Page 47

CHAPTER 47

BOWEN

T he night air did nothing to ease the stiffness of my muscles as I walked to the meadow clearing behind Deadwood. Auria was inside the house asleep while Flynt kept watch at the door like I instructed, but even without the command, he would’ve done it willingly. He was worried about her, too.

I needed to burn something, to swallow the flame and let my power surge like it demanded. Auria had almost fucking died, and I couldn’t get the image of her, bloodied and torn open, out of my mind. Couldn’t get her pained screams to stop echoing through my ears whenever silence filled them.

And her scars…

Pain was no stranger to her, and I wanted nothing more than to tear everything down that could harm her. That had harmed her. To obliterate her father, whoever put those scars on her, Lander, and most of all, Paxon. I didn’t know what his motive was, but I had to believe that Auria was strong enough not to let him get to her.

Anytime he was near, my power would hum, snaking its way through my veins and itching underneath my skin to find his lungs and choke him where he stood. He was human, and yet, my fae side went on full alert when he was near, telling me something else was at play, and he was in control of it.

If I had half a mind, I’d dig his grave tonight.

As soon as I reached the other side of the clearing, I palmed the fire vial in my pocket, and the tree in front of me burst into flames. The wild streams of orange and yellow flickered as it licked its way up the bark to the drying leaves. My magic thrummed as it pulsed through me, etching my arms and every other part of my body with blackened ribbons as it called to the smoke elicited by the fire. The two joined midair, dancing together as if in harmony, then attacked the flames as if in battle, snuffing it out in seconds.

“ I see your control has slipped, ” Vulcan said from behind me, judgment clear in his tone. I hadn’t heard him land, hadn’t felt the ground shake while I was too distracted with thoughts of Auria.

With my back to him, smoke curled around me before darting his way. Heat blasted my skin through my leathers, and I turned in time to see his gold fire fizzling out between us.

“ Do not threaten me, King, ” he growled.

I shrugged, shoving my hands in my pockets. “It just wanted to play.”

A burst of wind shoved my hair back as Glacies landed between Vulcan and me. Immediately, her yellowed teeth were in my face, spit flying every which way as she bellowed a low, violent growl.

She kept her lips curled as she demanded, “ Where is the burned one. ”

I stood my ground. “Not sure who you’re referring to.”

Her throat vibrated as another growl emanated from her. I was tired of the fucking nickname. Auria was not only known for her pain or her past—she was more than just a sum of all the bad things that had happened to her.

“ The girl is hurt, and you are standing out here like a child unable to control himself, ” Glacies spit. In the moonlight, her white scales reflected an almost silvery blue, the sight nearly blinding to the eye.

My eyes narrowed on her. “I’m the reason she’s alive.”

Behind Glacies, Vulcan muttered, “ As if I didn’t help. ”

“ Have you forgotten I can smell every ounce of her pain, King? ” Glacies asked, her tone malignant.

I was growing tired of them calling me that when they were angry. If anyone needed to get their emotions in check, it was them. All these fucking nicknames were pissing me the fuck off.

“I’ve done all I can to make her comfortable.” But if she was still hurting, why hadn’t she said so? I could’ve done more. I wouldn’t have left to release the built-up energy inside me?—

“ It is not enough. You weak, helpless fae never care for anyone but your own. It is vacuous that we even have to keep our peace with you. Much rather obliterate your kind like we were meant ? — ”

I took a step toward her, careless of her dripping fangs. “And then what, Glacies? Have no help against the humans? Get every dragon killed because you’re too stubborn to be nice for once?”

“ I am nice when I so please! ” she roared. “ I saved the girl, too. There is no reward for doing so. ”

“Only avoiding war,” I reminded her. There was no doubt in my mind that King Tenere would ruin Serpentine if harm came to his daughter. Oh, if he could see her now.

“ There is more she is not saying, ” Vulcan spoke up.

Glacies swung her head in his direction, her neck cocked at an odd angle. “ Speak, and I will rip your throat from your body. ”

I raised a brow. She didn’t want him telling me, and that only intrigued me more.

“What is it?”

Glacies’s warning growl filled the air, and Vulcan narrowed bored eyes on her. They were nearly equal in size, but Vulcan had the upper hand here.

“ She is protective of the girl, ” Vulcan said, and Glacies’s deadly tail swung my way as she turned. I narrowly missed it, jumping back a foot as she darted for Vulcan with an open mouth.

Vulcan’s roar filled the air as he pinned his wings to his sides and clashed with her in the middle of the meadow. I wasn’t bothered by their fighting—not as his words settled in my mind.

Glacies was protective of Auria. I knew that. So why was she so mad about him speaking the words aloud?

Unless…

“You bonded with her.”

But dragons didn’t bond with humans. They hated everything they stood for, how weak they were. The only reason they put up with fae was because we had strength, power.

But Auria didn’t need vials to use magic. Could that be how she’d protected herself from the wolves? Was that what she was about to tell me inside?

