Green shadow, p.32
Green Shadow, page 32
The tug inside me, the one I’d ignored for months, went nuts, and I moved a hand to my stomach as if I could physically soothe the butterflies.
Shadow stepped up beside me as his name rumbled over the speaker system. The darkness within his hood didn’t prevent me from seeing his face, as if his power had accepted me on a fundamental level.
He narrowed his eyes as he watched our opponents. “Are they who you were expecting?” His voice was pitched low.
“No,” I said. I couldn’t choke out more without my voice betraying just how upset I was. I’d listened with bated breath when the announcer called out the names of our opponents—shrugged off the unfamiliar names as a prudent precaution. But now, seeing an unknown face in place of my family’s, devastated me. I would have to fight to win. The Government would win this, and I would bide my time a little longer.
Narrowing his eyes, he studied the men intensely. “There is something out of balance with the pair.” His eyes narrowed further as if he could figure out what his magic was trying to tell him by will alone.
When he didn’t elaborate, I shrugged my shoulders. It didn’t matter.
The collar around my throat warmed on cue. A tingle started in my body. The wall separating me from my magic thinned, and a small hole opened, allowing a tendril of my power to lift from the vast well inside me. If I wanted to mitigate the devastating destruction it could wreak, I would have to attack physically.
In an explosive move, I shot forward. My black daggers clutched tightly in my hands. I went for the dragon, the more obvious threat, letting Shadow take care of the mage.
Surprise lit his brown citrine eyes, and he stumbled when I made it across the floor far faster than he expected.
Swiping with the blade, I aborted the move as soon as he started to react. My other dagger was already on the rise. The pommel aimed to land a disabling blow at his temple. His hand came up lightning quick, and the hard knob smacked the center of his palm instead of his head. He winced at the force behind the strike.
I didn’t have the energy to give him a nickname. So, for the first time, I could remember, I used the given name of my opponent. Athos used my forward momentum to throw me off balance. I tucked into a roll and came back up in a fighting stance.
The sand behind him shifted, moved, then molded itself into a block. I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut in shame. Really Ben! You have this incredible power at your fingertips, and you use it to trip someone like a schoolyard prankster.
As much as the juvenile trick had me cringing, I took advantage of it. It wasn’t the time to antagonize the man holding my leash. Lunging forward, daggers extended, I forced Athos to step back. His heel caught on the block, and he went crashing down. The sands moved again, this time becoming bands that would hold him to the earth, ready for me to finish.
My hands trembled, and a lead weight sat heavy in my stomach. Shadow was too busy with the mage to help, and if I didn’t kill this man, Ben would make his death slow and painful. Closing my eyes, I hardened my heart. I would give this dragon as much mercy as I was able.
In the background, I barely registered the announcer’s play-by-play. “Oh, no, folks. It looks like Athos is in serious trouble. Will Terra let him escape to play cat and mouse a bit longer? Or will she go in for the kill!!!”
Surprisingly, Ben loosened the sand holding the dragon down. The grains around my feet solidified. Relief made my muscles into limp noodles. They wanted this to last longer. That gave me more time to come up with an alternative to killing.
Athos slowly got to his feet, and I frowned. A trickle of blood dribbled from his nose. My eyes narrowed. I hadn’t hit him nearly hard enough, and he hadn’t fallen in any way that should result in the injury. So what the hell was going on?
He wobbled as he found his feet, his breathing hard. Anger surged through me. This guy made it to the final over Lucan. Quinn must be shitting his pants right now.
“You don’t look so hot. Do you need to sit down for a minute? It’s okay. I can wait.” A hint of venom colored my voice as I needled the man. I was so angry right now that not even my vow of silence could keep the words from spilling over.
“You worry about you. I can take care of myself.” His tone was all wrong, adding fuel to my ire’s flames.
“If you’re sure,” I used a flashy twirl of my blades to rile up the crowd.
