The bond between my mate and me softened.
And then everything went red. I sank into myself. I was falling. Falling forever in a red sky. No. I fell through flames. No. A jewel. I was in Ensarena's Eye. Trapped. Dropping from one point to the other. Crossing the view of the Goddess. And she was not happy with me. I had used a power that didn't belong to me.
But then her son dove through the shining point. Hair as red as the stone streamed behind him. Eyes as dark as the deepest part of the sea locked on me. A clawed hand extended. Lyrandir looked like my death personified. But I knew he was the opposite. If I ever wanted to get free of the Goddess and return to my mate, I had to take his hand.
Ensarena had no compassion for me, and certainly not for my mate. Vax was a child of Karadas, not hers. But her child sought to help me. His determination and strength appeased the Goddess.
His hand closed around mine.
The burning stopped. The pain vanished. No, not vanished. Traveled. Fire moved out of my chest, down my arm, and through my hand. It left me and entered Lyrandir. His grip tightened. His lips parted to bare his teeth. Burning light traveled up his arm and into his chest.
Our freefall through Ensarena's Eye slowed. We came even with each other.
“Lyrandir,” I said, reaching for him with my other hand.
“No!” Lyrandir growled and let go of me. “You need to leave. Now!” With a punch to my chest, he expelled me from the Eye.
Chapter Forty-Four
Back in my body, I opened my eyes to see Vax leaning over me.
“Zix!” His hand stroked my face. “Love, are you all right?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, my throat raw. “I'm good. He saved me.” I looked over to the left.
King Lyrandir stood up, then swayed.
“Ly!” Aras steadied him.
“I'm all right,” Lyrandir said gruffly. He met my stare.
“Thank you.” I sat up with Vaxarion's help. “I don't know what that was, but I saw you in there. You pulled the fire out of me.”
Lyrandir grunted.
Vax helped me to my feet but took most of my weight as he faced Lyrandir. “I'm in your debt. What price do you demand?”
Lyrandir looked down at his hand. In it, Ensarena's Eye glowed.
“Ly,” Aras said in a warning tone.
“I could rule Serai,” Lyrandir whispered. He looked up and met Vax's stare. “You told me you'd pay anything.”
Vax stiffened. “I did. And I'm a man of my word. Is it the Eye you demand?”
“Lyrandir!” Aras shoved the King.
Lyrandir stumbled, but his grip didn't loosen on the stone. He growled and faced off with his lover.
“Oh, fuck,” I whispered. “It's got him.”
“Stay back, Mate.” Vax eased me away from the brewing battle.
“Let it go, Ly,” Aras said.
Lyrandir bared his teeth.
Aras dove for the King's stomach.
