Morgen’s throat worked, the faint, white scar there bobbing. “We’re looking for a goddess.”
Carus snorted softly. “And it looks like we found one. You’re right, there’s no way a mortal would have survived under all that. Though…” His head tilted, light-blond waves falling in his brown eyes. “She’s injured badly. You should probably heal her before we go.”
Morgen lifted a hand, long fingers outstretched towards her. The gold flaring in his irises brightened, and she flinched away, even as copper filled her mouth. “Don’t.Please. Don’t.”
He could heal her. He’d done it before, but she didn’t want to be fixed now.
Morgen’s lips parted, and Carus laughed again. “You do know you’re going to die if we don’t help you, right?”
Please. Please, just let me go. It’s better this way.
He ignored Carus, a shadow passing over Morgen’s face, his mouth tightening as Nya accessed the pathway for the first time in a year. He didn’t reply, though; he just pressed his hand firmly over her torn skin, just above her collarbone. Unable to move or stop him, she just let the tears roll down her cheeks as she felt the essence of Life itself push into her body, healing her, forcing her to keep breathing. She didn’t scream, even when the magic began to burn her insides to the point of agony. But when he finished and she could breathe again without feeling like her lungs were going to collapse, she looked directly into his still-aglow eyes.
Morgen. Please.
He ignored her, and she died a little more inside, the same part of her that had been withering away since she’d first suspected who he truly was.
In the distance, another dragon roared, though not the enormous crimson beast perched on the edge of the cliff the temple jutted out onto.
Varax, she tried. The dragon’s amber eyes met hers, blinking slowly.Help me.
She merely rustled her enormous wings.Don’t complain to me about truths you both denied. For far too long, I might add.
“We need to go,” Carus said. “There are riders approaching, and it’s probable the mortal queen will send them here first, given her history with the girl’s mother.” He glanced at Nya, still on the ground. “It is her, isn’t it?”
Morgen’s jaw twitched. “It’s her.”
Nya knew he had just heard her speaking to Varax. Unless the dragon actively closed the pathway, all three of them were connected, had been since Nya first saw blinking amber in her dreams four years ago. At least, they were, until Nya had run and shut both of them out.
Years ago, when she had casually floated the notion of one dragon with two riders to her father, he’d frowned and said he had never heard of such a thing. She had never brought it up again.
A mistake. All of it.
Morgen’s eyes flashed to hers, and she wondered if Varax had ferried the thought to him.
Good.
“We’re leaving,” he said shortly, tugging Nya up. “Now.”
“Where?” she challenged, jaw clenched tight to keep it from chattering.
Carus paused and looked between the two of them, brow furrowed. “Do you two?—”
“Now,” Morgen snarled, the ground trembling beneath them as his power rose. He dragged her over to Varax, long fingers wrapped around her wrist. “Get on the saddle.”
Her nostrils flared. “And if I say no? Are you going to force me? Sounds familiar.”
Fury flashed in his eyes, the gold veins brightening again. He knew exactly what she was trying to do, and she was sure he regretted telling her about his past now. She had too much leverage over his emotions.
“Morgen! They’re getting closer. If you want to avoid a confrontation, I suggest we move,quickly.”
“Nya.Now,” Morgen growled.
She could try to run. The single advantage she had was that Varax wouldn’t hurt her. But Morgen knew how untrained she was in her magic, and she was fully aware he knew just how to use his.
They knew everything about each other except the things that truly mattered.
He held her hard gaze for a few moments, not backing down. Finally, she gave a mocking bow of her head. “As you wish, myking.”