Athos firmed his stance and came at me with the sloppiest set of punches ever. Dancing back, I blocked them with ease. I even tucked the daggers into my belt as I was doing it. It looked as if a stiff breeze would knock Athos over, and I didn’t need weapons to deal with this dragon.
“What the hell, man? You can’t tell me you made it this far fighting like this. I’m Terra. Haven’t you heard? I bury people alive and slaughter families. I’m a monster.”
Ben was letting me use my physical strength for the most part. But I could see my power swirling around me, still unable to touch it. Eventually, my puppet masters would say enough is enough and end this bout in a blaze of glory. Something every person here would remember for years to come.
Athos snorted. And when he spoke, his voice was far harsher than I expected. “You are not Terra. You are Mackenzie Green. Sister, hunter, protector.” He got in close, our noses almost touching. “And you are not a monster.”
I froze for a beat—the words having a catastrophic impact on my mind. Then, finally, my brain came back online, and I pushed away from Athos, my heart beating fast.
Panicked, I looked to the side. I could see the fire mage and Shadow exchanging blows in a flurry that enraptured the crowd. It was similar to what Shadow and Sam had done, except it looked like the pair coordinated their efforts.
My head whipped around to Athos, and I watched as he stalked toward me. His eyes burned with the light of his beast. My breath was shallow, and my palms started to sweat. I fought to get my reactions under control. What the hell?
Athos’s head cocked to one side as if he was listening to something only he could hear. A smirk caressed his mouth, and I scuttled back, wanting to put space between us until I got control.
The crowd’s noise faded as my mind blocked out anything other than what was happening here and now.
The more distance I put between us, the more my magic gathered. Every step had more tendrils escaping and building in the air. Ben had noticed my retreat and was using this time to pull enough power for one big, grand finale. The amount of power cresting would rip this building apart. Panic set in, hard and fast. There are families here. Innocents.
The magic paused, and I pictured the manic light in Ben’s eyes as he decided what to do with it, and I opened my mouth, ready to scream for Shadow to create a wall or for my opponent to take me out, anything to prevent the massacre about to occur.
Just as the magic began to shift, to take on the shape of an earthquake that would destroy everything, a firewall blazed around me, cutting off the line of sight needed to direct my power. I sagged with relief as the cresting magic halted, the final command not given.
The flames grew higher and higher, eventually cutting me off from everything. The air was so cool, odd, considering the flames raging around me.
I tensed as a shape appeared in the flickering firewall. Then, a figure stepped through, untouched. Only a powerful dragon could withstand a magical or mundane fire without even singeing their clothing.
Athos stopped ten feet from me, and for a moment, he stared. I crouched in a defensive position. Unsure what new surprises he had up his sleeve.
Mouth tilted up in the ghost of a smile, he reached up and pulled an amulet from beneath his shirt. I was too far away to see its shape, but its purpose quickly became apparent. The air around him shimmered, and when it cleared, my jaw dropped. My feet stuttered, wanting to lunge across the space of their own accord, and my hands came up automatically, ready to pull the man into a deep embrace. But my feet didn’t move, and my hands fisted empty air. I couldn’t move for the hope, fear, and sheer joy that crashed through me. Tears sprung to my eyes, and my lower lip wobbled.
Lucan…
His impossibly blue eyes alight, Lucan closed the distance between us. His magic brushed against my skin for the first time, and it was so warm and comforting I wanted to curl up in its embrace and never come out.
Fingers trembling as he got within touching distance, I raised them to touch his face, then stopped. What if he’s not real? If I touched him, and he turned out to be an illusion, I would shatter into a million pieces.
Lucan noted my hesitation, and his eyes softened. Then, slowly and deliberately, he took my hand and placed it against his cheek. I closed my eyes. The tears that pooled in my eyes slipped out, leaving wet trails down my cheek.
Then he was gone from my grasp. In a panic, I opened my eyes. Lucan had taken a step back. No, no, no, no… I mutely chanted, reaching toward him again. I couldn’t lose him. Not when he only just found me.
