Page 43 of Magic & Secrets (Twisted Magic #1)
AS A VIOLENT, PURPLE storm built in the distance, Roque and I located a cabin to take refuge for the night. This location was deep within Raims Forest, far from regular patrols by the Murade’s forces.
Behind the cabin, I discovered two skeletal bodies resting side by side and surrounded by acorns, flowers, and branches. Roque frowned at them and looked around for threats.
“Were they murdered?”
“I suspect these were Coyote Shifters. They mate for life. If one of them was dying, the other couldn’t survive. Many Shifters don’t bury their dead but return their bodies to Lavinia by leaving them for the elements.”
Roque stroked the back of my head and sighed. “If you were dying, I wouldn’t want to go on. How would I kill myself?”
I considered his question for a moment before taking his hand and entering the cabin. Everything was tidy as if the former owners left it for the next creatures to claim.
“If you were to die,” I told Roque as I slid off my swords and rested them on a small table, “I would commandeer a boat and navigate away from Lavinia until a storm, sea beast, or the ocean itself claimed me. However, I suspect I would be so weakened by losing my mate that a simpler death would also be acceptable.”
Roque watched me strip down until I stood undressed in front of him. His fingers traced my lips, and his breathing grew ragged with need. The magic between us stirred, filling the cabin with a cinnamon scent.
“You seem different,” Roque murmured, kneeling in front of me and brushing his lips across my breasts. “Can you feel a youngling?”
My hands moved to my belly, where he nuzzled his nose as if seeking out our offspring. Closing my eyes, I felt strange magic blooming inside me.
“It feels a little like you,” I whispered as I mentally reached inside myself. “It also feels like my sisters.” Opening my eyes, I stroked his furrowed brow. “I hope that means our offspring isn’t a monster.”
“How long before it emerges from your body?” he asked, struggling for the right words.
“I’m unsure. It could happen tomorrow or a year from now. Do you know how long you were gestated at Operation Overlord?”
“A few months, I think.”
“Do you know if you were born in human form?”
“I saw Koda right after he was born, since he was one of the last of our kind created. He looked human but shifted into different forms.”
“How long before he was walking and talking?”
“He grew fast. Within a year, he was fully grown.”
“Oh,” I said, rubbing my belly. “That’s far faster than my kind.”
“The Murade likely hurried along our growth,” Roque said and then smiled. “How long did it take for you to be born?”
“Several months. We grew too fast for our mothers. That’s why they died.”
“Do you know for certain if your mother died? The Gathering lies.”
“What difference does it make? If my mother is alive, how does that affect my future or hers?”
“You could find her.”
Smiling, I stroked his forehead and sighed. “Our future doesn’t look like it’ll be quiet enough for me to search for a long-lost mother. I’ll be happy simply to see my sisters again.”
“I believe they’ll be at the mountain soon. Getting lost in Pandorium Forest slowed us down.”
“Koda and Enya were in a cave system within Zorata Territory. Depending on when they began traveling toward Mt. Elysium, they could already be at the mountain or a few days behind us.”
“They might end up in Elatalora.”
We shared a frown before I shook my head. “Enya would be leery of the city for the same reason I was.”
“And Koda is a reasonable Shifter. He would avoid the city if he thought his mate might be in danger. I really should have done something similar.”
“You tried,” I cooed and kissed the tip of his nose. “And without our stop in Elatalora, you wouldn’t know you could fly.”
“True. And what of Mina and Delta?”
“I dreamt of them somewhere south. Balzica Territory, perhaps.”
Sighing with worry, Roque draped his arms around me and stood up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him. We walked toward the next room where a bed awaited us.
Roque suddenly smiled while resting me on the canvas mattress. “On the morrow, we will mark Mt. Elysium with our scent.”
“Can we truly arrive there so quickly?” I asked, reaching for him.
“I will transform into my dragon form and fly the rest of the way. With our youngling already created, we need to get you somewhere safe.”
I now understood why Roque wanted to believe my mother was alive. If a lesser creature could survive birthing offspring imbued with an ancient one’s magic, he wouldn’t need to worry about my safety.
The cabin’s seclusion and the arriving fearsome storm ensured we remained unbothered for the evening. For the first time, we could mate without fearing eyes upon us or threats hiding in the shadows.
Roque and I made the most of our time alone. Slumber only found us an hour before dawn. I dreamt of magenta rain. A beast roared in the distance. A deep pain radiated from my stomach. My heart raced, and the world shuddered.
Waking with a start, I found Roque with his eyes already open. I reached for my belly and looked at the window. The sun broke through the trees. Everything looked normal. I felt the creature inside me still gestating.
“Nightmare?” Roque asked as he wrapped an arm protectively across me.
“I hope it wasn’t a prophetic dream,” I said and cuddled closer. “The dream wasn’t pleasant.”
Roque comforted me for another hour. By the time we headed outside, I felt calmer and excited to see Mt. Elysium. We scavenged for food on our way to a clearing where Roque could shift.
“Let’s see if I can do this on purpose,” he said as I backed away.
Roque’s dragon form made my heart race. I couldn’t believe he had the power to shift into something so massive and glorious. I kissed his red snout and ran my fingers along his scaled body before jumping on top of him.
As Roque lifted into the air, I couldn’t stop smiling. My fingers protectively stroked my magnificent mate. I had no doubt our mate bond could withstand whatever awaited us at Mt. Elysium.