44. Unicorn’s Do More Than Sparkle
CHAPTER 44
Unicorn’s Do More Than Sparkle
Melinda Mayweather
A vicious snarl rips through the air. Fen, now a massive wolf, charges straight for us. His bared teeth gleam, his eyes wild with feral hunger.
My heart slams against my ribs. I can't move?—
Kellan's arms lock around me. The world spins as he lifts me off my feet. Colors blur until I find myself on Cyrus' back along with Kellan, my fingers tangled in his silvery mane.
Kellan presses against me, his arms caging me in. "What's happening?" I twist, searching frantically for Hawke.
There—
Hawke stands alone, sword raised against the oncoming beast. Fen leaps, jaws gaping wide.
"No!" My scream tears through the arena.
Fen crashes into Hawke. Pain explodes through our bond, searing my insides. I gasp, the agony stealing my breath.
No. No. No. Hawke, run!
I thrash against Kellan's grip, every muscle straining. "You have to help him!" My voice cracks, raw with the shared pain from Hawke’s injury.
Kellan's steady voice cuts through my panic. "Forgive me, Domina . You are my priority."
Beneath us, Cyrus rears up. The air crackles with energy. Blue light dances from his horn like living lightning, searching for a target. Kellan's grip tightens, anchoring me as the unicorn comes down hard with a resounding stomp.
The crack that follows is deafening, like thunder contained within the arena walls. A wave of blue lightning arcs across the ground, striking each person still on the arena floor. The wolf, Wraith, Hawke, and a half dozen others convulse as the energy courses through them.
"Let me down!" I scream and dig my nails into Kellan’s flesh. But he doesn't flinch, doesn't loosen his hold. "Hawke!"
I strain against Kellan's grip, desperate to see Hawke. Through the chaos, I spot him sprawled on the arena floor. Hawke's eyes are closed, his body unnaturally still. My heart stops.
I reach for him through our bond, frantic for any response. Hawke? The silence that follows chills me to my core, more terrifying than any snarling beast.
Kellan dismounts, his movements fluid despite my struggles. He gives Cyrus a grateful pat before turning away, still holding me against his chest. His arm is locked around my ribcage, the pressure just shy of painful. My feet dangle uselessly above the ground as he carries me towards where Hawke lies motionless next to the wolf–to Fen.
"Did you know?" The words come out flat, emotionless. I hardly recognize my own voice. "Did you know what Cyrus was going to do?"
"Yes, Domina ." Kellan's reply is soft, tinged with regret. "But only for a moment before it happened. Cyrus warned me, and I acted to keep you safe."
"You can put me down. I'll stay with you."
Kellan sees right through me. "That is a lie, Domina ."
A growl of frustration escapes me, primal and raw. My eyes are fixed on Hawke's still form, willing him to move, to breathe, to give me any sign that he's alive.
The wolf's body shudders instead. My heart leaps into my throat, choking me. No. No. No. Is he waking up? Will he attack again?
Panic chokes me. My vision narrows, the edges blurring as I struggle to breathe. "No, no, no," I chant, the words barely more than a whisper. I reach for our bond again, throwing every ounce of my being into it. Hawke! Please!
The entire arena seems to hold its breath. The wolf's form begins to shimmer and shift. Fur recedes like a retreating tide, limbs elongate and reshape. Within moments, Fen lies where the wolf had been, naked and groaning but undeniably human.
My heart pounds so hard I fear it might burst. I barely register Fen's transformation, my eyes fixed on Hawke's motionless form. Every second of silence from our bond is an eternity.
I tap frantically at Kellan's arm and he finally releases me.
I rush to Hawke's side, my knees hitting the ground hard enough to bruise. My hands hover over him, afraid to touch, afraid of what I might find. "Hawke? Please, please be okay."
All that matters is the man before me, the steady rise and fall of his chest, and the flicker of life that finally stirs through our bond. With trembling hands, I reach out to cup Hawke's face, willing him back to consciousness. "Come back to me," I whisper, my words a prayer and a command. "We're not done yet, Hawke Stormblood. Not by a long shot."