Which meant…Auria might not be human after all. I’d gone back and forth on whether she might be full-blooded fae from a royal bloodline that had died off after the moon exploded, but if she was, that meant they weren’t extinct either. And that her father had been with a fae. The creature he despised.

A cacophony of growls and snapping teeth filled the meadow as Glacies took her anger out on Vulcan for speaking her truth into existence.

“When?” I questioned, raising my voice.

“ It is not of your concern, ” Glacies hissed before attempting to sink her fangs into Vulcan’s leg. He dodged it, batting his wing to keep his balance.

“When?” I asked again, louder. For the time being, everything about Auria was my concern.

Fuck, not just now. Forever. I didn’t think I could ever rid myself of thoughts of her.

Glacies backed up a few steps from Vulcan, turning her anger on me. She must’ve seen the concern in my eyes, for hers softened almost instantly, her lips falling to cover her razor sharp teeth.

Her head hung as glistening white eyelids blinked over frozen eyes. “ The moment I saw her in the mountains. ”

“And you’re just now telling me?” Anger laced my words, despite my attempt to keep it contained.

She lifted her neck, tucking her wings in. “ It is not meant to be. ”

“But it is. Because it happened.” There was no undoing a bond. They were connected for life. “Does Auria know?”

Those piercing blue eyes shot to me. “ No. And she will not. ”

“That’s not something you can decide for her. What if you get injured? She would feel it and not have a clue what’s happening.”

Glacies’s eyes narrowed, like that was some kind of insult. “ I do not get injured. ”

I scoffed, shoving a hand through my hair as Vulcan came up beside her. His gaze was filled with worry, and I had no fucking clue what to do.

“ I want to see her, ” Glacies demanded.

“No.”

Panic pooled in her eyes. “ You cannot keep me from what is mine. ”

“You just said it yourself—you don’t even want her!” The thought had my stomach turning.

Vulcan stepped forward, blocking Glacies from me. His voice quieted, aiming his words directly at me. “ Let Auria make this choice for herself. ”

I shook my head in disgust. “Glacies wasn’t going to give her that option. She has no idea why she even likes the short-tempered beast.”

A low growl filled the air behind Vulcan, indicating she’d heard.

Good. I wanted her to know I was aware of that little fact about her. If that temper ever turned itself on Auria, I’d rip her wings from her back myself.

“ As the universe allows, let it be how it will be. ”

I stared up at Vulcan, hating the wisdom he randomly decided to spew. I much preferred his backhanded comments and dramatic eye rolls.

“Fine.” Vulcan moved out of the way, allowing Glacies and I to face each other. “You get ten minutes with her, and if you so much as think about taking her and flying off?—”

“ Her safety means more to me than taking her from here, ” Glacies admitted, her tone softer than I’d ever heard it before.

With a nod, we headed in the direction of Deadwood.

* * *

I left Glacies and Vulcan behind the house as I went inside to see if Auria was awake. Glacies had made it a point to say that she was, but I got the feeling the dragon would find a way to wake her even if she wasn’t.

Heading in through the front door, I took the steps two at a time. Flynt was right where I’d left him, his back leaned up against the doorframe and arms crossed over his large chest. His eyes caught mine as I walked down the hall.

“Has she come out at all?” I asked, even though I hadn’t been gone long.

Flynt shook his head, adjusting his stance to give me room. “Not a peep from the room.” As I reached for the door, he added, “There were no knife wounds on the wolves, Bowen.”

I paused, meeting his gaze. “None of them?”

He shook his head, confirming my suspicions. Whatever light Auria had seen was the thing to take them all out. I didn’t dwell on the fact that it only made me hate Lander more, knowing he hadn’t even stabbed one of them.

We’d figure this out later.

Carefully, I twisted the handle and slowly opened the door to peek in.

She was sitting upright on the bed, her back against the stacked pillows with her gaze on the door. “I’m not some caged tiger waiting to strike.”

I opened it the rest of the way to step in. “I didn’t want to wake you.” Her eyes drifted to the comforter pulled up to her waist as she picked at a stray strand. She looked…hopeless. “What’s wrong?”

Her chest rose under the large shirt she wore as she moved to rub at her finger. “What are we to do when the bridge is back up?”

I moved without thinking, crossing the room to sit on the side of the bed. I pulled her fidgeting hands into my own. “We will figure it out when the time comes.”

The truth was, I didn’t have an answer. I couldn’t keep her here—not without inciting a war between Deadwood and Amosite.

She shook her head. “I am forever his, Bowen.” Glossy eyes found mine, and my hands squeezed hers. “Never yours, nor mine.”

She studied me for my reaction, but I had none. It couldn’t be this way. I wouldn’t let it.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she whispered.

“I know,” I murmured, my thumb coasting over her skin. I wanted to tell her she could stand up to him, fight him on this, somehow find a way to gain her freedom, but we both knew that would never happen. Not so long as he lived.

How would that affect Glacies’s bond with her? To never see her other half? She had no way of even getting into Amosite if she simply wanted to visit.

