Page 59 of Wanderer

“Come back, Riley,” Boyce urged. “You can help me raise your son to his fullest potential. I’ll let your mother go. Paxton can take care of her.” He turned to see that the car only held their mom. The woman was ghostly pale and looked on the brink of starvation. Her dark hair was frizzy and unkempt around her heart-shaped face. “See, darling? I promised you could be free—”

Realization that the boy was gone hit, and with it, his anger boiled over in an instant. In his fury, Boyce sent an arc of lightning toward us. I shielded as best I could. “Keeley?”

“Got the kid behind the ward with Oscar!” came the reply.

It turned into a battle, with Boyce flinging magic at me and Riley, while Riley changed into many forms, trying to get close. He was an eagle, a lion, a fox, a rabbit. All quick shifts that were draining his energy. I felt him through our bond. He was tiring, and we were getting no closer to ending this.

I shielded us from the worst of it, but felt my power draining from constantly blocking bursts of fire and lightning bolts. Riley charged ahead in rhino form, only to be knocked back. He hit the ground with a cry before rolling over into a lion. Pax sprinted ahead in wolf form, only to cry out when a spell hit his paw.

Eason got more shots in, using a bullet technique I’d never seen before. All it seemed to do was irritate Boyce. “Dammit, I’m tapped out. It’s like he’s sucking my magic.”

“Fall back,” I ordered. “Help Oscar and Keeley keep the kid safe. Protect the wards.”

The demi-god stumbled back toward the barrier, looking paler than I’d like. While his back was turned, Boyce aimed a strike at him.

“Got you,” Tatsuya called over the sounds of battle. He shielded us while I fired back at Boyce. I used everything I had, drawing on a new, deeper well of power thanks to my bond with Riley. My hits landed on target, throwing Boyce back against his car.

“You’re almost impressive,” Boyce drawled as he spat out blood. “Shame I’m going to kill you and take your power.” He launched into another attack. We had underestimated him. In his many pockets, he had charms and amulets to boost his power.

A spell crashed through my wards, hitting Tatsuya in the back. He let out a roar, his dragon surging forward. He pushed Paxton away from another bolt and turned mid-shift.

“Move!” he yelled at Riley’s mom. She screamed and did as she was told, rushing into the trees that lined the road.

Tatsuya, once he saw the path was clear, let out a long stream of dragonfire as he let the shift take over. Finished, he stood over us, shielding us from the sight of the smoking man.

Boyce let out a twisted laugh that was cut off when the dragon leaned down and swallowed him whole.

“Fucking hell!” Riley cried as he stumbled away from the dragon and landed on his ass.

“I bet Fen could have turned him to ash,” Paxton crowed. “Man, I wish he was here.”

“Doubtful,” Tatsuya said as he turned back to his human form. “Longwei is an ice dragon.”

“This…” Pax gestured to us and the place where Boyce had just stood. “Doesn’t mean I forgive you.”

“I know.”

There was nothing left of the car or the man who was once called Boyce. If I had anything to do with it, we would soon forget his name too.

“Mom?” Riley shouted for her.

“Riley?” Her trembling form came closer until she collapsed into his arms. “I’m sorry!”

A little hedgehog came running and butted at my feet before turning and heading toward Riley and his mom. The creature shifted into the little boy Oscar was supposed to be holding. He was tiny and could only be about five at most. “Nana?”

“I’m here, Corbin. Come meet your dad and uncle.” She held out a shaking hand for the little boy. “Riley, what Mira did to you was horrible, but the boy is innocent, please—” she begged her son. It surprised me that she was so coherent. Especially after all that she’d been through.

“Sorry!” Oscar came running through the wards. “He’s fast!” It was almost comical, but I felt too outside of myself to take part in any conversation. My power was buzzing along my veins. I sent another blast at the car, adding to the fire. With that done, I was able to rein it in and focus on Riley and his family.

Riley was leaning down to speak to his son. “Hey, Corbin, I think I’m your dad. Did your mom ever talk about me?”

The little boy looked shyly at Riley. “Mama showed me pictures. She said you might be angry, but she’s sorry. Mama said when you say sorry, it makes it better. Does it?” He turned innocent, dark brown eyes up to his father, and drifted closer to Riley as if pulled by a magnetic force.

“Some things your mama did are still bad, Corbin. Saying sorry can’t fix everything.” The little boy looked so downcast. Riley tentatively picked him up, and Corbin relaxed against his dad, looking perfectly content to be held by him. They looked so natural together. “You’re not bad, though. I can tell.” He shot a look at his mom. “Where’s Mira?”

“He wasn’t lying. She died about a year ago. There’s a lot to explain.”

“I think we should move this to City Hall,” Tatsuya said, taking charge of the situation. “I’ll call Calder to come put the fire out.” He started typing on his phone.