Page 24 of Galadon (Dragon’s Breath #8)

Rayna

She stood off to the side about twenty feet away while Galadon checked with the organizers about the duel order. No one dared get within ten feet of Rayna after the lone shifter’s display less than an hour ago, with word spreading fast, and she couldn’t say she minded. She hadn’t been that vulnerable since before she completed the slayer rite, and even then, she would have never dreamed of standing in the middle of more than a thousand dragons. It was strange being among them and feeling no need to kill.

Most of the Faegud had turned out for the event, including those who lived in remote parts of the territory. Their future was also on the line, depending on who won today. It was no wonder the market had been crowded earlier. Anyone selling goods or services would take advantage of the massive turnout.

“Your infernal horse is settled in the jakhal stables,” Titan said from behind her.

She hadn’t heard him walk up, but the crowd was loud, and her focus had been on Galadon. Squealing, she turned and hugged him. “Thank you so much.”

He stiffened but patted her back. “You’re welcome. But if your current scent tells me anything, perhaps you should stand back a few feet.”

“Oh, sorry.” She pulled away. “It’s just that you went to so much trouble for Onyx.”

Galadon growled loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear it. Do not embrace another male in public, or else they’ll expect me to do something about it. I respect Titan and have no wish to harm him.

I thought that was only if we’re mated, she shot back, unable to help herself despite the fact she’d vowed to hide that it bothered her.

He grunted in her head. I layered my scent on you so thoroughly that no one can tell the difference. For all they know, we are mated.

Seriously? Couldn’t you have discussed that with me first?

Galadon wasn’t even looking at her anymore, so no one would know they were still speaking telepathically except Titan, who could see her facial expressions.

For one, you didn’t complain last night or this morning while I was filling you with my scent. In fact, I recall a lot of begging for me to do it again. As for the other point, you bound yourself to me, so you are mated and mine forever. I merely made certain everyone else knew it.

Rayna gritted her teeth. Yet you’re free.

I made certain your scent covered me as well, so no female will try anything.

If not for all the witnesses, she would have thrown something at him—like one of her new knives. It’s not the same thing, and you know it.

We’ll discuss it later. Aidan and a few other Taugud are heading your way. I asked them to keep an eye on you when I cannot, so please stay close to them.

Rayna wanted to argue further, but as much as she hated to admit it, this was not the time or place. She appreciated that, unlike in the past, he looked out for her without being ordered. He did care, and there was no denying it. The stunning weapons he’d bought and fitted on her—a slayer—without hesitation spoke louder than words. She just didn’t understand why he could behave exactly like a mate without making the commitment. Did he enjoy leaving her hanging?

“Rayna, it is good to see you,” Aidan said, coming to stand a few feet to the side of her. “I see your situation has…changed since I last saw you, and you’re looking far better than the last description I received. Bailey and I were quite concerned about how you were faring.”

While he hadn’t participated in the rescue, she had no doubt the shifters he’d sent relayed all the details back to him. The Taugud pendragon hadn’t been able to get away due to other duties, but she was grateful he hadn’t hesitated to send many of his best warriors and even a high-level sorcerer. That had meant a lot.

“Physically, I’m doing much better. Thank you for your help on that.”

“Of course.” He dipped his chin. “But otherwise, you’re not?”

“It’s complicated.”

Rayna was used to the power Galadon emitted, but Aidan was a pendragon. His was nearly as strong but in a nuanced way she couldn’t describe. It was like his gaze could see through to the heart of her.

“Hmm, it always is with you two.”

She didn’t want to say it out loud, but it was clear he saw more than most.

Rayna decided to tell him telepathically, hoping that since he was mated to a slayer, he might have some advice. I told him I loved him just before I put the knife in my chest and felt my half of the bond form. He hasn’t said it back.

Shock lit in Aidan’s eyes. “We didn’t know that’s how you got that injury. Why would you do that to yourself?”

There was a hint of anger in his tone, directed at her.

I hadn’t hunted in a week, they’d tortured me daily so that I was weak and more susceptible to their potions. My slayer urges were so incredibly strong I could hardly fight them when I woke with a dagger in my hand and easy access to Galadon. It was either attack him or kill myself. The only reason I’m not dead is because I spotted your forces bringing the ward down just as I stabbed myself, so I managed to turn it at the last second. I won’t apologize for choosing the man I love over myself.

