“By my estimation,” I murmur, glancing up at the moon as I follow Sienna toward her friend, “we have a little over ten hours left until sunrise.”
“Alistair will find us before then,” Sienna muses aloud, “but I’d rather hunt him down myself.”
As much as I’d enjoy watching Sienna sink her claws into her mate, it is unwise for her own sake. “Fated mates share pain,” I inform her, keeping my voice down. “You may want to reconsider your plan of attack.”
Her eyes flash as she whirls on me. “He isnotmy mate!” Shoving my chest, she growls as her temper flares. “We don’t share anything!”
I don’t bother hiding my smirk. “I will overlook many of your flaws, Wildflower, but denial is unbecoming, even for you.”
She glowers at me, but it’s Revyn who responds as petulantly as a child. “She doesn’t have any flaws, fanger.” Shoving past me, he scoops Sienna up and carries her to the rock formation masquerading as shelter, keeping his hands glued to her ass and taking an unnecessary moment to readjust her weight and crush her hips to his.
What abrat.
Following them, I sweep through the crevice denoting a doorway of sorts and step into the crowded circle within. Gemma, Thorn, a sparkling fae I don’t recognize, and the three of us stand staring at each other.
“This much power in one place poses a problem,” I note, the corner of my mouth twitching. The fae has a red number ten on his back, with Gemma and Thorn sporting a seven and an eight, respectively.
My number six is starting to feel like an insult.
“I’ve warded the rocks,” the fae says, a note of boredom in his tone. Bright yellow hair and glimmering blue eyes make him appear sprightly, his thin frame not doing him any favors as he hovers in place, leaning back as though he’s lounging in a hammock rather than in midair on a battlefield. Of all magicalcreatures, fae are the most annoying for that very reason: they rarely care about anything other than amusing themselves.
“Why is he here?” I lean on my hip as I assess the fae, but there’s little I can glean without him willingly exposing his powers.
“He just showed up,” Thorn grumbles, the frown etched across his lips becoming permanent. “He’s a third-year, so he’s probably bored of the Games.”
“I’ve taken an interest in this one,” the fae announces, smiling at Gemma. “But don’t worry, I am a mere observer for the evening. Carry on.”
Thorn glares daggers at the fae, not subtle in the slightest of his affection for the witch. “We don’t need an additional target on our backs. Leave.”
Humming softly, the fae sits upright. “You’re no fun, life-taker.” He floats over to Gemma and plants his finger beneath her chin. “I hope you survive, little rose bud.” Tipping her head up, he hovers mere inches from her face. “I’m eager to know how your nectar tastes.” He disappears with apop, and the wards shielding our presence fade with him.
“For fuck’s sake,” Thorn snaps, putting Gemma at his back as he spins to face a gap in the rocks. “Get ready, people. They’re coming.”
Hmm. If someone attacks our entire group, that’s... “Thirty-nine points,” I muse, “if they take us all out.”
“Like hells they will.” Sienna cracks her neck and stretches her fingers, presenting razor-sharp claws as her fangs dip past her lips. A partial transformation is uncommon for shifters during a full moon, but Revyn does the same, elongating his fangs and unlocking the joints along his spine to loosen up.
They’re practiced at this.
“Ready?” Sienna asks.
Revyn grins, knocking his shoulder against hers with a rumbling laugh. “You fucking know it, baby.”
An indescribable feeling curls inside my chest as they walk in perfect sync through the opening in the rocks. I stare at their backs as they step into formation, Revyn crouching low while Sienna tosses her arms out by her sides, both of them grinning as the ground trembles beneath our feet.
Something powerful is approaching, but that’s not what makes my throat suddenly burn and my skin feel too tight for my bones.
It’s the way that, despite the obstacles set before them, Sienna and Revyn fall right back into step with each other like not a single hardship exists between them...andthatquickly becomes the most unfortunate revelation of the night.
The depth of their ties to each other reach far deeper than I imagined. It glitters in the air between them, the threads of their souls interlocking despite the distance—the agitation—the suffering they’ve endured. Sienna might pretend that she and Revyn are little more to each other than ex-lovers, but the truth comes to light in the way they move, dancing around each other with practiced ease, their movements timed to perfection. He runs at an oncoming grizzly bear, and Sienna leaps into the air only to use Revyn’s back as a springboard, launching herself at the shifter and ramming her claws into its neck.
They aren’t just lovers.
They’re partners.
“You arescrewed,” Thorn murmurs, watching the same scene unfold.
If it weren’t for the chokehold that Alistair Dire has on Sienna, I’d be inclined to agree with him. But if a true mate weakens her bond with Revyn...then there’s a way for me to slip between those cracks. I just have to find them before Alistair does.
