Heart Reclaimed
Angus
Embry must still be sleeping , I thought. I couldn’t feel him through our bond. I wasn’t too concerned. I’d figured out that when he slept, I wouldn’t be able to feel his thoughts. Hopefully, I could be done here and be back in his arms before he woke.
“Baracha shackles!” Krispin’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I lifted my head and gave my attention to my king. He sat with his mate, Ben. We all lounged around on the oversized couches. We had made it back about twenty minutes ago, and now we were discussing the events of the day.
Krispin held up the chains. They were black, with silver runes etched on the links.
“Baracha shackles are what dragon enforcers used to bind a rogue dragon in High Garden. Only a dragon appointed by the king could touch them. Roarke, you could also touch them as you have my blood running through your veins. The royal line is not affected by their magic,” he explained.
“How does Harper keep getting hold of items from High Garden? I mean, she had the Marbhtach spear, and now she has these shackles,” Devin said.
“Don’t forget about the Keneke, too. That thing almost took me out,” Ben reminded.
Krispin closed his eyes. He seemed to meditate. We sat in silence, watching him.
When he opened his eyes, they held a golden glow. “High Garden is still protected, and no one has entered the city. She must be getting these items another way,” he said.
“High Garden still exists?” Addison and Aaran asked in unison.
“Yes. The magic of the Sacred Flame merely hid and protected it. As I am the Guardian of the Flame, I can sense all the happenings within High Garden,” Krispin replied.
I was in shock. The ancient capital city of Dragonkind still existed. My jaw hung open, mirroring that of my brothers.
Aaran was the first to recover. “Regardless of how that witch is getting these things, she needs to be found and killed.” He paused and closed his eyes for a moment before looking at Krispin.
“She took a lot of my blood. She gave some to Bazer to allow him to walk in the daylight. How much more damage could she do?” He asked with heavy emotion, obviously remembering how she had taken that blood.
“I don’t know. My brother and Harper’s father, Zanic, killed several dragons before attempting to seize the throne. I believe she would need a lot more than she took, but I don’t know,” Krispin replied.
Angus! I heard Embry’s voice through our bond. He sounded panicked.
Angel, are you okay? We found my brother; he’s okay. We’re talking now—
Angus, I need help! Tom and Rick have me! He yelled, cutting off my words.
“What?!” I roared, jumping to my feet. The others in the room looked at me in confusion. I felt my dragon taking over. Brilliant blue scales surfaced on my skin.
“Angus, what’s wrong?” Roarke asked as he also jumped to his feet.
“They have Embry!” I shouted as I ran to the door. I pushed it open, and in seconds I was flying in dragon form.
My wings pumped faster and faster; I needed to get to my heart. Flashes of red and purple flanked me—my brothers. I continued to try to contact Embry; he was silent. I knew through our bond he was alive, but I didn’t know what was happening.
“Where are we going?” Roarke called from my right.
“Embry said they have him at Lake Dothan. Tom and Rick got him somehow,” I replied.
I needed to go faster. I forced my wings to beat more strongly. My dragon was pushing harder than ever before; we needed to get to our heart. I continued to try to reach him. Embry, damn it, answer me! I bellowed.
Hurry, Angus, they’re planning on killing me, he whispered.
I roared, my dragon fully taking over, power like I’d never felt before surging through me. Roarke, Aaran, and Addison answered with roars of their own. My dragon eyes flashed.
I saw the lake in the distance. Four wolves were fighting. I dove to protect my mate.
One wolf had shifted into his human form. He had a look of surprise on his face as I landed behind Embry. My Cardia nudged the wolf next to him, and they darted under my powerful body.
I roared again. “You dare touch what is mine!”
Fear entered the man’s eyes, and the wolf next to him whimpered. The smell of urine filled the air. I curled my lip in disgust.
“What are you talking about, dragon?” the man asked as my brothers landed beside me.
That’s Tom, and the wolf is Rick. Embry’s voice flitted into my mind.
“You touched my mate! You’re a dead man!” I snarled.
“No, wait, I didn’t know!” Tom cried.
“Your cries don’t matter!” I said. I would show no mercy. This was the man who had beaten and nearly killed my mate.
I lifted my head and stretched my neck, calling upon my inner magic. Ice shards pierced Tom and Rick. They screamed in pain as they stiffened under the immense cold. I whipped around and shattered their frozen forms with my spiked tail. They couldn’t hurt my heart anymore.
I quickly shifted and rushed toward Embry, who had changed back too. I pulled him into my arms. “I’m never letting you go, Angel,” I said.
“Don’t. I want to stay in your arms forever. I love you, Angus.”
“I love you too, Embry.”
I held him tight, my dragon finally coming down from the rage and fear. Our mate was safe.
“What about this wolf?” Roarke’s voice called.
I turned to see a tall, lanky man. He had shaggy, brownish-blond hair and blue eyes. Scratches and bite marks covered his body, and fear gleamed in his eyes, but his gaze stayed on Addison.
“That’s Chad. He protected me against Tom and Rick,” Embry said.
“Thank you for helping my mate,” I said earnestly, nodding my head at Chad, whose fear-filled gaze continued looking at Addison.
Surprisingly, Addison was also staring at Chad. Hmm…
I didn’t have time to continue my train of thought. Embry squeezed me tighter. I would be totally and completely lost without my mate. I never wanted to feel that way again, and I swore I never would.