Chapter 24
T anis and her group slowed as they neared Clovenshire Castle, the legendary home of the High King of the Thirteen Kingdoms. Made of stone, it was breathtaking and ominous against the mountain range behind it and the massive glistening lake to the right. Perfectly situated so that only one road led to it. A road that could be easily fortified against an invading army.
“Let me go on ahead,” Chrysis said. “I’ll be back with a report from Ronan.”
Tanis nodded even though she had a strange feeling. “Something’s not right.”
Viggo turned in the saddle to look at her over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”
“Do you not feel it? Something’s off.” She had a sick feeling in her stomach that she couldn’t explain.
After a few minutes, Chrysis returned with what she assumed was Ronan flying right behind her in the shape of a hawk.
Turning human, Ronan approached them. Tanis’s eyes widened at the size of the man. Here she’d thought Dash was tall, but this one was at least a head taller with muscular broad shoulders. His dark brown hair held gold highlights and fell to his shoulders. There was something almost regal about his presence that was mitigated by his lethality.
And his features...
He was devastatingly handsome, with a rugged jaw line a set of dimples that flashed when he grinned at them.
“We’ve taken the palace,” he announced proudly.
She gaped at his news. “What? How?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “They didn’t leave that many behind. What they did leave...” He grinned even wider. “Well, they were no match for our group. Poor things had no idea what they were in for when they brought the lions into their den.”
Tanis glanced around at her group. “Should we head toward the portal to give the High King backup?”
Baldur rode to her side. “Let’s secure the palace. This is the High King’s seat of power. We need to make sure Meara doesn’t circle back and retake it.”
That made sense. And Dash had charged her with securing it for him. Tanis nodded. “We’ll follow your lead, Sire.”
He inclined his head, then ordered the others to follow him inside.
Ronan walked beside her as he they headed for Dash’s home. “Are you all right, princess?”
“I have a bad feeling.”
“There’s nothing here. That, I can definitely assure you. We killed a few, and the rest are being held in the dungeon.”
That made her feel a little better.
As did the presence of Keegan flying overhead. If anyone came toward them, she’d be able to see it for miles.
Still, Tanis couldn’t shake her unease.
As they drew nearer Dash’s home, Tanis was awed by the large, dark gray stones that climbed toward the sky. It was a mammoth fortress that spread out into a perfect square. Each corner was anchored by a tall square tower.
She expected that square and those towers to be the castle, until they rode through the gate. Inside was a spectacular manor house nestled against the far wall. It was as elegant as the outside was intimidating. No wonder Licordia was given such deference.
“It’s beautiful.”
Ronan nodded. “Indeed. Dash’s ancestors built it over three hundred years ago to hold back those who wanted to invade and tear the unicorns down. There was a time, not that long ago, when the last of the unicorn race held only this area and were driven almost to extinction.”
That was terrifying to think about.
And thankfully, the center part inside the gate had an exceptionally large field that allowed Keegan to land.
Sliding off the horse, Tanis headed for the main building.
Inside was even more illustrious. The stone walls were covered with elaborate tapestries, banners and weapons. She could just imagine Dash walking through here as both a unicorn and human. The whole place was as commanding and fierce as he was.
“Excuse me? What is all this?” An older man rushed through the hall, as if he, alone, was going to drive them out. Irritated and stern, he glared at all of them.
Ronan stepped around her. “It’s all right, Kronnel. Dash sent them on ahead to secure the palace for him.”
“I don’t like this. Not at all.”
“You never like anything, you old warhorse,” Halla quipped. “And you need to be finding a servant to prepare a room for Princess Tanis.”
As Tanis started past one of the rooms on her left, she paused. The door was ajar and inside...
No. It couldn’t be.
Without saying a word to the others, she headed for the door and pushed it wider. Then she froze as she saw exactly what she thought she’d seen.
There, on a large, dark mahogany table lay her brother’s skull. It was really here, as if fulfilling Dash’s promise to her that he’d return it.
Tears filled her eyes. For a moment, she thought her legs might buckle. But somehow, she found the strength to walk toward the table.
Granted, this could be any dragon skull and it could have been here for years. She really had no way of knowing. But she didn’t think Dash would be the type to keep a trophy like this. Especially since it wasn’t on display. It merely rested out in the open.
Kronnel started toward her, but Ronan and Halla cut him off.
