Hell, he had a damn lot to thank the warlord for. More, he wanted to know what had happened between the two brothers that caused their enmity to form. But it had to keep for now, until his sire was ready to talk—
Lightning brightened the room again, dragging his attention outside. He picked up Leya’s hand and kissed her knuckles, then crossed to the window to watch the dance of nature’s fury fork across the dark sky. And it brought him back to his current problem.
As the storm season continued in earnest, the downpour waterlogged everything. Sea levels rose. They’d gotten more denizens from the islands resettled on the mainland, but now they all waited in dread for another island to sink. A squad of warriors patrolled them, checking for any anomaly.
Nothing so far.
Movement below caught his attention. Two figures rushed out into the torrent.
Severn and Haroth? What the hell were they doing out in this storm?
Aerén glanced back at Leya. The furious thunder hadn’t woken her in the last several weeks; he didn’t think it would do so now.
Only two months had passed, and three more to go!Vae!
He cut through the living room and sprinted out to the balcony, rain slashing him. Drenched to the bone once more, he flashed after his staff to the headland. The rain and wind whipped his wet hair, stinging his face as he landed. He grabbed his dripping strands and fastened them with an elastic he had in his pocket.
“What’s happening?” he yelled above the crashing thunder. Searing lightning zipped across the land, stirring his own power.
“It’s a mudslide,” Haroth hollered above the rustling rain as he raced toward the hilltop, where the homes of the staff who chose to live outside the castle walls were situated. His staffers were all there, piling up sandbags to form barriers while others used their powers to prevent the rocks from falling.
“Mine and Severn’s abilities aid in keeping the mud from sliding, but I fear we are failing,” Haroth shouted.
Aerén’s staff came from the lesser power level, and they worked relentlessly to save the lands in any way they could.
“You should have called me,” he yelled above the howling wind and glanced up to the sky.
“You have too much to worry about, sire!”
“Not about this!” He needed to move that damn storm out to sea—something he’d done over the centuries as the storms worsened. This time around, he’d been focused on his tortured parent and Leya.
“The towns?” he demanded.
“The enforcers are keeping the flood at bay for now,” Haroth said. “And some of the lords are there, aiding, too.”
Right. Aerén shot up into the sky and hovered beneath the churning black clouds. Lightning flashed, searing through him, and he likely lit up like an orb. Another fork of lightning split the sky.
He threw out his arms. With his mind, he gathered the massive storm cell clusters. Then with everything in him, he propelled them toward the churning sea.
Thunder crashed again, nature roaring at being denied her vengeance, causing his entire being to shudder.
We don’t deserve your mercy, Goddess, but I refuse to have more of my people die.
He compelled the raging clouds and storm cells far into the boiling sea, then released the tempest.
Lightning snarled and struck out in a fiery rage. Caught in its potent energy and sizzling power, Aerén let it be and let go. The blast sent him tumbling far below into the dark, roiling water.
CHAPTER38
The agony shredding her,tearing her insides, had finally faded. Only warmth remained.And a sigh broke free. Leya gratefully lifted a hand to the warm light surrounding her, relishing in its comforting embrace—
A face flashed before her, smiling silver eyes catching her attention.
She frowned at the stranger. Her heart careened…she knew that face.
Try as she might to place him, recall his name, her memory remained a haze. Unable to stop herself, she reached out to touch his lean, hard features, ease the tightness there, but he faded into the ether.
“No! Don’t leave—”
