Chapter Forty-Four
Skylar Cathal
Breaching the surface, I gasped, gulping a full breath of air. A second later, Shaw broke through the waves behind me, safely tucked under the queen’s arm.
“I forget how difficult the transition from water to land is,” Malek said. “You’ll adjust in a few moments.”
“You…” I rasped between coughs. “You don’t say.” My lungs burned as he released me onto the beach, water spewing between my heaving breaths.
King Malek’s magic retreated from my system as I hurled water onto the rough sand, shaking as I steadied myself on my hands and knees.
Shaw was not much better. Glancing behind me, I could sense a rise in his magic.
His animal was close to the surface, ready to break through and force a shift in response to his distress.
“You all right?” I called out. “I don’t know if your panther would have fared much better underwater.” I spat the horrible taste of seawater from my mouth.
“That was fucking horrible,” Shaw answered, violently coughing, followed by hacking noises as he tried to breathe.
“I hated every minute of that,” he rasped. “Never again, Sky. Never.”
“Noted,” I agreed. “But you’ve got to admit, it was effective.”
“I see your next transport is already waiting,” Malek said, motioning toward the large rock-faced cliffs trailing along the beach. “This is where we part ways.”
I turned in the sand. “Thank you to you both,” I said.
“Return our favor with your victory, Champion,” Malek replied with a grin as a flash of orange and green splashed in the waves, disappearing beneath the night and the sea.
“What now?” Shaw groaned. “Please tell me it’s a horse. Or at the very least something on land.”
“Half-right,” I grinned, recognizing the neigh and flaps of wings.
A dark-skinned rider dismounted a pegasus with a rusted auburn-colored coat. A bright, beaming smile stretched across his face, with his dreadlocked hair flowing behind him as he raced toward Shaw and me.
“Skylar!” Astro called out, reaching to help me onto my feet.
He pulled me into a strong hug, his fire magic warming me from the bite of cold night air and my soaked clothes.
“Good to see you, Astro,” I said. “Finn didn’t come with you?”
“Nah, he doesn’t have the stealth or finesse with the pegasi like I do. Father sent him to oversee our troops marching south.”
I raised my brows in surprise, and Astro nodded, a smirk creeping along the corner of his mouth.
“Didn’t think we would be sitting idly by on the sidelines, did you?”
“No,” I said with a determined grin. “Not one bit.”
Astro’s eyes darted beside me toward the drenched dark-haired shifter at my side.
“This is Shaw. He’s my beta.”
Astro turned to assess Shaw, offering him a hand to stand on his feet in the gentle waves. “Nice to meet you. What kind of animal do you turn into?”
“Strange question to ask someone you just met,” Shaw replied, accepting Astro’s hand.
“Just curious,” Astro answered. “I’ve never met one of you who could actually shift.”
I straightened. “You’ve only ever met me?”
“Right, so, naturally, I had to ask,” Astro said. “Why wouldn’t I want to know?”
Shaw seemed uncertain.
“So,” I teased, speaking into Shaw’s mind. “Are you going to tell him or just shift and show him?”
“There’s no need to frighten the High Fae. I need to make a good impression if you’re the only one of our kind he’s met,” Shaw said, making me chuckle.
“A panther,” Shaw stated, closing our connection.
“A very large panther,” I corrected. “His back stands just as high as your pegasus, if not taller.”
“That’s… oddly terrifying,” Astro said with raised brows.
“You’re younger than Daxton and Castor, aren’t you?” Shaw asked, looking Astro over.
“Those old piles of bones. Ha—yeah. This is the first trial I’ve seen. High Fae stop aging once we turn twenty-five and our magic settles. Nice perk, am I right?”
“Thankfully, it doesn’t diminish his ability to work with the pegasi.” I glanced toward the magnificent beasts, and my stomach dropped. Astro was the only one here. “Where is Daxton?”
“I’m here to take you to him,” Astro turned, his dark eyes churning with a hidden secret. “He’s—”
“Tell me he’s safe!” I exclaimed, frantically grasping Astro’s shoulders.
“He is,” he replied quickly. “He is, but… he’s injured.”
My heart skipped. The sand beneath me felt like it was falling away to nothing as I floated outside my body. I could barely swallow, let alone form a coherent thought.
My mate was hurt. Daxton was hurt.
Without hesitating, I ran to mount a pegasus. “Shaw, hurry up and get on the other pegasus. Astro, lead the way.”
Shaw didn’t argue, sensing my urgency.
Astro followed my lead as he leaped onto his red stallion’s back. “I brought the three swiftest mounts in the herd.”
“Good,” I rasped. “We won’t be stopping.”
“I figured as much,” Astro said, turning to Shaw. “Are you going to be able to keep up?”
“I don’t believe I have much of a choice.”
“That’s the spirit.” Astro grinned. “You’ll catch on quickly with those feline reflexes, right?”
“He’ll be fine,” I said with a twinge of impatience. “Now, let’s go.” I kicked my pegasus, angling the reins to encourage him into the sky.
“I’m coming, Daxton,” I shouted through the bond tethering me to him. “I’ll find you.”