“Where did the skull come from?” Tanis asked.
Ronan approached her slowly. “It’s your brother’s. The one who killed him was taken into Meara’s custody. He turned it over to her, trying to keep her from killing him.”
That succeeded in freeing her tears. Choking on a sob, she ran to the table so that she could place her hand on the spindly ridges at the top of his skull. Even now, she could see Davin as he’d been. His glorious scales gleaming in the light as he moved gracefully.
Davin laughing at her before he chided her over something ridiculous she’d done. He had such a rich, jolly laugh. Just hearing it made others happy.
She laid her head on top of his snout, wishing more than anything that she could see him one more time. Tell him, just once, exactly how much he’d meant to her and how much she loved him. “I’m so sorry, Davin.”
Meaningless words that didn’t even come close to soothing her or easing the agony in her heart.
At least I know where you are now.
Finally. She just wished Dash was here with her to see that she had what had meant the most to her then.
And with that thought came a wave of fury. Not at Dash, but at how they’d met. The nightmare of that afternoon in the meadow.
Her own desperation.
Most importantly, her quest that had started all this. “Where’s the dragon slayer?”
“He escaped.”
Those words only made her rage burn higher. “He what?”
Ronan winced. “Someone broke him out of the dungeon.”
She glared at Ronan. How could that be? “I have to find him.”
Determined to search every corner of the kingdom, she headed for the door.
But no sooner had she entered the hallway than a loud commotion sounded.
She had no idea what it was until the main doors flew open of their own volition and a whirlwind whipped through the hall, tearing at tapestries and weaponry, sending both of them flying. One moment she was in the hallway, and in the next she was carried away to a room somewhere else in the palace.
By the time everything stopped spinning and she could catch her bearings, she was in a dark bedroom. The crown above the bed and lavish furniture told her that it must belong to Dash.
Why am I here?
She turned around slowly, then saw Dash lying in the large bed in his unicorn form.
Joy filled her. Until she took a step closer, and his mother materialized beside him. Tears streaked down Naomi’s face.
In that moment, Tanis knew exactly what had caused her awful feeling all morning.
Dash was near death.
“What happened?” she asked, choking on her own tears.
“That bitch had Renata’s horn. She stabbed him with it.”
Even more confused, Tanis didn’t understand why Naomi was crying. “He’ll be fine. He can heal himself.”
“Not against a golden horn, he can’t. He will be in agony until the wound kills him.”
No. Tanis refused to believe those words. “What?”
Sobbing, Naomi couldn’t answer.
Ryper materialized beside Tanis. He stared at Dash as if he’d never seen him before. Even so, the grief in his blue eyes was searing.
Tanis struggled to breathe. “Tell me this is a jest.”
He shook his head. “This is his one weakness. A gold wand can kill any unicorn.”
Even though she knew that, she shook her head in denial. “No. No! He will awaken.”
Determined to prove them wrong, she went to the bed so that she could sit beside him and pick Dash’s head up. “Listen to me, beast, you will wake up. Do you hear me?”
He didn’t move.
A surge of raw, unmitigated agony tore through her. “Wake up, Dash! I can’t lose you, too. Do you understand? You promised me! Wake up, damn you! Wake. Up!”
Then the sobs came. They were so horrific that she couldn’t breathe. All she could do was lay her head down on his neck and cry.
It couldn’t end like this. It couldn’t. He was the High King. The baddest, meanest asshole ever born.
And his mother was the queen of the damned. How could he be defeated by something as small as his sister’s stupid horn?
There had to be something one of them could do. Some magical trick or secret. Lifting her head, she looked at each of them in turn. “Don’t you have anything to help him? Do something!”
“There’s nothing they can do, Dragon.”
Tanis gasped as she heard Dash’s voice. Not from the unicorn she was holding, but from behind her. Turning around on the bed, she saw a shimmery image of Dash, less than two feet away.
“Dash?”
“Only in spirit.” He jerked his chin at his body. “I’m stuck there.”
“Are you in pain?”
He didn’t answer, which told her that it must be excruciating. “I’m sorry, Dragon. I promised I wouldn’t leave you. I didn’t mean to.”
She turned back toward Ryper. “What is the lore of the golden horn?”
He frowned as if he didn’t understand why she was asking. “It’s the most powerful of all.”
“Can it heal?”
The grief instantly left Ryper’s gaze. “Well… yes, it can.”
