CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
MY CHEST HEAVES AS I look around the field, making sure all my family is okay…
all but Jesper. I was too distracted—I should have noticed the shadows.
I should have seen the disturbance in the air as unfamiliar magick expanded near us.
I should have reacted when that male appeared, but I was so taken aback and everything happened in a blink of an eye.
How did Jesper know before us?
I reach into my bonds again, feeling Jesper’s. It pulses calmly, almost as if he’s asleep. “Jesper? Jesper, you better wake up and answer me before you worry your mate any further.”
Nothing.
My fingers white-knuckle against the hilt of my blade as I stare blankly into the clearing. All of these powers and I can’t fucking do anything?
An idea jumps out at me. Dreamwalking. If he’s unconscious then maybe I can reach him through the bond. “Aemon,” I yell out, my voice hitching, betraying my panic.
He’s at my side before I finish my breath. “What is it? Are you okay?”
“I’m physically okay,” I tell him, placing my hand on his bicep. “I need you to watch me. I’m going to dreamwalk and find Jesper.”
His lavender eyes light up. “Of course. You don’t even need to ask, but I’m coming with you. Killian, Talyn.” He turns to face them. “Secure the perimeter; Roz and Ember, you will be guarding us.”
“Guarding you?” Roz asks as he sheaths his blade.
I nod. “Our bodies will be vulnerable while we walk in the realm of dreams.”
“Say no more. We got you. Go find our psycho and bring him home,” Roz states with a smile.
Aemon turns me toward him, cupping my face and forcing me to look at him. “We will get him back. We go in, find his location, and then we come back here and make a plan. Do not be rash, Rav. Promise me.”
My fists clench. “I won’t make a promise I can’t keep,” I tell him honestly.
He searches my face, his jaw clenching. “Then I’ll be right on your ass if you do anything stupid. Don’t make me have to paint walls in blood unless you want to see a masterpiece. You are our priority to keep safe.”
“And you, Jesp and the entire realm are mine. Are we doing this or not?” I shouldn’t be turned on by his promise of blood to protect me, but listening to my greedy vagina is what got us into this mess in the first place, and I will kill anyone who hurts what’s mine.
Nero lands on a branch beside me. “I smell fresh eyeballs on the horizon.”
I nod at him. “You can have all the eyeballs you want.”
SKUGGI MAGICK WASHES over me as I use the shadow magick to propel me into the realm of dreams. When I open my eyes, I’m in our clearing. Snowdrop flowers cover the field next to the mountainside. The sky is blue and there isn’t a cloud in sight—it’s peaceful.
A breath later, Aemon is next to me as himself and not in the dragon form of Evisdor he would usually take when we first started coming here.
I blow out a breath. “Are you ready?”
“I’m always ready. I’d follow you into the deepest pits of the realm if it meant I got to stay with you. Now, close your eyes and follow the bond. I’ll be right behind you,” Aemon states, brushing a lock of my hair behind the point of my ear.
My heart aches in the best way at his words, but it’s difficult to feel anything but worry as I fall deeper down the bond.
I sense all of them, even our beasts that are bonded to us.
All of them filled with concern and frustration.
Except for Tisur who is thrashing in rage at not being able to locate his rider.
I continue through the dream realm, searching for Jesper’s subconscious so I can fall into it, but just as I think I found it, it’s as if I’m blocked, unable to enter his dreams, which only happens when someone is awake. But that can’t be possible.
Aemon’s mind brushes against mine. “I wonder if this is something similar to what they did to Talyn. He didn’t have access to the bonds or his magick until whatever tonic they used was out of his system.”
I ponder over his words but the anger only continues to brew, and I don’t know how long it will take until it boils over completely. Because if they used what they did on Talyn, then they were definitely after him again, which means his father is behind this.
My magick crackles at my fingertips and the shadows of the dream realm begin to pulse with my heartbeat.
“Little Dream, I need you to breathe. Let’s wake up and come up with a plan.”
The bonds in my chest begin pulsing in beat with the shadows, Jesper’s in the center of my mind. I level a look at my mate. “I’m done with waiting and planning. I’m bringing Jesper home.” My voice doesn’t sound like me—it sounds like primal, ancient rage.
The shadows pulse again and I’m flung back into my waking body just as my shadows can finally engulf me. Worried cries of my friends and males barely reach my ears before I’m blinking across the realm, following the bond that’s embedded deep inside my soul.
THE SHADOWS HOLD me in their embrace as I open my eyes. I feel my mates panicking through the bond, but all I feel is relief. Tied to the chair in front of me is Jesper, so far unharmed and awake, although having a staring contest with the male who took him.
“I’m okay. I found Jesper. Just give me a moment to get him and I’ll be back in a blink.”
Killian’s voice thunders through the connection. “You will wait until Aemon reaches you. Do not reveal yourself, Ravina Pendroko, or I swear to the Fates I’ll let Talyn tan your pale ass.”
“Promises, promises. But fine, I’ll—” I stop mid sentence as the door to the room opens and none other than Evera strides into the space.
