The ground came closer and closer.How can this be it?I hadn’t had enough time…
The air whooshed from my lungs as I made impact. Only it wasn’t with the ground. No, I was hovering several feet above. Tears trickled out of my eyes as I tilted my head up. It was one of the older guards. The veins on his wings, usually a normal gold, were pale.
“Jaron.” I croaked.
“The Vorazyr and thalrikar are up there,” he assured me.
“I need to see…” I was having a difficult time catching my breath.
Without a word the warrior flew me up. This time I clenched my eyes shut, trembling uncontrollably as I held tight to him.
As we got closer a terrifying roar rent the air and the sounds of claws on flesh made me shudder.
“What’s happening?”
The guard had paused his flight, watching from a safe distance away. He seemed to wait until he saw something—something I wasn’t going to see because I wasn’t about to do anything other than cling to him—then he flew us forward.
At the top of the cliff, even when he was standing on solid ground and waiting for me, I was hesitant to let go of him.
“Jacqueline.” The guttural sound came from Arrazyl as he shook Kyvar off and closed the gap between us.
I had every intention of dashing away the tears that kept coming, standing strong and asking him to speak about the concerning sentiment his advisor had but the moment he got to me he grabbed me, pulling me to him roughly and I collapsed against his chest. All I could hear was the rushing of my blood and my owns sobs.
When the fear abated and I pulled myself together, I realized that I was cocooned by Arrazyl’s wings. He held me tightly against his chest and had his face buried in my hair, saying my name over and over, promising me it would be ok. I was content to stay like this, hidden by him, but Jaron’s panicked voice pulled me back to reality.
“What is he doing to her? I need to see her to make sure she’s ok.”
“Leave them. He’s got her, she’s safe. Let him take care of her.” Kyvar rumbled, and I could just picture him holding my poor brother back.
I shifted and Arrazyl raised his head. An emotion I couldn’t discern swam in his eyes. “Jacqueline.” The way he said my name made my chest ache and heat unfurl in my belly.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Holding me, hiding me away from the threats around me. “I should talk to Jaron.”
He seemed hesitant to let me go, but I coaxed him into releasing me, gently pushing against his hands holding me close. Still, it took him longer to pull his wings back and reveal the world around us.
“Jac! Are you hurt?” Jaron shoved past Kyvar.
“No, but I’ll tell you what I am.”
He gazed at me, furrowing his brow in concern. “What?”
“Damn sick and tired of almost dying. I need a freaking vacation.”
He grabbed me in a bear hug. “I wonder if they have any resorts on this world.”
I laughed, more hysteria than humor.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Besides my poor, traumatized brain? No. Are you?” I looked him over.
“You have a cut on your face. And more blood on your shirt.”
I glanced down at myself. “I’m fine and it’s just on my clothes. I don’t know where…” I glanced back at Arrazyl, who stood there looking like the god of death, terrible and untouchable. He hadn’t been that scary looking to me since the very first time I saw him at the sacred shrines, but he was seething, rage in every taut muscle as he seemed to force himself to be still. He had blood on his claws and hands.
“Ah, it’s from him.”
I turned back to my brother at his words. “And you?”
