Chapter 82 CHAPTER 82
I kicked Styx into a faster trot, my heart pounding harder with the pounding of his hoof on the rocky path.
The pull in my chest intensified, sharp and insistent, dragging me forward like I was tethered to her by an invisible rope.
ShadowRider's panic pulsed through our bond in waves, confirming what I already knew.
Something was very, very wrong.
We rounded the corner toward the healing house and the sight before me nearly threw me off my steed.
Florian.
He was slowly dismounting from Zephyr, his silver dragon, with something cradled in his arms.
Someone.
My vision tunneled and I zeroed in on the figure in his arms. I already knew who it was the second I turned this corner, my panic matched ShadowRider’s and I nearly screamed when I saw the state of her.
Alira.
Her body was limp, her head lolling against Florian's shoulder. Scorch marks darkened her skin like she'd been rolling around in soot.
But she was barely holding onto life. Styx halted right before the dragon and I flew down, using my shadows to get closer, my heart pounding erratically.
“What the fuck happened? What did you do to her?” I snapped, reaching immediately for her, my heart flying out of my chest in panic.
“Why the fuck are you assuming I did it to her? Where's the fucking healer? She was attacked by a leech and for some reason, she killed the thing from its cocoon on out but it's drained her. Completely Draco, she has no dreg of power left in her chi. If we don't recharge her soon, she'll become a literal vegetable!”
Fuck no.
“Eruwan isn't available and the doctor the king sent here is a fucking lunatic. But I'll take care of her, there's a ton of drugs and my personal healer taught me some things before I sent her off,” I grunted, turning around, a bit of guilt leaking into my heart.
Florian was a good man, but he was Fae, and no matter how much he tried to prove it to us that he was one of us, the inherent fear that he could easily switch sides kept everyone on edge.
But he saved her, and for that, I'll forever be in his debt.
“Wait, you're going to carry her on that horse?”
“You have a better idea? I'm not climbing your temperamental dragon,” I threw back.
“Look, she's delicate, okay? I'll run, try to catch up,” he said reaching for her.
I stepped back instinctively, turning my body to shield her from his outstretched hands.
The movement was automatic. Possessive.
Wrong.
But I couldn't stop it.
"I've got her," I said, my voice coming out harder than I intended. "I can handle this."
Florian's eyes narrowed. "Draco, I'm trying to help. She's been through something traumatic and she needs careful transport. I saw the last few seconds before the leech exploded, nobody achieves that without maximum damage. Let me help, I can at least fly overhead, make sure you get her there safely."
"That won't be necessary,” I insisted, walking towards Styx.
"Why are you being like this?" Frustration leaked into his voice. "I'm not trying to take her from you, I'm trying to make sure she doesn't get hurt worse than she already is."
Take her from me.
The words hit something primal in my chest.
Because that's exactly what it felt like. Like letting him touch her again, letting him help, would mean giving up something that was mine.
But she's not.
I mentioned her being mine, was so confident about it too, and in response, she took to her heels and fled.
Shamefully, I handed her back to Florian ShadowRider snapped at me again, irritated that I was wasting time being emotional while her life was in danger.
“I'll meet you at my house,” I grumbled as I climbed back on Styx, “protect her face from the wind.”
He adjusted her well and then took off, his dragon following suit immediately.
He's one of the verbal ones so I knew his life was so much better in that regard.
“Come on Styx, run as her life depends on it.”
Because it does.
Styx didn't need further encouragement. She took off at a speed I rarely pushed her to, her hooves thundering against the rocky path as we raced toward my house.
ShadowRider flew overhead, his massive black form a dark shadow against the setting suns, and I could feel his urgency matching my own through our bond.
The pull in my chest was weakening. Not disappearing, but growing thinner, more fragile.
Like a thread being stretched too tight.
Like it might snap.
My hands gripped the reins harder, my entire body tense as we flew down the mountain path.
Every second felt like an eternity.
Every breath she took that I couldn't hear, couldn't feel, sent panic clawing up my throat.
What if I was too late?
What if whatever she'd done to destroy that leech had cost too much?
No. Focus. Get her home. Save her.
We rounded the final bend and my house came into view.
Florian was already there, sitting in front of my door while cradling her and whispering things into her ear.
Jealousy gripped my mind and I was about to react again when ShadowRider roared all the way from the mountain, his mind screaming at me to focus.
“Fuck, you're right,” I gasped as I rushed towards my door and I pulled it open aggressively.
“Set her up on that couch. Draw out your blood and put it in a container. I'll be back.”
“My blood?”
“Yes, yours is stronger, you're part Fae,” I yelled back as I jumped on the stairs, rushing to my safe room.
Every important document has a copy in this place and it also holds some of the oldest magical artefacts of my kind.
When I opened the door, I felt the vibration coming from the charging stone. It was kept directly under the second son and has been that way for the past fifteen years.
It would do.
Moving it was harder than I thought, I must have forgotten how heavy it was.
But I managed and when I rolled it down the stairs, the halfling rushed to catch it.
I saw the cup where he'd bled quite a lot of blood and I couldn't help but do a double-take.
“You must really care about her,” I muttered suspiciously but he ignored my words.
So I began working, afterall, her life was more important than the vice grip jealousy has on my throat.