Brilliance (Circle of the Stars #4) - Sadie Jacks Page 0,16

little girls rushed forward, wrapped themselves around Stretch’s legs. She waved a couple female dragons over, had them take the little ones.

But the rest remained with the belligerent boy with hate in his heart. They were kids, too young to know what was really going on, but old enough to accept their parents’ prejudices as fact. I wished them well.

Stretch nodded. “Then good luck.” She spun on her heel and started back across the standing stone circle.

I caught up with her, grabbed her hand in mine. Hers was trembling. Her breaths were sobbing in her chest as she bit them back. Tears glistened in her lavender eyes.

“We could force them to follow us,” I said softly as we walked.

She shook her head. “No. They’re old enough to make their own decisions. Let them learn the consequences of them. Many of them joined their parents in yelling at me. Spitting at me. Calling me names. I extended them mercy. They chose not to accept it. They can live with their decisions.”

I nodded and kept silent. She wasn’t wrong. If the kids were old enough to spout hate, knowing the difference between right and wrong, then they were old enough to live with the outcomes. It was a hard way of living, but my girl had had it worse. Much worse.

The ground shook again. I stumbled, crashed into Stretch. I caught her as we fell. Rolled so I would be on the bottom.

After we came to a stop, I stared up into her face. “It’s almost a ritual, you landing in my arms.”

Her smile quavered as her tears turned her eyes to amethysts. “One I thank my stars for every day.” She leaned down, put her mouth to mine. Her kiss was whisper soft and full of love. It radiated from her, warmed me in its rays.

“This is not the time, nor the place, for such interactions, Goddess Hollyn,” Esmerelda said with a smile over my girl’s shoulder. “There are young eyes about.”

Stretch chuckled before getting to her feet. She leaned down, her hand out to help me up. I took it, pulled her back into my arms. I pecked my lips to hers in a promise.

The earth quaked.

“What the hell is going on?” Callum asked. “Is Merlin lost or some shite?”

Stretch laughed as she turned. “I’m not looking forward to finding out. We need to hurry. If we can break the spell to get back to our world, then we’ll be much safer as we speculate.”

“You had your chance to join me, Star Mistress. You chose, like those young men, to ignore the hand of help.” The voice came from everywhere and nowhere. It was low and husky, more gravel than actual tone.

It skated over my skin like barbed wire or steel wool. I shuddered. This asshole had possessed my woman. If he was even a tenth this powerful then, I had no idea how Stretch managed to resist him.

Stretch dug her toes into the ground. “And I’ll reject you for the rest of my life, asshole. Get ready to meet your maker.” She dipped down as if scooping something up from the ground. As she rose to her full height once more, power dripped from her hands like a sparkling waterfall.

Merlin’s chuckle rose on the wind. “Your paltry power cannot contain me, mortal. But I believe I owe you for a punch in the face.”

Stretch was ripped from the earth and catapulted into the sky.

Before I could think, I had shifted and was flying towards her in my dragon form. She moved so fast, I lost the sight of her more than once.

Then, when I thought I’d lost her forever, she was flung back towards the ground. “THANE!” she screamed. Her hands grappled for purchase in the thin air. Her face was wreathed in fear as her legs kicked.

I tucked my wings close and flew after her.

She’s dropping to the ground, I called out. I hoped one of the other dragons had shifted. That one of my brothers was nearby.

I see her, Drace replied.

As do I, Finn answered.

I’m hovering near the ground. I’ll see if I can slow her descent, Tove said.

I had no idea what that meant, but I was willing to accept any help at this point. The wind tore at my vision, caused it to blur as I pushed myself to the earth at a breakneck pace. We had to save her. Had to keep her safe.

Passing through the cloud bank, I saw Drace and Finn flying