She so loved children and would be a terrific mother.
“If they succeed in breaking the spell, will he be himself again?” Saris asked.
Aberfrer sighed. “There are no guarantees. First, we must locate Radre, then convince him to release the enchantment.”
Wycke leaned hipshot against the desk, staring down at Aberfrer, even now pouring over a massive tome.
“I’d intended to establish portals to Myrgren and send soldiers first…” Aberfrer shook his head. “One of my mages made an attempt. Radre has constructed wards around the castle. No matter where we arrive, he'll sense us. We'll lose the element of surprise. The counselors King Broen sent to guide him are either dead or otherwise unresponsive.”
Wards. Something new. Which proved Piers' location in Wycke's mind and possibly explained why he couldn’t sense his mate. There'd been no wards during his and Saris’s foray into their old home—none that he’d felt, at any rate, except for one on the tower door. If Radre sensed the intrusion, he’d have happily taken them prisoner.
They'd wasted so much time already. They needed to act now. “Too slow. Soldiers will only be in the way during a magical fight.”
“There are few alternatives to get there quickly, with the mountain passes closed. Besides, with wards, he'll know instantly of anything coming overland.” Aberfrer studied the map laid out before him on the desk.
Saris stood abruptly, nearly knocking Jess on the floor. “I’m going. My mate, my brother, and my brother-by-bonding are at stake. We have to find a way.”
Aberfrer kept his voice calm in the face of Saris’s outburst. “Your Majesty, even if I could manage a portal, it's not safe.”
“I command you!” Never before had Saris been so queenly. “Until a time when the king formally breaks our bond, I am queen consort, and you will obey my orders.”
“Damn, girl. You don't play, do you?” Jess held up a hand. Saris stared until Jess lowered the hand. “I guess you don't have high fives in this place.”
Wait! Could Saris’s bond be broken? Despite having limited magic, she and Broen had been declared compatible. “Can that even happen? Breaking the bond?”
Aberfrer gave a terse nod. “The king and queen, while compatible, have minimal power, definitely not mage or sorcerer level. So yes, it’s possible that their bonding can be dissolved.”
But what if Broen died before then?
“I'm going. I'm bonded to Piers… um, Pieravor.” Although Wycke couldn't feel their bond now, once closer, maybe the bond could tell him Piers' exact location, condition, and state of mind.
They'd only just met, then accidentally bonded. They had some serious getting to know each other to do once the crisis ended. Wycke desperately wanted the time.
“Piers is my bestie,” Jess chimed in. “If we're going to kick ass and get him back, I want to get a few good licks in.”
“A portal of the necessary size takes time, especially to create one undetected, even if I knew how to achieve such a feat.” Aberfrer's tone held little promise.
Not good enough. “I already told you,” Wycke barked, “too fucking slow!” He turned apologetic eyes to Saris and Jess. His mind conjured horrible images of Piers' torture.
“Fuck yeah!” both women shouted.
Wait? What?
“Do you have a better suggestion?” Aberfrer glared upward.
“Might I offer some assistance?” A spider crawled over the desktop, shifting into a cat. Any wounds Chynne received while fighting as a boar appeared healed.
Aberfrer conjured a fireball. “Chynne! Nyanda's familiar!”
The fire fizzled out. “I'm far more powerful than you'll ever know, old man, since my former mistress couldn’t take all my power for her own. While I couldn’t fight her directly due to our past association, I am now familiar to Pieravor Gimitri. If he falls…” Chynne shuddered. “Desperate times. Have any of you ever ridden a dragon?”
Wycke stood in the palace courtyard with Saris, Jess, and Aberfrer. Oh, yes, and Chynne, now transformed into an enormous dragon, with iridescent scales of black, brown, and blue, the same shades as his fur, or Piers' hair.
An exact match for the image on Jess’s back.
“I thought you said you couldn't shift into dragon form without your sorcerer,” Wycke pointed out.
Chynne stretched his neck and wings, causing the surrounding guards to take a few steps back. Those nearby probably heard a growl. Wycke heard a snicker. “I lied.”