That renewed her hope. “Then her wand can undo this, yes?”
Ryper looked to his mother who had stopped crying. “We need that horn. What happened to it?”
“Bring me that centaur bitch! Tell Kyran I need the horn.” Naomi’s yokai armor left her at those words and headed for the door while Naomi remained in the room, dressed in a tunic and pants.
“Meara still has the horn?” Tanis asked Naomi.
His mother nodded.
That was all she needed. She turned to Ryper. “Where’s Marthen?”
“Outside.”
“Take me to him. Please.”
Dash followed them. “What are you planning, Dragon?”
In short, to throttle a centaur herself. “I’m going to get your sister’s wand.” And most likely shove it someplace that would make Meara regret ever coming after Dash.
He tried to pull her to a stop, but his hand went right through her body. Dash cursed.
For once, Tanis was going to get her way.
When they left the palace, she saw Dove speaking with Marthen. They both turned toward her with a frown.
Marthen’s scowl deepened as he saw Dash’s ghostly spirit trailing behind her.
“Make me a dragon again,” she said without preamble.
Marthen cut a nervous stare toward Dash. “May I ask why?”
“I need to be intimidating.” Tanis held her arms up to show him her body. “Something I’m definitely not as a human.” If she were a dragon, however, she’d be able to back the centaur queen down and kill her if need be.
The oni might have a dragon-eating species... the centaurs didn’t.
Marthen cocked his head as if he heard something.
Tanis glanced to Ryper to see if this was normal. The expression on Ryper’s face said that it wasn’t.
“What is it?” Ryper asked.
The words had barely left his lips before a dark-skinned human woman came toward them with a man she was holding by the scruff of his neck. Tanis had no idea who she or the nasty man was, but the woman carried herself as a veteran warrior.
She threw the man forward to land at Ryper’s feet. “This maggot is begging to see a queen or king.”
While Tanis wouldn’t have called him a maggot per se, there was something creepy about the man with greasy hair and an unkempt beard. Tanis actually wanted to step away from him for his stench.
Until he pulled something out of the folds of his tattered cape, and she saw what it was.
A golden unicorn horn.
Renata’s.
“Is one of you in charge?” he asked.
Before anyone could speak, Tanis had him on the ground and had wrenched the horn from his hand. “How did you get this?”
Ryper picked her up and removed her foot from the man’s throat. “He can’t answer if you kill him.”
She wanted to fight Ryper’s fierce hold but knew better than to try. “Put me down, Ryper. I mean it.”
“I would obey her, were I you,” Shadow Dash said. “She had me on my arse a few times.”
Ryper only hesitated for a moment before he set her back on her feet. “Sorry.”
Tanis went for the man again. He’d pushed himself up but was still coughing and wheezing.
Before she could reach him, the maggot moved to hide behind Dove.
Dove arched a brow. “I’m not going to protect you from her. So, you might want to come out and answer her questions.”
“Is she going to hit me again?”
“Probably. If you don’t step out from behind him and answer my questions, I definitely will.”
He came around Dove cautiously. “My partner took it back from the queen.”
“When?” Tanis asked.
“After she stabbed the High King and the Oni queen vanished with him. Queen Meara was laughing and distracted, bragging on how she was going to take the throne. While she wasn’t looking, Bink grabbed it from the ground, and ran off with it. He handed it to me and told me to hold onto it until he came back.”
Tanis frowned. “Why did he steal the horn from her?”
He shrugged. “She double crossed us. Seemed only fair we take back what’s ours.”
This time, it was Ryper who grabbed him up and shook him like a dog with a rag toy. “You killed my sister for that wand, you son of a bitch! It was never yours!”
Utter silence descended as everyone present heard Ryper’s furious declaration over his relationship with Renata.
Even Dove looked at the Shadow Dash behind her and mouthed the words, he’s your brother?
Too late, Ryper realized what he’d said. “Um...”
Tanis clapped him on the shoulder. “See how easy it is to slip up when you want to plant your foot in his guts?”
Ryper winced. He set the man down, then yanked the horn from his grasp. “This was never yours!”
The man had the good sense to look contrite. “I’m sorry. It weren’t my idea. I was just doing what Bink told me to.”
“Bink?” Tanis asked. “Your partner?”
