My mind raced, and I reached for the frayed threads of reason to form a coherent sentence.
If you don’t tell me what’s going on right now, I’m coming to find you. I can feel your fear, Khosana, and I need—
My fear evaporated, and a deep yearning hit me, as if the roar weren’t a threat but an invitation. If I flew into the sky, I’d be able to meet my father. Yes, I’d been told my whole life he was terrible, but the truth was he’d risked everything to keep me alive because he wanted me. He had always wanted me, and even now he wanted—
Lani clapped her hand over my mouth, and in a blink her gold net of Phaetyn power cast over the two of us. I frowned and shook my head. What just happened?
“You had a bad dream,” Lani whispered. “Tell him that. Make something up, Ryn, because he can’t come.”
I glared at Lani, tempted to tell her to shut her child mouth. Actually, I wanted both of them to shut up so I could process what I needed to do. “Let me talk to him,” I whispered. “Pull the net away from my head, just for a minute.”
She nodded, and the gold net inched away from me. I’m al’right. Bad dream, and Lani freaked me out on top of it.
Then why is your heart rate still elevated?
Because she’s still pissing me off.
Lani jerked her head toward a large boulder, and I followed her toward the rock, glancing around the midnight sky for any hint of the emperor.
Tyrrik’s doubt through the bond was so strong it was like he was standing in front of me holding a sign that said ‘liar liar aketon of fire.’ If I told him about the Drae in the sky, he’d shift and probably try to come to my rescue. But that would be pointless. And I needed him there in case the Druman attacked Gemond or Draedyn showed up. I could still feel Tyrrik’s presence in my mind, almost like we were both debating what to say to the other.
Lani’s going to put up the veil for a bit so I can sleep. I’ll—
Are you safe?
No. Yes. Guilt hit me. Mostly. Can you still feel me with the net up?
I can tell you’re alive, but that’s it. Should I come—
No.
Lani pointed to the sky again as Draedyn released another jet of white fire, this one only two valleys to our right.
I’ve got to go. Lani’s tapping her foot. She was inching the golden net up over my chin, in fact. I’ll check in as soon as I’m up.
Instead of feeling his emotions quicken, I felt Tyrrik’s determination and resolve. I understand, Khosana—
Lani closed the veil over us, cutting off his last words.
6
The terror of being caught and imprisoned bubbled inside me, and I continued to battle to keep it in the locked stone box where it belonged as the emperor lit up the sky with molten fire. The idea that my father was out there, up there, in his Drae form and hunting me, made me simultaneously want to shrink into a ball and go up there and slash his eyeballs out with my talons—but more of the former, like a one hundred to one ratio. I wasn’t stupid enough to start that fight, especially with the Phaetyn queen at my side. No, hiding was smarter.
While I didn’t know how effective my barrier was against Drae, with Tyrrik being able to see me through it, clearly Lani’s golden veil was doing the trick.
Both Lani and I were huddled close under her Phaetyn shield, doing our best to breathe silently. A loud roar reverberated through the range, and we both flinched.
“Your father sucks,” Lani hissed.
I glared at her. “Dyter is the only father I’ve ever known.”
The next bolt of fire came from farther away, back in the direction of Gemond, and the tightness in my chest lessened along with my panic. Dawn kissed the horizon, breaking over the eastern sky. The sun’s rays lightened the dark of night to a beautiful rich cerulean, just enough for me to see the tiniest sliver of white flame in the distance. A moment later, my remaining fear disappeared over the horizon.
Next to me, I felt Lani relax too. She took her hand off my arm and stood, releasing the veil. Bending and twisting, she stretched and then, as she marched off, mumbled, “Drak.”
Is he gone? Tyrrik asked, voice weary.
I yelped, startled by his immediate presence and got another glimpse of him sitting with his back to the stone wall, head bowed in his hands. He heaved a long sigh and lifted his face, his features ravaged with emotion.
You . . . Did you know Draedyn was here the whole time?
There is very little that frightens you to that extent, my love. I’m intimately familiar with your nightmares. And only one person possesses the power to lock you away now.
I swallowed, pushing down the lump of emotion forming at the base of my throat. He’d known but let me pretend . . .
There was nothing more I could do.
Does this mean you’re coming? Part of me wanted him here, but if he showed up, did that make me a failure?
Not necessarily, he answered. But I’ll need to discuss it with the rest of the council. Please don’t try and deceive me again, Ryn. Next time, I might misunderstand your fear.
I’m sorry. I felt like the biggest hypocrite. After all my tirades on his lack of honesty, I’d done the same thing. I just didn’t want you to come here and protect me when you didn’t need to. I . . . I wasn’t sure you’d be able to put your instincts aside. He had stunned me because it meant he’d been listening to my fears about our mating bond. He really loved me, I realized, staring at my hands. He was going against his instincts for me. But was I willing to? Could I go against my instincts?
It wasn’t easy, trust me. But . . . I also know you can protect yourself even if the concept of you needing to do so is foreign. At least to me.
Did he have any idea what effect his words had? Here he was, changing himself for me, and I couldn’t even tell the truth. Tyrrik . . . Thank you. You have no idea what it means to hear that.
Now, go get Lani to Phaetynville. I’ll go wake up the others and let them know Draedyn is not in his lands like we’d thought.
He stood and stretched, much like Lani had done a few minutes ago, only I was way more distracted by his lack of aketon and skimpy undergarments. His promise to show me what love felt like unfurled low in my belly, a languid desire. Even away from him I couldn’t escape my attraction. Actually, that Ryn seemed less reasonable now than when I’d left, which was super great. Not.
I’m leaving here in less than twenty-four hours so I can meet you outside the forest tomorrow night. He stopped mid-stretch, corded arms extended to the ceiling. His chest twitched, and I focused on the muscles. I can’t wait to see you too.
Hot potato, what a view, but I rolled my eyes. I never said that. And are you looking at yourself to give me a peep show?
I felt his grin widen, and my heart tried to race its way across Gemond to him. I stood like I was making to leave, but I couldn’t help stretching up as if that would allow me to get a better peek at him.
I’m going to bathe. Too bad you’re not here to join me. But I can give you a peep show for that, too, if you like?
My jaw dropped.
“Ryn!”
I squealed, my attention on Tyrrik destroyed by Lani’s shouting. I turned beet red as I spun toward her.
She stood two feet away, waving her arms in the air as she jumped up and down on a rock, yelling my name.
“I’d like to go,” she said when she had my attention. “I’ve only been waiting to find my people for fifty years, but feel free to continue your conversation.”
I brushed off my hands and then my butt. “Yeah, Tyrrik and I were just discussing the . . . the plan. He suggested the same.”
Lani raised her eyebrows and said, “Right. Sure he did.” She shook her head. “Don’t insult my intelligence. You were not discussing ‘the plan’ unless it was a plan for what he’s going to do to you when the two of you finally hook up.”