The goddess was in a heap on the ground, light and blood drenching the stones below her. Avery ran to the goddess’ side, pressing her magic into the woman and Kyla watched as the wound began cinching itself together. The woman’s formerly rosy complexion was so ashen, Kyla didn’t know if she was alive or dead, but it didn’t matter to her as Garnel cried out in pain.
Kyla sent comfort into him, yet nothing was working to calm him as his body continued to shift. Savine pressed his essence into Garnel, wrapping him in a tangle of vines. The vines coiled and wound around Garnel’s writhing body, but Kyla didn’t stop her brother. He had to know how to stop this. The pressure of the vines seemed to stop the shifting, and Garnel collapsed on the ground. Kyla pressed herself to Garnel’s side, letting her face fall to his chest.
“It’s gone,” Garnel rasped, his eyes an empty void.
“What’s gone, my love?” Kyla asked, her palms pressed to his cheek.
“My bear form. She took it from me.”
Kyla looked at the goddess being lifted and carried back to the temple. A weakened voice forced its way into her mind,Find the Divine Five or your mate will lose his shifting essence permanently.
Kyla turned to Avery. “We have to find those relics.”
Chapter 26
Rylo
An entire day had passed, yet Rylo could still taste the lingering sweetness of Morgan’s mouth on his, the tang of her blood on his tongue. He hadn’t meant to kiss her, yet the way the flecks of gold in her green eyes had illuminated when she held that blade to his throat had made it impossiblenotto kiss her.
The shock on her face when he nipped her lip between his teeth was another thing he wouldn’t soon forget. Or how he’d felt her tug him closer to her. Damn him, he’d no intention of forming anything beyond a working relationship with the witch,yet each time he was around her, she’d surprise him with her wit, her spark, and her rebellious nature.
She was something he was beginning to crave, like a sweetened cup of afternoon tea and a good book by the fire. While he’d never go without that afternoon indulgence, he needed to find a way to stop his obsession with the dark haired human.
Rylo looked to his servant as he helped him dress for the evening. The Night of Feasts had always held a bit of magic that made Rylo look forward to the holiday. It wasn’t lost on him that he’d need to avoid that pretty human all evening if he was going to drop his obsession with her. Just thinking of her in the decadent dress that he’d had commissioned for her made his chest tighten.
A brisk knock on the door interrupted Rylo’s thoughts, and he nodded to the servant to let Selene in.
It could only be Selene or Elio, but on a night like this, it would be Selene. Elio would be too busy preparing for his entrance.
He often wondered what he would do with this nation if it wasn’t for Selene. She saw to the day-to-day nonsense of unhappy citizens and minor threats. She even carried out his more ludicrous ideas, like stealing Avery from Savine during the battle with the Latian royalists.
Yes, they were an excellent team. He had the idea and she would see it to formation.
She walked in wearing a deep purple dress with sharply pointed shoulders and a sweetheart neckline. He’d chosen the color specifically to match the violet in her eyes, and as he suspected, the result was stunning. The gemstones adorning the bodice glittered in the fae light. The wide skirts drew attention to Selene’s graceful and stately countenance.
“Perfect as usual, Selene,” Rylo said as he twirled her at the tip of his finger. “Did you see to it that Morgan received her dress? Oh, and the friend. Susan, of course.”
“I brought both of them the dresses, but it seemed a waste to offer the finer gown to so scarred a woman. Susan would have carried it better. At least she has some of the elegance taught to her from her folk.”
Rylo raised an eyebrow as he looked at Selene. “You, who has willfully been the one to cause scars on folk for years, don’t seem to appreciate the beauty hidden in those scars. Have you not learned that the most powerful of us are the ones who are not broken by our scars, but find strength in them?”
Selene’s lips tipped downward in a scowl. “I was only making a statement that I believe Susan deserved to wear the finer gown. Although she does look lovely in the teal.”
“And I want to make a display of Morgan’s beauty. Her scarred face is nothing but a reminder of her tenacity to survive and her presence of mind in challenging situations.”
“As you say, My King. Is there anything else you need before we go to the celebration?”
“Just an answer to a question. Are you longing for the fox tonight?”
Selene’s face was a mask of indifference. “I am not given to such baser emotions as longing, My King.”
“Good. Now, see to it that everything goes smoothly this evening. Our last major event resulted in the death of a monarch,” Rylo said as he chuckled at his own joke.
“Of course, Sir.”
Selene left the room without another word and the servant returned to preparing Rylo for the revelry.
Avery
