Chapter 8
rune
. . .
The scream ripped my throat raw, tearing out of my chest and piercing the air. I snapped upright, drenched in cold sweat, lungs burning as if I’d actually inhaled ice shards again.
Several familiar hands grabbed me, comforting me.
“Breathe, lethal darling.”
“There are those beautiful golden eyes, venom baby.”
“You’re awake, honey drop. Thank Fates.”
“Don’t scare us like that again, pretty little poison.”
“Next time, just let me die without worry. I’ll always come back to you, little vixen.”
“You’re safe, viperling.”
All six of my mates pressed close through the bonds, anchoring me back into reality.
I gulped air, fingers clawing at the blanket over my legs.
It took a second for me to reorient myself and realize that I was in a healer’s tent on the shore of the lake and not in my bed like in the nightmare. Canvas walls glowed faintly with fae orb lights.
Dimitri sat on one side of the cot, red eyes wide, hair mussed as if he’d been running his hands through it.
Koa sat on the other side, alive again, looking worried.
Jesper stood at the foot of the bed, arms folded, jaw tight.
Slater hovered near the entrance, hands flexing.
Zuko leaned against a support pole, eyes narrowed at me.
“Rune,” Dimitri said, voice wobbly. “You’re here. You’re okay.”
I swallowed hard. My entire body shook, even though I tried to pretend it wasn’t.
“What happened?” Drecken asked, teleporting next to me on the cot.
“The drude,” I croaked. “It was in the room’s corner orchestrating another shitty memory with Darian.”
“We know,” Sylver said quietly from near my feet. She looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes.
Kane stood beside her, equally drained. “We felt him when we pulled you out. He lashed out at us on the way out.” He rubbed his temples.
“You two did great,” Drecken told them. “Combating demonic magic takes a lot of magical energy. Rune. I must go back to the council, but I’m only a spell away if you need me.”
“Okay, spell daddy. Thank you,” I teased softly.
“I love you, viperling.” He leaned in and kissed me, cheeks turning pink, before he vanished into the air.
Morgan appeared at my shoulder with a cup of water. “Drink,” she ordered gently. “Your body’s fine. It was all psychic stress this time.”
I took the cup with hands that still trembled and drank the cool water.
“What happened?” I asked hoarsely.
“You got hit from behind by an electric baton,” Jesper told me. “While you were reeling from Koa’s death.”
I groaned.
Koa’s hand found my knee, squeezing. “I’m okay. I popped back up seconds later. Phoenix perks.”
“I know,” I admitted. “Still, I hate watching you die.”
“The humans were after you,” Zuko said, voice low and bitter. “They were from the faction but wore different gear to throw us off. No insignia, but the tactics, the tech, and the way they talked about you gave them away.”
“We confirmed it,” Rhyse added, slipping into the tent then, shadow magic clinging to him. “The one we tortured survived long enough to answer questions. They were here for you, specifically. Your blood and DNA. Somehow, they knew you’d be on this case.”
“And now, they’re not alive anymore.” Zuko grinned, but his jaw was tight.
“They wanted to take your DNA again,” Slater said quietly. “They lost your DNA with the humans who died trying to wield your power. They no longer have it.”
“Did they get anything?” I asked, heart hammering hard in my chest.
Jesper shook his head. “We got to you fast. They didn’t take blood, and they didn’t take you.”
My muscles unclenched a fraction.
The edges of the nightmare still clung to me.
Darian’s hand on my chest and the ice in my lungs.
The drude in the corner was making me relive stupid trauma I wanted to forget.
The weight of all of it pressed down on me.
Knowing we hadn’t found the killer on this mission, the humans trying to steal my DNA once again, and the drude lingering in my nightmares.
It was too much.
I buried my face in my hands, exhaling sharply.
Dimitri’s arm wrapped around my shoulders. Koa leaned his head against mine on the other side. Slater, Zuko, and Jesper moved closer.
We had no answers for anything happening around us, and we were no closer to figuring any of it out.