's face was instant. It made me even more upset with myself. I didn't want to act like this. I didn't want to be the frightened little mouse omega who shrank at shadows, who saw danger in every corner. I wanted to be brave.
Ineededto be brave.
"Give me your hand," I demanded.
Cloud didn't move. "What are you doing?"
"Just do it."
He tentatively reached out his hand, palm up. I grabbed it. It was so much larger and heavier than my own, no doubt because of his scales and talons. I had something else in mind, but now I was distracted by the heft of his hand. I ran my thumb over his palm, curiously examining the way his scales overlapped and blended together in a golden mosaic. Cloud stood dead still as I handled him. Did he like this? Did he not? There was no indication of it on his face. It was like he was holding his breath until he saw my reaction.
My exploration trailed up to his fingertips, the danger zone where his talons lurked. They jutted out like curved black blades. I swallowed. They were weapons designed to kill and yet Cloud was no killer.
But I remembered the way he leapt in without hesitation when he thought the coyote shifters were going to harm me. The memory sent a small shiver down my spine.
Why did I like that so much? I was supposed to protect myself. That was what the sword was for, why I spent so much time training. A mouse couldn't depend on anybody but himself.
