magic shivered as the fey light shone throughout my entire being. I was betraying myself—all that I was and likely all that I was destined to become—but to save Arach, I would do that and much more.
The fey magic seeped into my cells and exploded. I screamed into Azrael's kiss, but he only held me tighter—kissed me stronger—until the tearing sensation dulled into a raw ache. I heard Arach crying out in denial, shouting my name, but it seemed to come from far away. My jaw ached from the force of the magic that shoved it open. My body went limp, then trembled violently. Muscles clenched and flesh tightened as my form wavered on the cusp of becoming something else. Then I fell into an abyss of wild magic.
My wings burst open and Azrael fell back as I was yanked into the air by the elements. Golden light coated me and I closed my eyes against the glare, but I didn't have to see to know what was happening to me. I felt my bones lighten and lengthen as feathers grew from the membranes of my wings. My hair whipped in the wind, growing wildly, and my eyes burned. I opened them with a gasp and saw the world in a new light.
On the ground, my mate stared up at me and smiled radiantly. He lifted his hands to me and I floated down to him, my wings stretched upward and my bare feet down. I alighted gently, toes rolling down to heels upon the soft grass, and took his hands. Azrael's forehead lowered to mine, his antlers bracketing my face, and we shared a moment of perfect communion. Our wings, both darkly feathered and sparkling now, lifted behind us as the magic gathered between us, arcing in ribbons of golden light. I felt as if I were made entirely of that light—a creature of the elements, uniting them with my spirit.
Azrael didn't have to guide me; the magic guided me. It helped us because it was a part of us and knew our hearts. Trust was a given when you were as entwined as us. The magic knew what we intended for it and saw that it was good. The well would anchor the wild magic in this realm and give it a powerful foundation to cling to. No one would be able to take it from the Earth then. Yes, we would have complete control over it, but the magic knew that we would guide it and not repress it. The elemental well would be a source of strength for the magic and us—allowing Azrael and me to connect with the entire world and alter it with a single touch. A single thought. It would be a tool of power instead of one of subjugation. The wild horse doesn't have to be broken to accept a rider. Offer it respect, treat it as a partner instead of a slave, and it will carry you willingly.
A scream came from my right. I glanced over and watched as Queen Bronagh solidified from her hands up. The magic flowed over her, silencing her screams as it turned her into a statue of pale gray stone. King Ruari shouted an agonized denial and tried once more to reach for his wife but couldn't free himself from the hardened soil before him. He leaned toward her, laid his cheek on her stone one, and wept brokenly.
It was enough to spark fear in me. The me that cared about these people rose inside my chest. My stare darted to the one I loved—my dragon—and I cried out wordlessly. Arach's hands were charred and smoking. His eyes were closed in agony, his scales were gone, his skin a raw wound, and his shoulders shook.
“Arach!” I shouted.
His eyes opened and sought mine. “Don't watch this, A Thaisce,” he panted past the pain. “I love you more than fire and life. Remember that and look away.”
“Focus!” Azrael snapped and grabbed my face. “Look at me! Feel me! Feel us together. Use the power, Vervain! If you want to save him, help me!”
I focused. I closed my weeping eyes and sought the golden light inside me. It flared from my fingers, connecting me to the ground and using that cord to pull me down to my knees with Azrael. Our hands sank into the earth between us as if it were air. We bent our heads together and light churned around our hands. It swirled outward from them—a