“Are you fucking kidding me? I told you to grab Talyn. Not this waste of space bastard. I want my mate!” she screeches, and my eye twitches.
The traitor Skuggi shrugs his shoulders. “This one jumped in the way. You said to grab the son of the fae Lord—you didn’t specify which one.”
“I did and you know it. I won’t be paying you for this,” she hisses. “Lord Craven won’t be happy either. Especially when my father finds out that their deal is taking too long to happen.”
Jesper laughs, and I just know he’s wearing a manic smile that promises death.
“And what little deal would that be? The one where Tal knocks you up so your daddy can feel powerful knowing his daughter will be lady of Allonde? You know that will never happen, right? Talyn’s cock shrivels at the very sight of you.
” He cackles and I have the urge to knock him upside the head. Why in the Fates is he taunting her?
She cocks her fist back and slams it into the side of his face.
He laughs again, spitting blood onto the floor.
“Is that the best you got? I mean, you think you would have a lot more anger considering Talyn is fated to the Queen of the realm, and you’re nothing but horse shit on the bottom of her boot. ”
“You fucking—”
“No I’m not currently fucking. Are you blind or did Nero already steal your eyeballs? And no I don’t want to fuck you. My dick is reserved for my beautiful and deadly mate. Maybe you’ve heard of her? Her name is Ravina?”
She grabs his throat and summons flames to her hand. My magick pulses in rage, which makes her pause before turning to the Skuggi fae behind her.
“It wasn’t me,” he states, peering around the darkened corners of the room, passing right over where I’m hidden in the shadows. I smirk.
Evera huffs, the flame growing larger in her hand, and I know in a moment I’m going to lose the ability to use shadows.“Then who—”
Jesper chuckles deeply, the sound curling like smoke in my stomach as he relaxes into the chair. “That would be my mate, and she’s about to fuck up your day. Did I mention she’s deadly?”
The shadows throb again just as I jump out of my spot.
With a knife in hand, I throw it at the Skuggi’s head with such strength it embeds itself to the hilt into his temple.
The male drops like a rock. Next I slam my hand against the wall, coaxing the stone to seal the entrance that Evera is scurrying to, making her like a trapped rat, realizing there is nowhere left to go.
I tilt my head to the side, smiling so wide, I feel slightly unhinged, powerful and badass. Jesper was right about one thing. I’m going to fuck this bitch up.
My feet move with the silence of a prowling cat as I dart toward her, knife in hand.
I steal the flame from her hand and squash it.
My magick comes to me with ease as I use the tendrils of my shadows to pin her to the wall before slipping into her mind and cutting off all of her senses except for touch.
Because I want this bitch to feel everything I’m about to do to her.
“Little Beastie, don’t kill her yet. We should bring her back and question her.” Jesper’s voice somehow makes it past the blood pounding through my ears and registers as safe, even if I don’t understand the words.
I fist the blade as I pound my knuckles into her face over and over again.
A hand lands on my shoulder and I whirl to find Aemon there.
His face is like the calm rage of the sea as he holds me close.
“Jesper is right, Little Dream. We can take her back to the dungeon and question her. That way you can take your time doling out the justice you deem fit for her crimes. Come back to us, Rav. Simmer the rage for later.”
“Come on, Little Warrior. Pull back the shadows so we can see your gorgeous face again.” Killian’s gruff voice comes from somewhere outside my shadows.
“That’s it baby girl. Let’s get your other mate home and checked over,” Talyn adds.
Jesper huffs. “I’m fine. I was enjoying watching our female come into her power and get all murdery.”
The shadows melt away and all my mates are there. Aemon must have blinked them over when I went rogue. “Where are Nero, Ember and Roz?”
Aemon tilts my head up and Talyn and Killian work to remove Evera from the wall and restrain her. “They are heading back to Maleen with the dragons. We are going to blink back. I don’t think Nero is going to be too happy you left him behind,” he adds.
I wince and reach for our bond. “Nero, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Are you okay?”
It takes a moment for him to respond. “I’ll forgive you if you bring me an eyeball. It’s been so long since I’ve added to my collection. Plus Vasari wouldn’t know how to get home without me.”
“Carefull, feathered rodent, or an accident might happen where your collection gets roasted to a crisp.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” he gasps.
I sigh in relief before moving over to Jesper who’s now untied from the chair. “Are you okay? I came as fast as I could. Why would you jump in front of Talyn like that! How did you even know that Skuggi fae was there?” The questions pour out of me like an artillery explosion.
He wraps his arms around me. “Well if you take a second to pull some oxygen into your lungs, I’ll answer,” he laughs, and I snap my lips shut.
“The bitch is secure,” Talyn growls.
Aemon nods, holding his hands out for us to grab. “Jesper can answer after we get her secured in the dungeon for questioning. I’m not sure where we are, but I hear movement from down the hall.”
That gets us all moving. Evera wiggles and attempts to scream but Aemon has gagged her. Or maybe it was Killian, always so clever about my protection.
Aemon and I’s shadow magick pulse together and engulf us all as we blink back to Maleen where I’m determined to finally get some answers.