He didn’t go far. Only enough that he could drop to his knees without knocking me over. Convinced he was injured, I roved what parts of him I could see, looking for threats and finding none.
Lucan looked up at me. His eyes were deep pools of sorrow. When I went to pull him to his feet, he spoke for the first time since entering the flames.
“I am so fucking sorry.” The words came out in a harsh, guttural way that spoke of the immense emotions swirling within the man.
I didn’t say anything, stunned. What the hell did he have to be sorry for?
His knuckles went white at his side, and he refused to meet my eye. “You deserved better than the way we parted.”
“Lucan,” I went to my knees across from him. Time was of the essence. Whoever had created the fire couldn’t keep it up indefinitely, and we needed to have a plan before our shelter failed. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I am a monster, and your reaction to that revelation was natural for someone with your gifts.”
A growl tore its way free as Lucan turned to me like lightning, his hands rising to cradle my face. “You are not a monster. You are kindness, compassion, love. You are the sun, the moon, and the stars. You are everything I didn’t know was missing from my world.”
The intensity of his words almost distracted me from his impassioned speech. What had he learned about me to paint me with such a rose-colored brush?
“You’re wrong.” I tried to shake my head, but he held me tight. “I’ve done horrible things. Things I will never be able to atone for.” Tears tracked down my face to be gently wiped away by Lucan’s thumb.
“Annwyl, if only you could see yourself as others do.”
I crumpled at the compassion in his tone. Leaning forward, I fell into his arms, and he crushed me to his chest.
Choking back tears, I whispered, “thank you.”
“You never have to thank me.” He caressed my face again and smiled. “We have a long time to hash this out. I look forward to the challenge of changing your self-perception.”
I smacked his chest, and he laughed.
“Lucan, what’s the plan? Whoever is holding the barrier can’t maintain it for long.” Lucan’s gaze went vacant for a moment.
“Tyr said he’s fine. He and Shadow are having fun seeing who can perform the flashiest move while having the most dramatic response to the other’s attack.”
My chest lurched. “You brought Tyr into the ring with you.” My tone got pitchy. “What the hell were you thinking!” Lucan gave me a charming, boyish grin. If he thought he could get out of this that easy, he had another thing coming. Opening my mouth, I prepared to give him a piece of my mind, but he interrupted.
“You can yell at me later. But, right now, we free you.”
This time my heart hurt for another reason. My face lit with joy, and I felt light as a feather. Freedom, a dream I’d squashed for months, was now within my grasp.
Lucan opened his mouth to say something, then, without warning, pitched forward and crashed to the ground.
Chapter 40
Mackenzie
“Lucan, what’s wrong?” I cried, leaning down to put a hand on his shoulder.
He breathed heavily for a time, then, seeming to get himself under control, pushed himself back up. Blood dribbled from his nose and the corner of one eye. Fear coiled in my stomach. My hands trembled, and panic began to build. In a desperate attempt to fix him, I reached for my magic, but it wasn’t there, still blocked by the crystal’s power.
Ignoring the pain, I reached deeper. Sweat beaded on my brow as tiny zaps of electricity shot along my nerves. My muscles trembled. Never had I pushed the limits of the collar this far. It burned like fire. But it didn’t work. I wasn’t strong enough to overcome the combined might of the collar and my oath.
Lucan gripped the back of my neck and squeezed.
“Stop,” he barked, breaking through my haze.
“What’s happening?” I asked once I’d caught my breath. Lucan, panting, looked at me with a weight in his eyes.
There’s something he doesn’t want me to know. I froze. Trust and honesty were the foundations on which I built connections with others. If he kept this from me, the fragile bond we’d started to create, would snap. And there would be no coming back.
“I was going to wait,” he started. “It’s not fair for me to put this pressure on you right now.” He paused, frowning. Then looking over my shoulder, he returned his eyes to me.
“Fair or not, I want to know.”