His gaze softened. “I see and understand. If I had to choose between me or Bailey under similar circumstances, I’d have likely done the same. We have been lucky no such circumstances ever arose.”

Memories of that time threatened to swallow her. She’d let herself cry once, but that wasn’t enough to move her past it. Rayna had to take a deep breath to rein in the mental anguish that threatened to overwhelm her. His kindness and sympathy made it harder to stay indifferent.

“He’ll tell you when he’s ready,” Aidan said in a low, soothing tone that few nearby could possibly hear. “I spoke the words to Bailey first, but she needed more time to make the same commitment. It wasn’t easy wondering if she would take that step. She did eventually come to terms with her feelings for me, though, and it was worth the wait.”

Rayna nodded. “Thank you. It helps to hear that.”

Titan, who stood close enough to catch Aidan’s side of the conversation, cast her a sympathetic glance. The kindness and support in his gaze touched her. Sometimes, it was easy to feel alone, especially when dealing with emotional trauma. Yet these people cared more for her than anyone had in a very long time.

“Thank you all for everything,” she said, glancing at them both.

Aidan smiled. “We were glad to help.”

Galadon finally returned, still in his burnt orange dragon form. She took that to mean he would conduct his first fight with teeth and claws. He gave her a look she couldn’t read. If they were mated, she’d have been able to sense any strong emotions from him through their bond. Since they were only halfway there, nothing came through.

My first fight is with a non-shifter—the strongest among them, though not the brightest. We will go first. It should prove to be an interesting battle, he said, his tone lacking the warmth and humor of earlier that day.

Something told her he’d caught enough of her conversation with Aidan to have been bothered by it. Rayna wouldn’t apologize for speaking to someone else on the matter when she needed clarity, and the pendragon could help with that since he understood the situation better than anyone.

Still, she wouldn’t let her annoyance get in the way right before Galadon entered a duel where he could get hurt. It wasn’t unusual for some of the contestants to even die. She chose her words carefully so she didn’t insult him. Be careful, but make him hurt.

A spark of amusement flashed in his eyes, to her relief. Of course.

Rayna conveyed the details of the fight to Aidan and the others. While she spoke, Lorcan joined them in human form, strapped with all his weapons. His expression was jovial.

He dipped his chin at Aidan. “Thank you for coming, pendragon.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it, old friend.”

“How is Bailey doing?” he asked, lifting a brow.

Rayna had been so caught up in her own troubles that she’d forgotten to ask about the slayer, which was especially bad since she was pregnant. She really needed to get her head on straight and stop moping about things she couldn’t change.

Aidan sighed. “She wasn’t happy that she couldn’t come with me, but the last few months are the most uncomfortable. Traveling this far was unrealistic, and though most here accept her now, I’d rather not put my mate at risk.”

“Is Orion excited about the baby coming?” Rayna asked.

The pendragon laughed. “It’s all he talks about. He is helping prepare for his little sister and gets upset if we leave him out of anything.”

So it was a girl. No doubt the healers figured that out once Bailey was far enough along.

“I’m glad to hear the baby will have a faithful elder brother,” she said.

Titan snorted. “I imagine she’ll be the most protected hatchling ever between Orion, her parents, and other family and friends.”

“Bailey put her foot down and said our daughter will learn to fight as a warrior if she’s inclined.” Aidan ran a hand through his dark hair. “I find it difficult to go against my mate on anything since I’m with her for this pregnancy, and very grateful for that, but I don’t think her plan is wrong. Anyone who wishes to learn how to fight should do so, and everyone needs some basic skills at least.”

“It’s good you see it that way.” Rayna smiled at him. “I’m sure Bailey appreciates your support.”

“She does when our daughter isn’t making her too uncomfortable.”

Everyone laughed, and even Galadon snorted. She thought about mentioning she had no intention of finding that out for a long time to come, though it would be nice eventually, but she kept silent. Rayna had no idea how he felt about the matter. He couldn’t even commit to her, so maybe he wasn’t interested in that sort of thing at all.

Aidan turned to chat with the others. She stood quietly until they called Galadon to the dueling field. When he gave her one last look, she returned it with a confident nod. It was the best possible gesture under shifter etiquette and showed she had complete faith in his prowess.

They didn’t waste much time on formalities, so within a few minutes, the two contestants were attacking each other. The male Galadon fought was slightly larger. While her half-mate was huge for a shifter, he was a smidge smaller compared to most pure dragons. Size didn’t seem to matter as he brutally tore into his opponent.

