Rath had both arms extended. One rose to the sky, directing a whirlwind that had sucked up a bunch of the Corrupted. The other hand pointed downward at a section of ground that was sprouting vines at an unnatural rate. The vines moved like snakes, twining together to form a wall between a group of Varraen and another group of the Corrupted.
But Rath was out of hands. He couldn't stop the second group from turning away from the wall of vines and coming at him.
I ran up, my hand lashing out to blow back the Corrupted, sending them tumbling into a massive tree trunk. They crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Rath glanced at me, grinned, and dropped the whirlwind, knocking the other group out as well. Behind the wall of vines, Varraen fled.
Then Xae howled, and we started running toward the sound.
Chapter Three
“No more splitting up!” I snapped at my lovers as soon as we appeared in the arrival chamber.
“Sometimes we have to,” Xae said. “If we hadn't just now, a lot of Corrupted could have escaped.”
“And if Rath and I hadn't found you when we did, you could have been overrun by them.”
“I would have been fine.”
“You don't have full control of your magic yet. That pit you opened wasn't deep enough.”
“I was working on deepening it.”
“Ugh!” I tossed my hands into the air and headed for the keep's main doors.
“Where are you going?” Rath demanded. “We should probably visit the Emperor and tell him about this new development.”
“You go. I need to cool off.” I stormed out of the keep.
I had no idea where I was going. I just needed to get away from the two men I loved more than anything else in the world. Because they were seriously testing that love. At least one of them was.
The fresh air cooled my flushed face, but the courtyard was crowded, and I wanted to be alone. I turned and went to the right. To the left was the training yard, and that would be even busier than the courtyard.
Stomping past the stables in my creaking armor, I went around a corner of the keep and through the gate that led to the citadel gardens. They contained mostly herbs, vegetables, and fruit to supply the kitchens, but it was still a nice place to relax, and at that time of day, there shouldn't be . . .
A Wraith Lord sat on a bench just off the garden path, hunched forward, head bent, forearms on his thighs, and ebony wings drooping to the ground behind him. He looked up at the sound of my arrival, and I felt my jaw unhinge. The Makhan man was stunning, and in a citadel full of handsome men with rock-hard bodies, that was saying a lot. Especially when two of the most gorgeous Wraith Lords were my lovers. But this guy . . . wow.
His auburn hair was shorn short, in a no-nonsense cut. He had left some length in his bangs though, and they fell over a pair of sultry eyes with long, dark lashes that emphasized the brilliant forest green of his irises. His nose was broad, but it suited him, balancing a thick jaw, and except for his long lashes, everything about him screamedalpha male. His build was somewhere between Rath and Xae, with broad shoulders slabbed in the muscles necessary to work those wings. Even with him sitting, I could see the sharp V made by his shoulders angling into his lean hips. I got an even better look at it when he stood up.
“Who the fuck are you?” I blurted.
The Makhan cocked his head at me, and that's when I noticed the sorrow etched into his face. Sorrow and exhaustion.
“Sorry. Uh, I thought I knew all the Wraith Lords.” I glanced at his pendant just to be sure that he was indeed a Wraith Lord and not some random visitor, then stepped forward and held out my hand. “I'm Ember Aldritch.”
He frowned at my hand a moment before he took it. Warm fingers closed around mine, shook once, then just held on. “Jathalion,” he said.
“Jathalion,” I repeated. “Nice to meet you. Have you just joined?”
“Joined?”
“The Wraith Lords.” I looked down at our hands.
He looked down as well, frowned again, and released me. “No. I've been in Kazenpar training the volunteers. The Emperor asked me to return to the citadel and resume fighting.”
“Oh. Well, uh, this is none of my business, but sometimes it's easier to talk to someone you don't know. You look a little sad. Are you all right? Wanna tell me about it?”
Jathalion blinked. His wings rustled. He looked over my armor, my sword, and my dirty boots, then focused on my Wraith Lord pendant.
