He didn’t move, but I understood the agreement in his energy. We stared at the water for a silent minute before I said, “I’m sorry you’ve lost so much. I’m going to help you get it all back and defeat him.” Another vow, another job for me to do once Tor and Nyx were free. His smoky eyes filled with sadness. He saw into my soul, my very being. He knew I meant what I’d said.
“You ready for this?” I asked, while bumping my shoulder into his just as my crew walked up to the cliff’s edge. Everyone took in the sight of the sun above the deep blue water of the ocean, the sound of the crashing waves, and the smell of the salty air like it was the last time they might ever see it.
I hoped and prayed to whatever higher beings who watched over us that we would see this sight again and we would all come back together.
Desmire released a mighty roar that shook the Earth.
“We’re coming, Tor. We’re coming,” I whispered just as a callused, strong hand wrapped around mine.
Chapter Fifty
“My ass hurts. We need a saddle for that dragon next time we go on a big adventure.” Emrys rubbed his backside and I knew Rune was annoyed with the spider. Those two hadn’t warmed up to each other during our trip to the Iron City.
Desmire had kept us high in the clouds, staying out of sight in case any Dramens happened to look up. Dris had fallen asleep against Rune’s back while Emrys used his arms to cage her in from falling off the flying dragon. Despite knowing I shouldn’t, I rested my body against Rune’s chest while I read about the Iron City from a Fae’s escape. I memorized every word.
“Sundown is soon.” Rune’s voice sounded pained.
“Do you need to go?”
“No.” His clenched his teeth.
There was no time to not trust him. He had been dealing with this all his life. If he said he would be fine, then he would be.
“I can’t believe they built all that without power.” Dris was wide awake now as we stayed low on top of an old skyscraper.
The Iron City had been built next to what had been a big metropolitan city before the apocalypse. They’d taken over every crevice of the place, using up its resources, and reusing materials found in buildings to make their own. The top of the iron palace gleamed in the setting sun. There were no places to hide out here . . . no trees or mountains . . . just the husks of skyscrapers.
It was once called Tornado Alley. It was barren and flat and in the middle of the continent where all four corners of the Dramen territories came together. The city was a terror to look upon even from here. I really didn’t want to go there. Flashbacks of the Dramen’s attack on my community made my hands tremble. I was afraid I was going to freeze or be taken by them. The fear tried to beat me down, and I couldn’t let it. I rose to my feet and quickly strolled to the pacing general.
“I need you to do something for me.” He stopped wearing a path in the roof of the building and looked at me with his complete focus, despite the strain I knew he was in.
“Don’t let them take me.” My voice cracked, and my body shivered.
“I won’t.” His words were a promise, but I was still scared. The Dramens world and Crysia were not safe, until we completed our mission. The princess was the bridge between the two worlds. She was powerful, and somehow, she was going to reverse what had been done. Verin was scared of his niece, so he also believed in the legend that she would defeat him someday.
Hands touched my shoulders. “I promise I won’t let them take you.” Rune leaned down toward my face, his vow caressing me, like it could attach itself to my skin.
Rune’s body moved closer, breathing in my air. “This can’t be real,” he muttered softly, his head slowly descending toward me, or to be more specific, toward my mouth.
But it was real, this thing, this living, breathing force between us.
“Sun’s almost down. We need to gear up.” I cleared my dry throat and took a step back, out of Rune’s reach.
The hurt in his eyes killed me. He didn’t know how to decipher his emotions, but he knew he cared for me. I sensed it in his touch, in the air around him. I was something to him, but he had a mate. He’d known that intense connection, the other half of his soul.
Only one more day, then we’d get this all sorted out and—
Before I could finish my thoughts, Rune’s arms were wrapped around me, holding me flush against his body. His lips clashed against mine, and every thought I’d been having vanished. My eyes widened, staring into his determined gaze as his lips pressed against mine. His arms moved to my back just in time to hold me to his chest as my legs wobbled, then gave out. My whimper echoed against his mouth as I threw myself into the man who consumed my heart with every swipe of his tongue against mine.
“I don’t know what is happening, but whatever comes, I won’t let you go,” he said.
I shook my head, attempting to push away from his warmth, but his arms were locked around me. “You’re not mine, and I’m not yours.” It hurt me to say it when everything in me said it wasn’t true.
“My heart . . . my werewolf thinks differently.” His lips were back on mine, and I was close, so very damn close from disclosing my suspicions of the dangerous truth.
“Rune.” I whispered a plea. My fingers gripped the black shirt that covered his thick arms.
“Hey, guys.” Emrys cleared his throat and Rune growled. His grip stayed on my back, giving me just enough space to turn my head to look at the spider and librarian who averted their gazes. I managed to untangle myself and walked to the bag of weapons.
“Darkness is upon us.” Dris pointed toward the sun, which had almost completely set beyond the flat planes of land behind us. Torches of the palace walls were lit, and the Iron City became the perfect beacon to attack.
“Oh, shit,” Emrys said, and reached over to Dris, pulling her behind him as a barrier. He looked behind me at the general.
Rune bellowed a pain-riddled roar as his flesh burst and fur grew out from the rips in his skin. The echo of bones breaking and growing bounced off the city’s towers around us. It was horrifying to watch. The man who, moments ago declared things he shouldn’t have, was being ripped apart and made into something tall and wild. The beast snarled at the dragon resting on the roof ten yards away, who had both eyes narrowed on the werewolf.
It was time to see if Rune’s gut feelings about the werewolf listening to me were based on truth.
Chapter Fifty-One
Seeing Rune’s werewolf side was as frightening as it was the first time I saw him. He reached nearly ten feet, had black fur, and sharp white teeth. I wasn’t afraid of him, although he looked scary, and I knew what those teeth could do.
Dris gasped and hid behind Emrys with her owl eyes peeking over his shoulder at Rune. The werewolf growled, his muzzle lifting to show a dangerous grin in their direction.
“Rune.” I took a step toward the beast. His head swiftly turned as he took a big step on two legs toward me. His massive furry muscles flexed with the movement. He didn’t blink as he stared at my face.
My heart beat wildly. “Will you follow me? Protect me and my friends? Will you go into the city with me and help me end all this?” His large wolf-like feet inched closer to me.