At one point, Galadon got struck hard in the head with a tail, but he returned the favor by tearing into his foe’s stomach, ripping it wide open. Guts spewed out. The Faegud dragon had no choice except to concede defeat so he could get to a healer before blood loss took him.

Galadon held his head high as he stomped off the field. She gave him a pleased smile before he turned to crouch before their group, waiting to find out who he’d fight next. There would be five more duels before they’d draw names for which pairs faced each other in the second round.

In the meantime, he seemed to be in a different mental space. One where he barely acknowledged her or the others near them. Galadon focused entirely on the other contestants as he watched their every move. This was the warrior side of him.

The second duel was two male dragons fighting against each other. They were both excellent fighters, and it took about ten minutes of them ripping into each other before one of them won. The winner limped away with his head held high. For the third duel, a tough female pure dragon was set against Felienne. No one was surprised when the softer female lost, though it looked like she’d had some recent training, so she managed to last two minutes before a broken wing had her conceding.

With round four, Nayeli—a fierce female shifter—and Telarion fought in dragon form. She almost had him twice with her fangs at his neck, but he somehow managed to get free. All the while, he was taunting and insulting her just low enough that the audience could only catch words when the two came near their end of the field.

After fifteen minutes, they really went after each other in a blur of motion. When it stopped, Nayeli’s eyes were gouged out, and her throat was crushed. A healer rushed to save her, but it didn’t look promising when they carried her limp body away. Rayna felt terrible for her.

Lorcan fought the fifth duel against a pure dragon. He’d shifted right after Galadon’s duel, so he’d had a little time to prepare before the fight. His opponent was no slacker, and it would have been a challenge for Rayna to win even at full strength, but the shifter eventually tore at his opponent’s underbelly until he had his talons around the beast’s heart. That had been creative, impressing everyone. Lorcan let go when the pure dragon conceded, so there was no serious damage.

She paid special attention to the final duel of round one between a shifter who’d made a name for himself during the war and Boese—also a shifter—who Galadon told her was his personal nemesis in the toriq. He’d told lies about him behind his back and always had two brothers around to deter anyone from challenging him. All three were tough fighters who had no problem with underhanded tactics. Galadon faced them all once, but he’d said he barely survived the encounter. The only thing that had made him feel better about it was that the trio also spent days recovering.

Now, Boese would be fighting, Nicco, a shifter who was a talented warrior but also honorable. Rayna badly wanted the good guy to win and inched forward until she was next to Galadon for a better view. He was just as intent on the duel as it began. The two males chose to battle in human form, and their swords clanged together so often that it was nearly a blur.

All they managed to do for the next ten minutes was exchange minor cuts and slices. Then their blades locked, and their faces were mere inches apart. Boese spit straight into the other shifter’s eyes.

“That disgusting asshole,” Rayna muttered.

Galadon grunted next to her.

While Nicco wiped his face with one arm, Boese pulled a dagger and stuck it in the other male’s stomach. The audience gasped. By her estimate, he was struck in the right kidney. As someone who’d lost one of hers recently and spent over a week regrowing it, she had some experience with the matter. It had to be brutally painful, especially as Nicco pulled the blade out and blood leaked from the wound.

She hated that they couldn’t interfere and help him.

The two males backed away from each other, one staggering in pain. Boese twirled his sword like a baton, showing off for the crowd. Lorcan mentioned hating this guy as well, and she could understand why.

As Nicco swayed on his feet, he managed to keep hold of his sword. Boese charged him, pointing the blade at his opponent’s chest. Their weapons clanged together, slid, and somehow, the horrible shifter stuck his into the side of the honorable one’s throat. That was an automatic win, but it wasn’t good enough for the bad guy. Boese pushed the blade farther until half of Nicco’s neck was cut off. He collapsed to the ground, spurting blood before his eyes lost their spark of life.

The crowd roared, mostly in anger. Unfortunately, there weren’t many rules to the duels, and fighting to the death was permissible when it came to a bitkal. Of course, Galadon had just taken a man’s life two hours ago in the street, and he’d suffer no repercussions because he was defending Rayna, and it had been two-on-one. There were enough witnesses that he wasn’t even questioned about it.

