we get to the outskirts of Leodis, we’ll fly her back here.”
“Here?” Hiram exploded. “Are you fucking serious, Ezra?”
“If you’re not going to cooperate, perhaps The Alchemist would be so kind as to lend us those shackles again,” I replied coolly, staring him down.
“You wouldn’t,” Hiram breathed.
“I’d be happy to help,” The Alchemist cackled. “Though, as I told Shira, the green one is my favorite. I suppose I can babysit this one for you, though.” Levi shuddered a little at that pronouncement.
“You knew we were watching her. Did she?” I asked curiously.
“No, she’s exceptionally unobservant.” I couldn't disagree with that.
“Your call, Hiram,” Oren said flatly, standing supportively at my right shoulder, arms crossed.
“It’s not much of a choice,” he replied bitterly. “I guess she’s coming back here then.”
“Ah, then we’re ready,” The Alchemist replied cheerfully, walking around the edges of the bubble and toeing at the ground with her feet until the bubble dispersed. That we’d walked into the middle of a spell circle without realizing was a testament to how fucked up we were over Shira. “Be on your way, then.”
I glared at her as I led my flight out of the apartment. She was an infuriating old goblin. However, she seemed to have taken a liking to Shira, at least.
We’d already made too much of a scene flying in here, I realized. It was dark, and the town was quiet, but any risk was too great if Shira’s safety was in question. I led my brothers through the winding streets as quickly and discreetly as I could, avoiding the dim candlelight that occasionally shone from the surrounding windows.
Once we reached the forest edge, we let out our wings to fly the final short distance until the edge of Flight Milain’s territory. It was a common enough flight path that our presence here shouldn’t raise questions.
The closer we got to their territory, the harder my heart seemed to beat in my chest. I was terrified, but I was also going to see my mate again. This was the start of our opportunity to prove to her we weren’t the enemy. That she could come home.
That we’d never be happy until she did.
We landed in the tree canopy, retracting our wings noisily as the leaves and branches brushed against them. Each of us paused, listening to our surroundings, but we seemed to be alone. We’d seen no one else around here in the nights we’d been following Shira.
Only a particularly stubborn dragon with no self-preservation instincts would voluntarily trespass here.
Once we’d all descended the tree trunks, we set off at a run. All I could picture in my mind was Shira’s blood-spattered face, the stillness of her features. I’d never seen Shira sleep before. Only Oren had been afforded that privilege. She’d looked so young, so unguarded. The gaping emptiness in my chest where our bond should be felt like it expanded another inch.
//Are we climbing the mountain?// Hiram asked incredulously, looking up to the top den from where we stood.
//Shira probably did,// Oren pointed out, not hesitating to stride up to the cliff side, searching around for a place to grip. All of us avoided looking at the crumbling wreckages of dens that littered the mountainside. It had always been eerie flying near here, and it was made worse knowing that Shira’s family had died in this very spot. She’d probably seen it happen.
The reminder seemed to shut Hiram up as we all began climbing. Oren and I took the lead, Levi bringing up the rear, and Seff and Hiram in the middle as the youngest and most volatile, respectively. It wasn’t a tough climb for us, though we were using muscles we didn’t normally use, and I couldn’t imagine how Shira had managed it. She’d looked healthier in the past week we’d been watching her, but this was no easy task.
My heart stuttered just thinking about her being up this high. What if she’d fallen? Didn’t she care about her safety at all?
We ascended over the lip onto the platform outside the uppermost den one by one, each briefly stunned into stillness. The heavy round wooden door had entirely disappeared, like it had never existed. How had she done that?
“Impressive,” Levi breathed, sounding awestruck.
“Yeah, she is,” Seff agreed quietly.
I cracked my neck before taking point, leading the guys towards the entryway.
//Cover your nose and mouth, I smell liltane,// I ordered, halting in the entryway and holding up my arm to bar the others. We made quick work of