Just as his power rammed into me.
I dropped. Instantly. And hard. Groaning in shivering pain as wild animal’s fury wrapped around me, not the chaotically beautiful power I was used to at all from him, hearing him snarl in fury.
Choking in air, I reached out a shaky hand, and sent another pulse wave as fast as I could, even as his power ate at me from the outside in, crawling over me like biting teeth. The mat rolled. I hit it again as tears fell from my eyes, this powered pain unlike anything I had ever felt before from magic, the feeling of bits of me grinding under gnashing teeth. Again, I hit the mat as his wolf snarled in fury, trapped within the depths, a Shifter’s worst nightmare.
Inhaling heavily, choking on bile, I rose on shaking knees, pulling the stars power into my palms, willing it for unmentionable pain.
And shot it at the mat.
Elder Merrick grunted.
Choked.
A growl reverberated inside the room.
I sucked in a breath, pushing off the floor to stand on wobbling legs, moving through the dissipating magic when a portion of the mat altered where he was, and then there was a deafening snarl. Shredding noises came next as I blasted the mat repeatedly. Howls coming from inside. Again, and again, I hit it with my weakening power, and frame, stumbling with the motion, fury rippling through me.
It wasn’t enough.
Fifteen seconds later…the scariest, deadliest wolf I had ever seen tore through the binding.
My breath caught.
Fear arced through me, the wolf as tall as my chest, his black fur slightly curled, instead of straight like a normal wolf. He shook his fur once as if brushing off the trapping he had been in. Paws as big as my damn head. Claws scratching on the rough, gray flooring now under us without the mat. Teeth…fucking long as my hand. White, shiny, and sharp bared at me. And navy blue eyes, glowing and brilliant and deadly, stared back as he hunched, a growl reverberating from deep within his chest, the slow, menacing type anyone would hate to hear behind them in the middle of the night, flaying me as I hurried to scramble back.
“Holy. Shit,” Queen Cooper muttered, oddly her voice carrying. “He’s bigger than Brann.”
Elder Zeller hummed. “And he’s pissed.”
The wolf’s back feet pattered as he prepared to launch.
Elder Farrar murmured, “King Collins, maybe you should end this—”
I screeched, cutting off anything else he was going to say as Elder Merrick flew through the air with his Shifter strength. I dropped, rolled, and landed on my knees, white stars fire flaming from my palms. It hit his furry flank, a baying howl echoing loudly until he hit the ground, rolling, jumping easily to his paws. And, it had only pissed him off further as I jumped to my feet, scrambling back.
Flying on instinct, I opened my Core, ready to access the Temple again…until a blast of furious wild animalistic magic slammed right through my chest. Shoulders heaving, I screamed in agony as those fucking gnashing teeth seemed to attack my Core, dropping to my knees. Instant tears welled and flooded down my cheeks as a straight shot of relentless power aimed through me, consuming me in horrendous, unyielding agony.
He stalked toward me, unfeeling, uncaring, growling low until he was towering above my kneeling position, my screams becoming hoarse.
Lids dipping over soaked cheeks, knowing it was done, unable to access my powers, my Core churning, ripping, I choked, “Fuck you.”
He lifted a paw, snarling in my face, and shoved my shoulder brutally.
I fell back as his power surrounded me, enveloping me unbelievably more, my back arching off the ground. “Hate…you.” My lids fell completely as he loomed over me, the last thing I saw was his teeth bared and navy blue iced glowing eyes filled with hatred staring me straight in the face. “Forever…hate you.” And, everything fell away to nothing.
“Get the fuck back!” King Collins shouting voice echoed inside my ears. “I told you not to hurt her. I knew I shouldn’t have let her near you.”
“Get the One,” Queen Ruckler stated instantly, and I tried to speak, or even open my eyes, but nothing was working, not even my limbs. It was like I was trapped inside my own head, a dream, but only a nightmare. “He’ll know what’s wrong.”
“I…I didn’t…” Elder Merrick’s voice was guttural, hesitant from above, and I could feel the sound vibrating on the back of my head, and I realized my backside was half lying on top of him.
“You don’t even know what you did?” King Collins bellowed, and I heard a shuffling sound.
“It was strong, alright?” Elder Merrick shouted loudly, the sound ringing my ears. “But, I didn’t fucking turn it deadly. She should have woken by now.”
“Jack, calm down,” King Zeller murmured in a soothing tone. “Lily’s right. Since Bindi doesn’t know what’s wrong, we need to get the One.”
“I’m sorry,” Elder Merrick whispered thickly, the feeling of his hot breaths against my ear. “I’m so sorry, Caro.” I felt a palm rest over the top of my head, and start petting in the gentlest of strokes. “Open your eyes and I’ll let you beat the shit out of me next time, huh? Sounds like a fair trade, right?”
I struggled to speak. To lash at him with words to the pits of hell. But, nothing happened. Fucking trapped…like I had trapped him inside the dirt…worse than a cell.
“Just get away from her,” King Collins snarled, his tone worried and anxious. “Saying you’re sorry now doesn’t fucking help the situation.”
“Bindi, go get the One,” Queen Ruckler demanded quietly, and a beat later I heard a door opening and closing, meaning I had been moved at some point.
“You can fuck the hell off,” Elder Merrick growled quietly, sounding violent, even as his hand continued to pet my hair in the gentlest of strokes, and I wished very much to take each one of his fingers and snap them, then rip them off and shove each digit down his throat. “When she wakes she’s going to want to kick my ass, and I’ll gladly give her that option,” lips back to my ear, “if you fucking open your eyes.”
More shuffling sounded, and then King Zeller’s voice was winded, but he said calmly, “Just let him stay, Jack. The damage is done. And he’s not hurting the situation right now. Let him be, and worry about the situation at hand.”
Puffed exhalations. “Christ. Whatever.” A pause. “Just don’t fucking harm her any more than you already have,” King Collins hissed, and I could imagine him pacing and running his hands through his hair as his voice traveled back and forth. “Do you think spirit Elementals can go into…like a damn…Com concussion, or something? She did hit her head hard on the ground when he shoved her.” A minute pause. “Anyone? Does anyone have any clue?”
“I’ve never seen her like this.” Elder Fergus’s voice sounded off to my far right.
A grunt by Elder Jacobs in the same direction. “Even back in the nineties when she was broken and bleeding, and damn near death, inside a jail cell, she was still conscious.”
There was a long silence.
King Collins shouted, “What? You didn’t fucking tell me that?”
Elder Jacobs cleared his throat. “She was defending Elder Kincaid and Elder Venclaire. She healed and recovered within three days. Elder Fergus terminated the individuals in Law enforcement responsible for her injuries.”
King Collins voice was closer as he growled, “I will want the whole story later.”
King Zeller interjected. “The One’s coming.”
Everyone was silent, even as I struggled to move again, but not even a blink or a damn peep emitted from me. Fingers, warm fingers I would know anywhere, started stroking behind my ear softly, my hair now down, lying softly against my face, so it felt like a hidden gesture from Elder Merrick in the silence.