Nicco’s body was carried from the field, and the elders met to draw names for round two. They waited in tense silence for them to be announced. After several minutes, an older male called them out. Telarion would face the remaining male pure dragon. Lorcan would duel against the remaining pure female dragon, who’d been his mother’s friend, and Galadon got Boese. Rayna worried for him, but she was also glad because if anyone could handle that horrible guy, it would be her half-mate.

The six remaining contestants met with the elders to discuss their duels. She overheard that they had a thirty-minute break to rest and prepare. Boese demanded to fight in human form, which was fine with Galadon.

When he returned, he stopped beside her and began his transition immediately. When the fire died, she noted he’d only put on his pants, boots, and various weapons, but his muscular chest was bare. Not that Rayna was complaining about being able to appreciate all his muscles, but why would he do that? His camrium tunic gave him some measure of protection.

Galadon noted her confusion. “By going into the fight bare-chested, I’m stating that Boese is of so little concern to me that I don’t need armor.”

She wanted to argue that point, but too many people stood nearby. He was supposed to be the strongest fighter in the toriq. If she questioned his decision, it would undermine him. Rayna would just have to worry in silence.

“Whatever you think is best,” she said, turning her gaze away.

Galadon took her arm and turned her to face him, then leaned closer to her ear. “Trust me. It will enrage him, and he’ll make more mistakes.”

He might be quicker to cheat, too, she said into his head.

“Let him try,” he said with a feral grin.

Galadon let go of her to warm up and loosen his muscles. Switching bodies had to be a little awkward at first, but he moved with grace for a man his size. Rayna handed him a canteen of water, insisting he drink. He did it without question. It reassured her a little that he listened to her on that point.

The first duel went as she feared, with Telarion defeating the pure dragon through questionable means. He didn’t kill his opponent, but he did slice through a back leg. A healer had to go to work right away to save it. The shifter only received one nasty bite on his arm, but it didn’t seem to bother him much.

Lorcan spent ten minutes on his duel with the female dragon giving as good as she got. He finally pinned her down and clamped his fangs around her neck. She conceded gracefully, and they both walked off the field with minor injuries. Rayna was relieved that it went well.

It was finally Galadon’s turn. He didn’t look at her before walking onto the field, but she didn’t blame him. The lone shifter was fully focused on his opponent and likely planned his opening move. She wondered what he would do.

The look on Boese’s face was priceless when he stepped forward, spotting Galadon bare-chested. His complexion turned red. Apparently, this was an insult Rayna had never heard about before, but the spectators appeared amused.

Rayna glanced over at Aidan. “So not wearing a tunic is a thing?”

“It’s rarely done, but yes, to not bother covering one’s chest for a formal duel is the highest insult one can make. It tells their opponent that their fighting skills are less than that of a fly.” Humor danced in his eyes. “You’d have to truly hate the other fighter to do such a thing and be very confident you can win. Otherwise, you’ll look like a fool if you lose.”

“Right,” she said, sighing.

Titan joined them. He’d left during the break and hadn’t returned until now. “Odds are so high for Galadon that no one is betting against him except Boese’s family.”

“They know something the rest of us don’t,” she surmised.

He nodded. “It likely won’t matter what he tries, though.”

Rayna really hoped that was true.

She studied Boese, noting he was a very large man in his human form and almost as massive as Galadon, though his shoulders weren’t quite as wide. Heavy muscles rippled from his bare arms. He had warm, golden skin and long, dark brown hair, which he kept tied back at the nape of his neck. For the duel, he’d donned a black, sleeveless tunic that buttoned at the front and snug black camrium pants with matching boots. His face was blockish, and he had a large, flat nose. His amber eyes were cold and merciless as he drew his weapon and set his feet apart in a wide fighting stance.

The duel began, and her focus went to Galadon, tuning out everything else. He stood perfectly still with his sword at his side as Boese charged him. At the last second, he lifted it to deflect the other blade, then kicked the shifter in the chest so hard he went flying backward six feet onto his butt. Anger lit his opponent’s gaze as he staggered to his feet, breathing hard. She suspected Boese had a few broken ribs, considering his forward momentum when struck.

Over and over, he tried to get close to Galadon, but he failed. Rayna got the feeling that whatever trick he planned required proximity. He tried throwing dirt at Galadon’s face at one point, but the lone shifter twisted fast enough to avoid the spray. Then he kicked his foot backward to slam into Boese’s knee. The crack as it broke was audible.