“The imp I fell in with. We been collecting things for a bit now. Such as?—”
Realizing this was the dragon slayer she’d been after, Tanis cut his words off as she ran right into him and tackled him to the ground. “You rotten piece of...”
Instead of Ryper, it was Dove who pulled her off him. “Everyone calm down.”
“He helped kill my brother!”
Eyes wide, the smelly human held his hands up and shook his head. “Whoa, whoa, whoa... I don’t kill nobody.”
Tanis snorted. “You’re not the one who’s been bragging he’s a great dragon slayer?”
“I don’t kill nobody,” he repeated. “But I did take credit for some folks I didn’t kill.” Realizing that he’d just confessed to being a fraud, he glanced around at everyone present. He cursed under his breath, then he raked his hand through his greasy hair. “I didn’t slay a dragon. Bink made a deal with another dragon that we’d take the head and help her spread a lie so that none of the other dragons would know she killed him. She said that she couldn’t let the dragons know she’d done the killing.”
Ragna... But she had to be absolutely sure. “What dragon?”
“I don’t remember her name. Rena. Reba...”
No... Shock filled her as she realized Reva hadn’t been an accomplice to Ragna. She had actually done the deed herself. “Reva?”
“Yeah, that was her name. Reva.”
Tanis staggered from the full weight of that news. While she’d suspected Reva had followed along with Ragna’s plans as she always did, she’d never once thought that Reva would have done the actual killing.
Not of Davin.
How could you, Reva?
Stay focused...
Right now, they needed to get information from this... vermin.
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out for her. “If it helps, Bink didn’t give the centaur queen the right spell to kill the king, either. He was afraid she’d double cross him, so he double crossed her. This is the right spell to kill the High King. It’s yours if you spare me life.”
Before she had a chance to reach for it, Naomi came out of nowhere and seized it.
She read over it, then handed it to Marthen. “Is this right, or is he lying?”
Tanis ignored them. “Where are your accomplices?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know. Bink gave me the wand to hold when the queen started to run him down... it was horrible. I hid to where they couldn’t find me. As soon as they were gone, I came here through the elf portal.”
Dove arched a brow. “And you thought you’d be safer with us?”
“I brung the wand and spell for the High King. Isn’t there a reward for it?”
Ryper went for him again, but Dove held the human while Ronan grabbed Ryper.
“Stop it!” Ronan snapped at Ryper as he held him in one giant fist. “Think of your brother. We need the wand.”
That finally succeeded in calming him.
Shadow Dash glared at the human. “Lock him in the dungeon for now.”
“No! Not again!” Fort whined.
Marthen moved toward them and held the parchment out to Naomi. “There’s something not right about this spell.”
Dove hesitated with Fort.
“What does that mean?” Tanis asked.
“These aren’t the right items to kill him.”
Ryper pulled out Renata’s wand, then paled. “This isn’t a golden wand, either.” He held his hand up for them to see the gold that had come off in his palm. “It’s a fake.”
Tanis’s stomach shrank at the sight. “It’s a white horn.” Hopefully one taken from a dead unicorn and not an innocent child.
The human paled. “He double crossed me?”
Dove smirked. “You’re surprised?”
His eyes darkened with fury. “He’s after the king’s horn. Said it was more powerful and for me to distract you while he cut it from the king’s head.”
That news hit Tanis like a slap.
Dear gods! She turned toward the Shadow Dash, but he was gone. Terror consumed her as she ran back through the palace to Dash’s bedroom.
As soon as she reached it, she threw open the doors.
To her complete horror, there was an imp on the bed, sawing through Dash’s horn with a dagger.
“No!” She ran at the grimy little varmint. “Get away from him.”
The imp turned on her with a hiss. “You want to fight?” He motioned her to come at him as he held his dagger out toward her.
Tanis backed up...
Until she remembered the armor she was wearing. With a fierce roar, she ran at him. He slashed at her arm, but her armor caught the weapon and kept it.
Gasping, he tried to run, but she wasn’t having any of that. She caught him and was planning to toss him on the ground. Instead, he flipped up and the spindles on his head slashed her across the face.
She hissed in pain.
He pulled out Renata’s horn and plunged it deep into her shoulder. Unlike his dagger, it penetrated her armor. Koji screamed in pain.
Honestly, she felt like crying out, too, as her shoulder throbbed.
But there was no way she was going to allow this creature to leave this room with that wand. Not when it meant so much to Dash.
