The Crow King's Wife (The Elder Blood Chronicles #5)

Shade paused in surprise and stared at Caleb in awe. He had never actually seen a Shifter in full combat form. Most Shifters were not strong enough in their magic to attain the form, and the few that were kept the secret very well hidden. At full height Caleb stood close to ten feet, and there was nothing awkward about the blending of man and wolf. Shade had heard the combat forms were grotesque things, but nothing could be further from the truth in Caleb’s case. His long slender muzzle was curled into a snarl and his ears were pinned giving him the sort of fierceness that would have most enemies dropping their swords and running.

The Rivasan’s before him back stepped their sword points drooping toward the ground as Caleb took a menacing step toward them. His white tipped fur stirred briefly in the evening breeze without a trace of the blood that had been coating his armor. A snarl rose in his throat as the powerful muscles in his back rippled as the slender black sword he held slowly began to shift as well. The thin graceful blade seemed to gather shadows as it balanced itself to match its master’s new form.

“How lovely a bigger target.” Grace mused cheerfully. Her own form shifted slightly as she adjusted her muscles for more speed and then she was charging Caleb again in a blur of movement.

Caleb met her first two blows easily, but the third slipped by him and a rough snarl rose from his throat as fresh blood darkened the fur on his arm. His jaws snapped shut just inches from Grace’s face as her claws tore vicious gouges into his stomach. The Changeling bent nearly double under a swipe from Caleb’s claws and the Shifter barely managed to dance back away from her counter attack that would have hamstrung him.

“She is too damn fast for him.” Shade muttered. He needed to help, but he wasn’t sure how to without getting in Caleb’s way. Gritting his teeth in frustration he circled them frantically searching for an opening.

Caleb took several more blows and staggered visibly under the assault but managed to land a solid blow on Grace that sent her sliding across the rough cobbles on her back. Shade moved the instant she hit the ground and brought both hands down for a slash across her chest as she rose. It wasn’t a lethal blow with claws alone, but the venom should drop even her and the chest was a difficult target to miss. He braced himself for the impact of his claws in flesh, but Grace’s body seemed to curl inward on itself and he staggered forward off balance. No one can be that damn fast. The thought hit him at the same moment his mother did. The air in his lungs exploded outward at the force of her blow and he struggled to stay on his feet.

A dark form blurred past him and Shade barely managed a glimpse of Caleb slamming into Grace before fresh pain tore through him. Waves of agony nearly blinded him as he gazed stupidly down at the sword point sticking through his stomach. He blinked once as the blade withdrew and managed a staggering turn to stare incredulously at the guard who had backstabbed him.

“You son of a bitch, I gave you the option to run.” Shade hissed. His stomach felt like white fire, but he could already feel his regeneration taking effect and healing the wound.

The guard hastily back stepped and looked ready to bolt but Shade shook his head grimly in response. “I don’t think so.” He snarled as he closed on the man. Behind him he could still hear the battle raging, but the sword through his gut had been a gentle reminder that if the guards weren’t going to run, they needed to die. He had lost the focus for his venom with the sword blow and at the moment it seemed too much work to summon it back. That meant the man would have to suffer a messy death, but perhaps it would give him something to contemplate in the Darklands. Such as why you never stab an Elder Blood in the back unless it is a killing blow.

Shade was barely a step from the guard when the ground behind him trembled followed by a crash that sounded as if one of the buildings was being ripped apart. The guard forgotten Shade whirled and stared in mute horror at the dragon barely eight feet from him and the collapsed wall of the shop he had left Syrah on top of. The dust from the fallen stone was still settling, but even through the thick cloud Shade could make out the battered form of Caleb crumpled in the rubble. Still intent on her quarry the dragon stalked forward several feet then drew her head back to inhale.

“Mother No!” Shade screamed. There was no way either Syrah or Caleb would survive dragonfire at that close of range. Even if the child had the sense to move to one of the adjoining buildings she would still be caught in the blaze. His hand dropped to his pocket and settled around the cool stone hidden within as he sprinted toward his mother. Don’t think about it just do it. He ordered himself as he launched himself straight toward the dragon’s gaping mouth. His free hand latched firmly between two of the massive ivory teeth and pain seared through him as his flesh was sliced cleanly by the razor edge of one. He could already feel the heat bubbling in her throat as he pulled himself up high enough to cast the stone into her open mouth and down her throat.

With a cry of anguish that had nothing to do with his injuries he released his hold and dispelled the magic on the storage stone he had thrown. The dragon staggered and her neck bulged horribly as his Spell Hawk lodged in her throat then tore through flesh and bone alike. White hot fire gushed through the rents in her flesh and Shade barely managed to scramble out of the way as the dragon’s body collapsed to the ground in a tangle of thrashing limbs. The ship twisted horribly in the wound with the sound of tearing metal and bile rose in his throat as the combination of her thrashing and the destruction of his ship severed her head from her body. The dragon form faded from her as death claimed her and Shade stared mutely down at his mother’s head. He couldn’t bring himself to move at all, not toward her fallen form or toward Caleb. He felt sick and numb and couldn’t drag his gaze from her sightless eyes or the blood pooling around the stump of her neck.

“By all of the Divine what have I done?” Shade whispered as he contemplated his actions. He had repaid Caleb for saving his life, and at the same time he had killed a pure blooded Changeling, and a female at that. Not to mention his own mother. His life wasn’t worth a bent copper now and he knew it.