King Raventar stood a few feet away from me, his arm lowering from flinging away the canvas and wood. He bared his teeth at Nahel and roared. I'd never seen such fury on his face. In his body. His entire being radiated rage. It blasted from him, turning him into an animal. Indeed, claws tipped his hands, and the bones of his face were sharper. Oh, and he was naked. He lunged toward us.
I sat between Nahel's legs, shocked. Frozen. But the Chief of the Crimson Feathers wasn't.
Nahel shot up before Raven could reach us and shouted, “Kill King Raventar, Eliel!”
With a cry of horror, I lurched to my feet.
Raventar stumbled to a stop, his eyes widening to look at the ribbon on my wrist. “Eliel,” he whispered.
“Raven!” I took a step toward him.
Nahel slapped a dagger in my palm and whispered in my ear, “He won't hurt you, little bird. Don't worry. I'll find you again.” And then the bastard launched into the air, still as naked as Raven. “Fly!” he shouted to his men.
Behind Raventar, I saw Okon warriors engaged with Dragon knights. The Okons immediately obeyed their chief, launching into the night to flee the battle. The fighting stopped, but the true battle had just begun.
“Let me free you,” Raven said. He darted for my wrist, and I slashed at his arm with the dagger.
“Raven!” I cried, even as I tensed for another attack. “Stay back! I don't know how long I can stop myself.”
He held up his hands, his right arm dripping blood. “Easy, my foundling. My mate. I love you. I'm here for you, Eliel. Drop the dagger. Just open your hand and let it fall to the ground.”
“I can't,” I moaned. My hand clenched tighter. I stepped forward.
“Eliel—”
“Shut up!” I lifted the dagger. “You wouldn't stop, Raven. You kept going. You wouldn't stop. You didn't care about me. You just kept going.” My hand trembled. My muscles didn't know what to do—obey me or the magic.
Raven went still. “What didn't I stop? I don't understand.”
My whole body began to shake as I fought Nahel's command. “Get away from me! Go! Now!”
“No, Mate. I won't ever leave you.”
I cried out in agony, turning the blade toward myself.
“No!” Raven roared and leapt for me.
I spun and sliced at him. He ducked and rolled away.
“Do not hurt yourself, Eliel!” Raven stretched a hand out to me. “Please, don't.”
“I can't fight this much longer.” I let out a futile scream. “It's you or me. I have to use this.” I slashed the dagger through the air.
The King stood and opened his arms, looking utterly vulnerable in his stance and nudity. “Then use it on me. I will survive, my foundling. But I won't survive your death. Come to me. It will be all right.”
I shook my head rapidly, staring at the dagger, willing my legs to remain still. “I'm sorry I ran, Raven. It was Bara. All that . . . what you did to me. The way you stood over me and came on me. He did that.” I lifted my gaze to his. “You became Bara. In my head. And you wouldn't stop. I made scared sounds, but you didn't hear me. You didn't stop.”
Raven's face crumpled. Behind him, his knights gathered. But they only watched helplessly, no one getting too close.
The Dragon King fell to his knees with a wounded howl. He viciously gripped handfuls of hair as if he might tear themout, but then released them as his arms went limp to hang at his sides. “No!” he roared at the sky before lowering his broken gaze to me. “I never wanted to hurt you. I am not him. Please see that. I love you, Eliel. I'm so sorry I didn't see your terror. I was lost to the magic. Please, my foundling, I would die before I hurt you.”
“I know,” I whimpered. “I love you too, Raven. Bara has made a fool of me. I ran from something real. I flew into the arms of evil. But you saved me. You came just before he—” I broke off on a sob. My hand was clenched so tightly it was on the verge of going numb, magic urging me to stab the King in the heart. It was a miracle I hadn't done it yet.
I went still.
A miracle. Raven had called me his miracle, but he was mine. He was my miracle.
I met his gaze, an epiphany rocking through me. With wonder, I said, “I love you.”