Even Rayna couldn’t help wincing. She’d recently experienced that pain, but she had no problem wishing it on assholes. Boese began inching toward her end of the field, drawing Galadon with him. He limped heavily, but he had a determined glint in his eyes. This was a fight for the pendragon position, which meant power, and Boese clearly wanted it badly enough to push through any pain.

They traded sword strikes, but neither landed one. Galadon seemed to be wearing him down before he made his final move. Still, Rayna got suspicious as they moved within twenty feet of where she, Titan, and Aidan stood.

Boese would exploit any weakness.

She kept her hands loose and ready, watching his every movement. He managed to cut a thin slice across Galadon’s arm, using that moment of distraction to pull a small dagger from his belt and throw it directly at Rayna. At that distance, she had time to watch its trajectory and catch it with a clap of her hands six inches from her throat.

“Good job,” Aidan said, relief in his voice.

Titan let out a dramatic sigh. “I think I just lost five years of my life.”

Fingering the knife, Rayna grinned slyly at Boese’s shocked face. “I practiced catching blades before passing my slayer rite, fushka . You couldn’t have landed that throw on your best day, but thanks for the free dagger. I’ll cherish it.”

“You…” he began, seething at her calling him an idiot in his language.

A sound from behind him drew his attention.

Boese swung around just in time to see Galadon’s sword swing through the air at his neck. He had no time to dodge. A moment later, his head disconnected from his body and flew across the field, landing at his two brothers’ feet. They shouted and started to enter the field, but others leaped forward and held them back. Rules were rules, after all. They couldn’t interfere or retaliate in a fair fight. Though technically, Boese had cheated.

The Faegud elder declared Galadon the winner. Then, he announced another half-hour break before the next duel, but the lone shifter shook his head.

“I’m conceding from here. The remaining two contestants can battle for pendragon, and I’ll be satisfied,” he shouted loudly for everyone to hear, then walked straight toward Rayna. “I’ve got my prize right here.”

Shock filled her as he picked her up, pulling her legs around his waist, and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss he gave Rayna was so full of passion that she forgot everything else for a moment. Maybe he couldn’t say he loved her yet, but his actions spoke volumes. He was openly kissing her—an enemy of dragonkind—in front of his entire clan. If anyone had been in the dark before, they weren’t any longer. He was letting everyone know they were together.

Galadon pulled back to gaze into her eyes. “I knew he was leading me to you, and let him do it. The way you stood ready, I had no doubt you’d counter anything he tried and only make him look bad. You were flawless, as I expected.”

How could he have been so sure when she wasn’t at full strength?

“Even with the potion?” she asked, knitting her brows.

“Yes,” he said, pride in his expression. “Everyone knows I had to defend you earlier, but this was a way for you to show you’re not weak and still a force to be reckoned with if they have any doubts.”

Because, technically, she shouldn’t have needed help against two dragons when she was at full strength. Rayna wasn’t sure who besides Lorcan and Ujala knew she’d taken the potion. It was possible others had found out somehow, and that’s why she’d been tested twice today.

“Thank you,” she said. He hadn’t only restored her reputation but also helped her regain confidence in herself. That meant more than she could describe.

Galadon lowered her to the ground, letting their bodies slide together as he did so. It was shocking how much affection he showed in front of an audience, but it didn’t bother her. Rayna rarely felt shame about those sorts of things.

“Of course,” he said, tucking her into his side.

Now that he was done fighting, he kept her as close as possible. The change in his behavior was jarring, yet she didn’t mind. Maybe letting her catch the knife had still been more difficult than he let on, and this was his way of dealing with the lingering fear he’d felt at that moment. Rayna ran her hand along the tight muscles of his bare back in a slow, soothing motion to help calm him. Some of the tension left him at her touch.

She glanced in Lorcan’s direction and found he had stayed in dragon form. Since he and the other final contestant, Telarion, both fought pure dragons in the last round, it made sense for them to stay in their beast forms.

“I assume you two will be heading to your home directly after this?” Aidan asked, amusement in his gaze at her and Galadon’s closeness.

Rayna shrugged. “I need to take Onyx, so it’s going to be a long ride back.”

They were looking at nearly four hours for their return trip since flying was much faster. The sun was setting as they waited for the final duel, which meant they wouldn’t get home until around midnight.

“May I tell my mate that you will be staying in Galadon’s territory permanently now, so that she knows where to send correspondence?” Aidan asked.

