Nerissa shrugged. “Come on then, King. Burn it out.”
She descended the ladder while I jumped straight down off the platform, not even bothering to slow my descent, every muscle in my body thrumming. My claws hit the ground hard and I relished the pain that vibrated up my body, jarring through my legs.
The clearing below was lit faintly by witchlights. Nerissa stripped off her outer tunic, tying her hair up, revealing old scars and new sigils over her arms.
“I thought you were leaving with your son,” I said.
She shook her head, a rare softness crossing her face. “I told Wren I’d stay. I told her I’d see the child come into this world. And I will.” She exhaled shakily.
My throat tightened. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“I know.” Her eyes hardened again. “Now stop staring and fight.”
We circled. She swung first—fast, shockingly fast—and her knuckles cracked against my jaw. Good. I needed that. The sharp pain helped me focus.
I retaliated, letting some heat slip from my palms, forcing her to dodge. She landed a blow to my ribs. I shoved back, wings flaring. The tension broke like a dam. We traded strikes, bursts of fire, sweeps of claws. No weapons, just fury and release.
She leapt, spun under my arm, slammed an elbow into my solar plexus and then a deep, rumbling growl shook the clearing.
We both froze.
A strange draken landed in the clearing like falling thunder. He was massive, his eyes burned gold. I knew in a single sniff that wards had just let him through because he was a draken; we’d have to fix that, and soon. Nerissa’s scent hung about him—her mate. And there another smell lingered beneath that scent, something that was almost familial? It reminded me of my dead brother, Bair. I stared in disbelief.
What the fuck. The wards? Did we even HAVE fucking wards anymore?
The draken looked between us: me heaving, and Nerissa sweating, both ready to kill the air.
His lip curled.
“You’re sparring,” he said heavily, “without me.”
His shoulders hunched inward as he pouted. It was this odd submissive gesture that allowed me to set aside the urge to put his insides on the outside of his body.
My hormones and instinct and rage all fought with each other, paralyzing me.
Nerissa rolled her eyes. “Had to start somewhere.”
“You chose him as a warm-up?” The strange draken eyed me. “He’s twitching.”
Nerissa laughed. “His mate is close to labor. He needs a tumble so he won’t burn the world down.”
I bristled. “I’m right here.”
The large draken didn’t answer. He turned and lunged.
For a moment, I had dignity. But only for a moment. It would be rude to immediately subdue a guest, after all.
Suddenly my chest had the wind knocked out of it, my legs were up in the air, and I was staring at the sky, flat on my back and wheezing.
He didn’t even use his full strength, just enough to knock me to the ground.
I stood.
“Do it again!” I said, excited.
So he kicked my ass again. And again. Nerissa shouted tips. Kieran flew down after a bit and watched with a shit-eating grin, looking like he’d just been given a great big present. I hit the ground so many times I was spitting dirt out of my mouth.
“Get him, Canavar!” Nerissa cheered.