The imp twirled it in his hand. “What’s the matter? Afraid of an imp?” He lunged at her.
Tanis caught his wrist and stepped into arms, using her weight to knock him off balance. The two of them went crashing to the floor. With both hands on his wrist, she made sure to keep him from stabbing her again while she wrestled him for that wand.
The wretched bastard wrapped his other hand in her hair, jerked her head back and bit her in the neck.
Furious, she headed butted him as she twisted his hand and finally wrenched the wand loose.
The moment she did, he shrank in size and ran toward the window.
Turning into a hawk, Ronan scooped him up with his claws. The imp immediately grew large, causing Ronan to fall.
Slippery little bastard. Tanis slid across the room, knocking him off his feet. With no other weapon, she stabbed him with Renata’s horn.
The moment she did, he burst into a thousand cinders.
Whoa! Was that what would have happened to her had she not been wearing enchanted armor?
The thought was terrifying.
But she didn’t have time to think about it as she heard Naomi gasp. Her heart pounding, she returned to the bed to see the blood flowing from the wound the imp had made on Dash’s horn by trying to remove it.
“No, no, no,” she breathed. Tanis had to find a way to heal him.
She looked across the room to where Marthen and Ryper stood. “I know this stupid wand can do something. Don’t tell me it can’t.” Tears blinded her.
Desperate, Tanis glanced to the ceiling. “Renata? If you can hear me, Dash said that some of you is still in this wand. If it’s true, help me save him. Please.”
As if it could hear her, the wand heated up in her hand and began to glow.
Unsure of what to do, Tanis held it next to Dash’s horn on his forehead.
At first nothing happened.
Then, the color of his black horn began to fade to white.
Naomi shook her head. “He’s dying.”
Tanis refused to believe that. “What?”
Ryper swallowed hard before he spoke. “When they’re still attached to our bodies, our horns return to white as we die. It’s why poachers have to cut our horns off while we’re alive.”
“Which also kills a unicorn,” Halla said with a sob.
Her heart pounded as she realized that Ryper was right. Dash’s horn was losing all its color. It was already gray.
“Do something!” she demanded of Marthen.
“I know of nothing to do. Only Renata or a black horn can access the magick of her wand.”
Sobbing even harder, Tanis crawled up on the bed beside Dash. She couldn’t lose him. Not like this. “Damn it, beast! You are not leaving me. Do you hear? You’re not going to die! I forbid it! I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
Don’t leave me. Please.
She didn’t have anyone else.
She didn’t belong anywhere else.
I don’t want to be with anyone, but you. Ever.
More tears fell until she was blinded from them. Still holding the wand, she wiped at them, then curled herself around Dash’s body and touched the horrid gash on his horn.
“Please stay with me, beast.” The moment she whispered those words, sparks flew from Renata’s wand and drifted over him.
Stunned, Tanis held her breath as the color began to fade from Renata’s horn to mix with Dash’s. Black and gold swirled and danced along his spiral until his horn darkened.
Then, the most miraculous thing of all happened...
The inside of his horn was its original ebony, but the outer ridges were now a shimmering gold, as was the tip.
“What the hell?” Ryper stepped forward.
An instant later, Dash opened his eyes as Renata’s wand turned snow white in Tanis’s hand.
Unsure of what had happened, Tanis sat there completely frozen.
Halla flew to their side. “Sire... Your horn. It’s two colors.”
“What?” Dash asked.
Marthen manifested a mirror and stepped forward with it to show Dash. “Your horn is now black and gold. Has anyone ever seen or heard of this?”
Everyone in the room shook their head. Dash changed into his human form so that he could hold his wand in his hand and examine it. He ran his hand reverently over the golden edge of the spiral. “Dragon tears,” he whispered.
Tanis scowled. “What?”
Laughing, he cupped her cheek in his hand. “We all forgot about the magical power of dragon tears. There’s nothing stronger than a dragon’s love.”
“But I’m not a dragon.”
Brushing her hair back from her cheek, he smiled at her. “Your body may be human, but you still have the heart and soul of a dragon.” He rubbed his cheek against hers. “Your precious tears saved me, Dragon.”
Laughing, she wrapped her arms around him. “Don’t you ever die on me again, beast!”
Dash pulled back to look at the group in his room. “Would the lot of you give us a few minutes alone?”
Halla crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m thinking you two need a chaperone.”