That was such a loaded question, implying many things. Rayna opened her mouth, unsure what to say. The lone shifter had told her he wanted her to stay, but they still hadn’t worked out all the details and made solid commitments. Mostly, they’d just spent a lot of time in his bed.

“Yes,” Galadon said, looking down at her with a lifted brow. “If I have any say in the matter.”

“As long as he doesn’t do something to really piss me off,” she replied, batting her eyelashes at him.

He laughed. “You’ll be trying to leave every week if that’s the case.”

“Wait.” Rayna pulled away to get a better look at him. “Once a week is very optimistic of you, and what do you mean by trying , Galadon?”

He leaned down and whispered. “I would never hold you against your will, but I promise I will use every tactic I have to seduce you into staying.”

With her heart and soul bound to him, his chances of success were high, but she could be rather stubborn at times. “Don’t make me test you.”

Aidan cleared his throat. “While I am long familiar with how intimate a relationship between a shifter and slayer can be, you might have mercy for those who aren’t accustomed to it. I fear some of your audience is close to fainting while watching and listening to the two of you.”

Rayna laughed, noting the shocked gazes near and far around them. Only those from the Taugud seemed impervious to it. Bailey and Aidan were mindful, but they still had their moments from what she’d heard.

Galadon pulled back with a sigh. “After too many years of living alone, it is easy to forget myself and not care what the rest of them think.”

She believed he cared when it came to anyone questioning his or her fighting skills, but people’s opinions on anything else didn’t matter much to him. He didn’t have to see them when he went home, which probably helped.

“Understandable,” Aidan replied.

They finally called Lorcan and Telarion for the final duel. Everyone tensed, considering how the previous contests had gone. They wanted Lorcan to win this for his sake, but also because of the two remaining candidates, he was the most likely to lend them the forces they’d need to take down the last sizeable batch of Kandoran. Telarion didn’t strike her as the type to worry about a distant threat and certainly cared more about the power of the position. Rayna wondered who he threatened or blackmailed to get on the candidate list.

“What can we do if Telarion cheats?” she asked.

Galadon tensed. “It depends on how he does it and if we can intervene in time.”

She didn’t dare ask the scarier question. What if Lorcan died during this duel because they couldn’t do anything fast enough? Instead, she took a deep breath and hoped for the best.

The fight began fast and ferocious. Telarion charged forward on all fours with a roar, blowing flames as soon as he got close. Lorcan flared his wings and pushed up into the air, digging his talons into his opponent’s back as he passed underneath. He didn’t bother to land and stayed hovering above the ground, turning to watch what the treacherous shifter below did next.

Telarion growled, kicking up dirt as he turned around, and spotted his foe dripping blood from his claws. His back was shredded, but Rayna knew the scales protected most of the softer tissue underneath, so it likely wasn’t deep. It probably annoyed Telarion more than anything.

He took a running leap into the air and tangled with Lorcan as they tore into each other with teeth and talons. They moved so fast it was hard to tell who’d been injured or how. Neither could seem to get the upper hand on the other. Everyone waited with bated breath to see who fell first. Telarion shredded the other shifter’s left wing, but Lorcan bit hard into his opponent’s shoulder close to the neck. They slammed into the ground.

The brawl continued as they rolled in a tangle of wings, teeth, and claws until it was clear both of them were hurt all over their bodies. The ground was painted red from their wounds. It was hard for Rayna to stand and watch, doing nothing. She’d seen a few duels while staying with the Straegud years ago, but she hadn’t cared for them. It was easier for her to fight than observe. She hated not being in the action, even with her slayer instincts dulled at the moment.

Lorcan shrieked so loud her blood ran cold. It took her a moment to figure out what caused that level of pain, but then she spotted the claw in his left eye. Oh, crap, that wasn’t good. He needed his vision, or he’d be lost in the fight.

Galadon grabbed her arm, and she looked back at him. She hadn’t realized she’d even taken a step forward, but it came naturally for her to want to help friends. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to move next to him again. Her gaze returned to Lorcan, and she found him on his back. Telarion was going for his other eye.

Kick him hard in the stomach now! she yelled into his head.

He jerked in surprise but did as she ordered, sending his opponent flying off him. So much blood covered his face from claw marks she doubted he could see well, but she’d be his vision for him, dammit.