“Are you up for some company?” I asked.

She blinked, and all the pain seemed to wash away in that act alone. “ I have company?”

I pressed my lips together. “Of a sort.”

She arched a brow in response.

I stood, helping her off the bed. Her bare legs were no longer uncertain, so I reluctantly dropped her hands. My palms itched with the craving to have her skin back on mine, causing my fists to flex as we walked. She wore only my black shirt, the hem brushing her upper thigh.

Auria took her time descending the stairs, holding on to the railing as she went. I stayed right behind her in case she needed me for balance, but she made it to the bottom successfully on her own. Once we were outside, we rounded the corner of the house to head toward the back. Auria didn’t stop walking when she saw Glacies. Rather, she continued to approach her, craning her neck back to look up at the towering dragon.

I stayed a few feet back as Glacies lowered her head in one fluid motion, sending a small gust of wind to blow a couple strands of hair off Auria’s face. The dragon’s giant, white nostrils flared as she took in Auria’s scent, likely checking her for lingering injuries. Auria didn’t move as Glacies inhaled deeply, and when the spot right above Glacies’s eyes furrowed slightly, Auria reached out a hand.

On instinct, I took a step forward, worried she was overstepping, but a low growl emanated from Vulcan’s throat, silently telling me to leave them be. I obeyed, but kept a sharp eye on the two of them. One wrong move, and I’d be getting Auria the fuck away from her. Just because they were bonded didn’t mean Glacies was giving her a welcome invitation to treat her as a pet, but regardless, Auria had no knowledge of it to know any better.

Auria’s palm rested gently between those glacier eyes, and instantly, Glacies’s eyelids fluttered shut against her reassuring touch.

“I’m okay,” Auria whispered.

Glacies brought her nose closer to Auria’s side, the fabric of her clothing catching slightly on the edges of her scales.

As if Auria could sense Glacies was finished in her inspection, she removed her hand, and Glacies raised her head. The dragon didn’t take a step back as she regarded me with disdain.

“ You are lucky you get to live another day, ” Glacies said, her voice thick with what had to be emotion. I was sure she could still smell the lingering pain in Auria’s body, sense what she had gone through on that dreaded flight back from the forest.

I dipped my chin, giving her the benefit of the doubt, knowing she wasn’t in the best state of mind to have a bickering competition at the moment. Glacies was a stubborn dragon. I hadn’t crossed paths with her often, but when I did, she was always up for a battle, whether verbal or physical, despite weather or circumstances.

Glacies took a few steps back from Auria, her frozen eyes hinting at concern as she studied her. “ I said it before, and I will tell you again. Be careful who you trust, burned one. ”

“I would prefer if you call me Auria.”

Her response shocked me to my core, and then I was moving without thought as I stepped beside her, positioning her just behind my shoulder in case Glacies decided to strike. And with the shift in her features, I didn’t doubt she was thinking about it.

But she and Auria were bonded… She would never?—

“ As you wish, Auria, ” Glacies replied before flaring her wings and darting off into the starry sky.

I shot a look at Vulcan, who read the message loud and clear as he took flight, heading after Glacies. He’d make sure she was okay, though I was certain the dragon would want to be alone. Dragons didn’t handle heavy emotions very well, especially ones they didn’t have the answers to. They wanted solutions, and most of the time, feelings got in the way of that.

Slowly, I turned to find Auria staring up at the sky, the stars reflecting in her pupils like pops of sparks from a fire.

“I think I’d like to sleep right here,” she murmured, not taking her gaze from the galaxies looming above us. She seemed to be in some sort of haze, transfixed by the world and what it could offer. What it could take. “For one night.”

If savoring the midnight sky was what she wished, I’d make it happen. To give her the world and more in just a few short days would be my greatest honor.

“For one night,” I repeated.

After finding Flynt, he made that happen, bringing down blankets, pillows, and water. I worked on setting up the makeshift sleeping arrangement while Auria kept her gaze on the sky, and it took all I had in me not to admire her the way she was the stars. A universe of beauty, and I could only see her.

Once the blankets were laid out neatly and the pillows were in place, Auria lay beside me, one blanket between her and the grass, and another draped over her body up past her breasts.

“We can’t see as many stars in Amosite because of the city,” she said quietly.

I forced my gaze to stay trained on the sky, for if I turned her way, I feared I might do something reckless. So instead, I spoke. “When we first met, you told me the stars were bright.”

“Yes,” Auria replied.

I swallowed, inching my hand just the slightest bit closer to hers where it rested directly beside me. My skin hummed with the nearness of her. Under these stars, with Auria beside me, I feared my brain was malfunctioning as my tongue listened to my heart and let slip an admission I should’ve kept tightly locked away. “They’ll never shine as bright as you, Auria. Not in my eyes.”

And for that one night, we fell asleep in silence under the stars, dreaming of a world much different than the one we were given, and wishing of a universe in which this might work.

Knowing that it wouldn’t.