Dash narrowed an evil glare at her. “Don’t make me pull your wings off, goblin.”
Halla turned herself into a regular sized human so that she could hug Dash. “I’m glad you’re here to threaten me again, Sire.”
One by one, they filed out of the room.
Dash wiped the tears from her face, then held his hand up so that he could stare at the moisture on his skin. “I hate that I made you cry.”
“If it really saved your life, I’m glad that you did.”
His expression turned soft and loving as he stared at her in awe. “What are we going to do, Dragon?”
“How do you mean?”
“Our pact... for you to return to your body, you have to kill the one who murdered your brother.”
Not the human dragon slayer she’d made the pact to kill.
Her sister.
Tanis felt the color drain from her face. She was going to have to kill Reva in order to become a dragon again. That was something she’d never planned on or thought about when she’d made that deal with Dash.
Davin’s killer was supposed to be a human she hated. Not an older sister she loved.
What have I done?
But as she looked up into those clear, green eyes, she realized that being a dragon would mean never staring into those eyes again. Never snuggling with him or sitting in his lap as she was currently doing.
“What’s wrong, Dragon?”
“Did you mean what you said to me?”
“I never say anything I don’t mean.”
She reached up to playfully tug at his hair. “Maybe being human isn’t so bad, then... I’ve kind of gotten used to it.”
He smiled a smile that warmed her all the way to her toes.
Until she thought of something else. Then, she went completely cold as her happiness evaporated. He would need a unicorn bride.
“What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing.” She started to get off the bed.
Dash pulled her back into his arms. “I know you, Dragon. What demons are in your head now?”
She licked her lips as she faced a horrible fact. “I no longer have any place that I belong.”
He gave her a stern glower. “You’re exactly where you belong. But I won’t force you to stay with me. That’s not my decision. It’s yours. If you are sure you won’t miss being a dragon...”
“But what would I be here?” His mistress? The very thought made her sick. She couldn’t bear the reality that he would have to marry and have children.
With someone else.
Swallowing the pain, she met his gaze levelly. “You never did answer that question, Dash.”
His frown deepened. “What do you think I’m offering you?”
“I can’t stay here and watch you marry someone else, beast. It would kill me.”
His mouth began to work like a fish dragged from its watery nest. “Why would you ever think I’d ask that of you?”
“Then what?”
“Marry me, silly dragon. There’s no one else I’d ever have as my queen.”
For a full minute, she couldn’t move or breathe. Was he serious? “Really?”
“Of course. I love you, Tanis. I told you that.”
“Really?” she repeated.
Laughing, he pulled her against him and gave her a kiss so hot that it stole her breath. “Yes, Dragon. Marry me.”
“Would you say yes already, Highness? The two of you are making me seasick... and nauseated for another reason.”
Tanis covered her face as she remembered that her armor was sentient. “Yes,” she said from behind her hands.
Dash gently lowered her hands so that he could rub his nose against hers. “One day, my precious queen, I hope you’ll value yourself as much as I value you.” Then, to her greatest shock, he held up his wand and turned it into a beautiful charm. He manifested a bracelet for her.
“In our kingdom, whenever unicorns are in love, they exchange their wands with their beloved as a sign of ultimate trust.” He held the bracelet up for her to see it. “Of course, my father never allowed anyone else to hold his. But I’m not my father.” He fastened the bracelet around her wrist.
Tanis couldn’t believe her eyes. He trusted her completely.
And in that moment, she realized how much she trusted him in return. How funny that she’d met him while seeking death and instead, he’d given her life.
A life she’d never dreamed of having. It was miraculous and amazing.
A dragon and a unicorn.
Even if she never took her dragon body again, she could live in absolute ecstasy.
And all because she’d dared something the old Tanis would never have done. She went after her future and found it.
All she needed now was the courage to see it through.
“I love you, Deciel Coeur de Noir.” Black heart, demon and unicorn.
“And I love you, Tanis Dragomir. Now and forever. No one will ever hurt you again.”
She knew that was true because for the first time in her life, she had a real, proven champion.
Tears of joy filled her as she realized something. Her first champion, Davin, had led her to Dash. Even in death, her brother had kept her safe.
It might sound silly, but she felt as if Davin was watching and approving.
For the first time, she had a future in the sunlight. Not one of solitude and hiding. And she was going to embrace it with both hands, no matter how scary it might seem.