He’s just past your feet and trying to get up. Jump on him and use your talons to slice the tendons on his inner thighs, so he can’t rise again, Rayna said, giving him a secret move she rarely used because it was very hard for her to get into a position to pull it off, but the trick worked whenever she got the opportunity.

When you’re often a tenth of your opponent’s size, you did whatever was necessary.

To her relief, Lorcan carried out her suggestion exactly as she described. He cleanly sliced the tendons, and Telarion roared. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t kick or get up. Lorcan climbed fully on top of him and bit into his throat. This time, he didn’t wait for a concession and went straight to crushing his opponent’s neck.

Good for him. That last move needed to be all him, and Rayna approved.

She let out a sigh of relief as the crowd cheered and roared. Galadon leaned close to her ear and whispered just loud enough for her to make out his words. “I know what you just did.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, not meeting his gaze.

He chuckled. “I’m sure I can make you confess later.”

The damn shifter probably would, but it couldn’t hurt to taunt him so he’d work harder for it. “I’ll look forward to you trying.”

“Challenge accepted.”

The elders’ council eagerly congratulated Lorcan on his win and made the official announcement. She was happy for him and relieved, though the poor guy was swaying on his feet from injuries and blood loss.

“I’m going to go congratulate him now and swear my fealty so I don’t have to come back tomorrow to do it,” Galadon said, making certain the Taugud around them heard him.

They moved closer to her as the lone shifter walked away.

“I’m deeply impressed with how well he moved there at the end despite the fact he couldn’t have seen much of anything,” Aidan said, lifting a brow at her.

Rayna gave him her most innocent look. “Lorcan is an impressive warrior, and he likely used his other senses to guide him. I spent some time practicing how to fight blind, so if I ever lost my vision, I could still put up a fight. It’s tough, but doable.”

The Taugud pendragon shook his head in amusement. “You are just as mystifying as your horse, Rayna Jones.”

How did he know her full name? She couldn’t remember ever telling him, but she had told Bailey soon after they met, so maybe the other slayer passed on that knowledge. Still, it was eerie how much Aidan could see since growing into his pendragon powers. She hoped Lorcan became even half as good.

“A woman needs to be a little mysterious,” she replied with a sly grin. “Even your mate knows that.”

“My mate has learned that secrets she tries to keep from me last only hours,” Aidan replied, then turned his gaze to Galadon, who was returning. “I have a feeling you’ll find he will figure out all of yours, too, with time.”

They still had a ways to go before they hit that point. There was still so much they didn’t know about each other, and it seemed like something pressing always kept them from focusing on those things.

“A healer is tending the new pendragon,” Galadon said as he walked up. “But he wanted to let you know he’d have warriors ready in a little over a week. He needs that much time to heal, consolidate his position, and organize who will come.”

That felt like too long when she wanted revenge so badly, but she’d take what she could get. “Okay, guess we wait until then.”

“I’ll have my warriors ready by that time as well,” Aidan promised.

They said their farewells. The Taugud would stay the night and enjoy the celebratory feast, but Galadon and Rayna were ready for the return journey. She found her horse kicking at his stall door in the human-built stables. He neighed loudly as she approached.

“I’m sorry you had to wait so long, Onyx,” she said, opening the door and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I missed you so much, too.”

Gone too long, he said. Worried about you.

The stallion rubbed his nose on her shoulder, and she breathed in his reassuring scent. They stayed like that for a minute before she moved farther into the stall to get a good look at him. He didn’t appear to have any injuries, and when she checked his hooves, they were clean, and the shoes still looked good. Someone had piled all his gear off to the side as well. Rayna remembered Galadon mentioning the Kandoran hadn’t been interested in it, but she was surprised to find it here. It was a lot of heavy stuff to haul this far, though at least it was all spelled to be flameproof.

“Titan personally retrieved your horse’s things while you were still recovering and learned how to put them on before leaving the fortress,” Galadon explained.

She shook her head. “I’ll never understand why he’s so nice to me.”

“You earned his friendship and respect,” the shifter said, helping her as she saddled Onyx and got him ready for the long ride. He had no idea what he was doing, but he followed Rayna’s instructions easily. It was nice doing a basic task together.

“How are we handling this? I ride, and you fly above?” she asked. The time they’d ridden together before, it had been bareback and easier to fit both of them.

“Yes, but I’ll walk with you until we are beyond the jakhal,” he said.

Rayna nodded, excited to be with her horse again, even though it would be in the dark after a long day. “Sounds good.”