“I’m dying.” The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow, and I staggered. “Back in the warehouse, as it was collapsing, I initiated my side of the mate bond. But, unfortunately, they’re not meant to be one-sided forever. The stress is causing my organs to fail. If not for Alec and Tollas, I would’ve died months ago.”
Anger rose within me. “Why the hell haven’t you wooed the woman into accepting or fucking let her go.”
He was hurting himself for what? Shits and giggles? And the asshole had the gall to smirk at me.
“Well, you see, she was abducted and held captive. So I haven’t had the chance to make myself indispensable to her…Yet.” He grabbed me by the neck and pulled me forward until our foreheads touched. “And my heart will stop beating in my chest before I give up on the chance to make her mine.”
I scrunched my nose while replaying his words. Lucan chuckled. Then his meaning hit me, and I went dizzy.
“Yes, it’s you.” He ran his thumb over my cheek in a gentle caress.
I didn’t deserve that kind of dedication. “It can’t be me, Lucan.” I stated, trying to pull away.
Lucan’s eyes glowed, and the voice that ascended was that of the dragon living deep within. “You and no one else.” The beast’s tone left no room to argue.
My heart was pounding, and my brain became jelly. The spot in my chest that had both confused and comforted me gave a confirming tug. Finally, I understood. It was the incomplete bond making itself known. Lucan was telling the truth. I was a compatible partner for him, and at some point, he’d chosen me.
The princess that secretly lived in every girl swooned. But I was a practical princess. “So, snap the bond, and restart the process.” My words were low.
“Can’t,” he coughed. Flecks of red coated the hand he used to cover his mouth. “Mate bonds are one and done. I give up now, and no matter what builds between us, we will never have that connection.”
I wiped the blood from his lips, an iron smell permeating the air—my mind racing. I was a paranoid, cynical, glass-half-empty kinda girl. Did I really want to subject Lucan to me for the rest of his life? Could I do that to him?
Misinterpreting my hesitation, he whispered, “If we do this, and you don’t want me, there is a wyvern in the Dracos tribe who can break bonds. I won’t trap you. But please give this, us, a chance.”
Relief lifted a massive weight off my heart. I wasn’t apprehensive about being tied to Lucan; I’d seen the heart of the man in those few short days during the summit. While he wasn’t perfect, neither was I.
But if I screwed this up, which I undoubtedly would, he would have a way out. A chance at a proper mate.
Looking deep within my heart, I found I wanted this more than I’d wanted anything except my freedom. I would take whatever Lucan was willing to give, and I would do my absolute best to make sure he never regretted making the offer. “You sure know how to sweet talk a girl,” I teased and grabbed his hand, interlacing our fingers. “Let’s do this.”
Reaching out, I looked for the source of the tugging, ready to accept it with my whole being. I was all in.
Then the shitass collar got in the way. Like my magic, I could feel the bond now, but I couldn’t touch the damn thing.
Clawing at my neck, I tore my fingernails, trying to get the ring off. Lucan needed me to complete this bond. I wouldn’t fail him like I’d failed so many others.
Before I could break the skin on my neck, Lucan gently grabbed my hands and forced them away from my throat. Kissing the bloody fingertips before lowering them. “Easy, Annwyl. We have time yet.”
No, we didn’t. Blood vessels broke in his other eye, turning the whites red. The pressure was getting critical.
Letting go of one hand, he kept a wary eye on me while pulling on a heavier chain looped around his neck. It was a thick rope of metal. At the end, a familiar lump of ore pulsed with energy. I reached out with a hesitant hand and touched its warm surface.
Joy shot through me as I recognized who it was. Leaning in, I touched my lips to the metal. Then backed off to whisper, “Hello, Connor.”
Metal particles began to peel off the lump and swirl between Lucan and me. They moved around us in a figure-eight pattern before breaking off to one side and coming together into a man—my brother.
Connor wasted no time scooping me off the arena floor and crushing me to his chest. His thick dark arms engulfed me, and I tucked my head under his chin. I inhaled his scent – metal and fire. Then, putting my arms around him, I returned the bear hug.
