A Hippogriff for Christmas - Zoe Chant Page 0,68

still didn’t explain where she’d gone.

Or where Scott is either, Annie thought – though right now, she wasn’t certain just how much she cared about that, beyond not wanting Mr. Dearborn to suffer any more than he had already on Scott’s account.

As if in answer to her questions, there was a sudden burst of flame from one of the rooms adjoining the foyer, followed by a furious, otherworldly shriek and the sound of a – a horse?

The unicorn from before, Annie realized, shaking her head at the idea that this was just a relatively normal thought for her to have now. They must still be fighting –

“That was Declan,” Beau said, struggling to sit up. “I need to go help him –”

“Wait, Beau,” Annie said, holding his arm as he stood up. “You’re still injured. You can’t just –”

“Believe me, Annie, I feel fine,” he said, though he winced a little as he rolled his shoulder. “And I can’t just stand by and let everyone else do the work.”

“Ordinarily, I wouldn’t let anyone who’s just had dragonsbane in them go anywhere,” Landon spoke up. “But… griffin’s blood is a powerful healer. And to be honest, against a phoenix? I think even Declan will need some help, and it seems like everyone’s got their hands full here.”

“This is a time when we could really use Garrett,” sighed Beau, and, at Annie’s questioning look, explained, “Garrett’s a dragon. Even a phoenix’s flames wouldn’t bother him.”

Another surge of heat, followed by the angry screech of a bird, came from the room off the foyer.

“I promise I’ll be careful, Annie – and Declan and the others are here now. I’ll be all right.”

Despite his reassurances, Annie only reluctantly let him go. She had only just gotten him back, and she was still processing the fact that he’d woken up at all. To let him go again so soon –

Beau squeezed her hand, as if he’d read her concern in her face – or her heart.

But in the end, she knew Beau had to help his friends and colleagues. She knew that sitting back and letting other people take on the danger wasn’t something he could do.

He promised he’d be careful, Annie thought, as Beau stepped back from her, holding her gaze. He looked her in the eye as if to affirm the promise, and then he shifted.

Although Annie had already seen him do it once before, it took her breath away to watch it happen – the shimmer of his skin, the sudden spread of his massive wings. Watching him change from the man she loved into the fearsome mythical creature filled her with… pride.

My mate, Annie thought, her heart pounding in her chest as he gave her one last look, the love he had for her somehow clear even through the golden eyes of the eagle, before he spread his wings, lifting up off the marble floor of the foyer and heading toward the vast room Rosalind had fled to.

But he didn’t fly far. In the next moment, Rosalind’s fiery form swept back out into the foyer, her long tail trailing flames in her wake.

Annie gasped, feeling Landon’s hand on her shoulder as she scrambled to move out of her path.

But as it happened, there was no need – Rosalind’s flight was checked suddenly by Beau, rising up into the air, his wings spread wide, a furious screech leaving his beak.

Rosalind banked sharply, her wings curling, in the face of Beau’s much larger form. He might not have been on fire, but he was clearly undaunted by the flames and heat emanating from her body.

Letting out an enraged squark, Rosalind tried to turn, only to find Declan behind her in his unicorn form, golden horn slashing through the air and barring her way.

She might have been fast, but Beau was still able to outmaneuver her, curving his body in the air and extending his talons as she tried to get past him.

But truly, there was nowhere for Rosalind to go, Annie realized. Shifter Patrol Corps agents blocked the doorway and lined the stairs, in both their human and shifted forms.

Annie could almost see the moment Rosalind realized she was trapped as she turned a tight circle in the air, looking for somewhere to go.

But there was nowhere. The phoenix squawked again, wings fluttering, clearly unwilling to give up.

In a flash of light, Annie saw Declan shift from his unicorn form to his human form.

“Just give up!” he called out. “There are more agents