Weaving Fate - Nora Ash Page 0,99

Bjarni’s flesh to draw on their strength again.

I wasn’t an experienced magic-user, and the few times I had used my powers had been nothing like this. This felt like I was physically trying to hold up a heavy iron shield while an enemy battered at it with the strength of a mountain.

He hesitated, my redheaded mate, his eyes flicking from Bjarni to me. Sorrow settled in the blue depths, followed by steadfast resolve. His hand came up to cup the back of my head, pulling me into his chest with enough strength to bruise my flesh where it met his.

“Uff, Modi, what are you—”

He cut off my protest with a searing kiss, his lips harsh and demanding against mine. A breath and he was gone, pulling away from me as I struggled to keep my focus on the shield rather than that bone-shattering kiss.

“You do not need me, Annabel. Remember that. It will hurt, but in the end, you will be okay. You have three other mates—mates you love. They will get you through it, I promise you. They will see you heal.”

“What?” I wasn’t following him at all. He was making little sense, and I looked past him to see the dragon descend from its perch on the giant well, lumbering toward us on all fours. Apparently it had decided that fire wasn’t going to drive us out into the open, and I wasn’t keen on finding out what other methods it had planned to get at its dinner.

“He’s coming!”

But Modi didn’t move. Instead he looked to Bjarni. “I am going to draw his attention. Once he is locked on me, you take our mate and our captive and run. Do not stop running until you are through that portal.”

It was only then that it dawned on me what he was planning.

“No! Modi, what?!” I reached for him, but he stepped back and away from the protection of my magic, turning to face the dragon.

“Come get me then, you ugly lizard!” he bellowed.

The giant dragon turned its head, its window-sized eyes focusing on him as he moved sideways, away from us.

“Bjarni!” I screeched, hysteria finally taking over. “He’s going to die!”

Lightning slammed down from the sky, hitting the dragon’s inky scales. A horrible sound, like metal scraping along concrete, echoed through the air. Ozone mixed with the smell of the charred grass, but Nidhug didn’t have so much as a scratch. He swung fully around toward Modi, drawing in a lungful of air to ignite his horrible fire once more.

I reacted on instinct, slinging the magical shield protecting us outward. It wrapped around Modi in the last possible second, flames bending around him and leaving him unharmed.

“Fuck!” Bjarni cursed. “Shit, that goddamn fool!” He stared at me, eyes wide and pupils dilated. I recognized his battle lust descending, but behind it was panic.

“Sweetie—I’m going to need you to do whatever it was you did when we caught him.” He nodded at Loki, then pulled me in for my second desperate kiss, his beard brushing against my face as his lips danced over mine.

Then he handed me Loki’s rope, stepped back, and turned toward Nidhug and Modi, drawing his sword.

“He’s wrong," he said. "You need him.” And he too charged at the train-station sized dragon, roaring a battle cry.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Everything in me roiled as my mates fought off against a creature they both knew couldn’t be killed. “No, no, no!”

Bjarni sprinted across the grass and jumped, thrusting his blade at Nidhug’s side. The metal screeched against his scale, a slightly duller tone than the lightning, sending Bjarni flying backwards from impact.

I reached out with my magic, tendrils of it melding with the bonds I shared with both men without my conscious input. It was like a puzzle piece snapping into place—that perfect connection I’d felt with them only once before. Their battle rage was mine, their bravery, their fury, and their desperation to ensure my survival.

I caught Bjarni before he hit the ground, mine and Modi's powers cushioning his fall. He immediately launched himself across the clearing again, sword drawn.

I tried to focus my magic into his blade, but caught the glow of fire out of the corner of my eye. In the last second, I changed direction and pulled the barrier up around Modi again, shielding him from the flames.

Pain lanced through my body. Nidhug caught Bjarni with one of its claws, smacking him into the ground and tearing a cut along his thigh.

I screamed, fear and