Celedon stepped up beside me, in his deliciously nude human form. I tried not to stare as he pulled his pants out of his “pocket.” Instead of the pants he’d been wearing, he pulled out a tiny shred of cotton he called clothes, a loin cloth like he’d worn before. He tied the cloth around his waist and looked up. I followed his gaze and found another ripped AF guy perched on the edge of the mountain like a freaking bird.
“I’ve brought you nothing, brother,” Celedon said. “You can’t have her.”
Me? This guy thought I was a gift?
Kaelestis dove from the mountaintop and landed in front of us. Aside from being muscular giants, the two men looked nothing alike. Celedon had light hair, tan skin, soft green eyes, and an almost gentle way about him. Kaelestis had black hair, olive skin, dark eyes, and a sharpness to not only his features but the way he moved. Not to mention, this dude believed in clothes, unlike Celedon. He wore well-tailored white pants and a shirt, not the smock like clothing everyone else had.
“Found yourself a pet, huh, Cel?” Kaelestis was clearly speaking to his brother, but he was looking at me. I kept my face a mask, unsure what to make of this guy.
I wasn’t particularly fond of being called a pet, but I was intrigued by how much less formally he spoke than his brother. It was the strangest thing. I knew they were “born of the island” but they looked nothing alike, and it was like they hadn’t even been raised together.
Celedon growled—he freaking growled. I turned to him in surprise.
“Astra is not a pet. This conversation is over,” Celedon said.
Was Kaelestis just saying these things to piss off his brother? If he was, it was clearly working. Acting like I was a belonging didn’t exactly win him any points with me either.
“Astra, a lovely name.” Kaelestis bowed his head to me, doing a complete one-eighty. “From which village do you hail, my dear?”
I glanced to Celedon, whose jaw was ticking. Was I supposed to tell this guy the truth? Or lie to him?
Celedon answered for me, “She arrived on the island by shipwreck, which you clearly already know.”
Kaelestis was still looking at me, with his cold, dark eyes. His lips ticked up on one side, causing a dimple that added a boyish charm to his otherwise hard appearance.
“Did my brother fail to offer you a clean change of clothes?” Kaelestis looked back and forth between us.
I didn’t think it was possible for Celedon to get any more tense, but he did. He looked to me, his eyes searching. I’d been in these clothes for days, crusted with sand and saltwater. Nothing sounded better, except maybe a bath. I’d taken that quick dive into the lake, but that wasn’t the same.
“I’d love some clothes,” I said. Hell, at this point, I would gladly cobble together a few of those loin cloths Celedon seemed to love so much into a makeshift bikini.
Kaelestis waved a hand toward the cave entrance. Moments later, a small bird-like creature flew out with a set of white cotton clothing, much like Kaelestis wore, hanging from its claws. As it moved closer, I wasn’t entirely convinced it was a bird after all. It had colorful feathers like a tropical bird, but a dragon-like head and body shape.
“Is that…a baby dragon?” I asked.
Kaelestis laughed with warmth. “No. There are no dragon children. Maelia is an araes.” He said it like that was the simple truth, like everyone should know.
The araes dropped the clothes into my arms. She—or he—made a soft sound, almost like purring, then flew back into the cave.
“Is there somewhere I can change in private?” I asked.
The brothers both looked to me.
“Make yourself at home.” Kaelestis gestured to the cave entrance.
“Thank you.” I started walking that way. Maybe I’d misjudged the sky dragon. Kaelestis might like to tease his brother, but most of our interaction had been pleasant. He was definitely the more personable of the two dragon brothers. Were there more siblings, or just the two?
The cavern was a huge, open room built of white stone. There didn’t seem to be any furniture or anything, just a thick, white platform floating in the center of the space. It looked like a dense cloud. I wondered if, like Celedon’s place, this one was full of tunnels and hidden rooms, too.
I stepped out of view of the dragons and quickly changed my clothes. The new ones were a bit large for me, but they were clean. That in and of itself was a treat.
I turned back to rejoin the dragons when I heard them talking. I stopped to listen.
“Yes, brother, I am aware.” Kaelestis’s tone was much firmer than it had been when he’d spoken to me. “The arrival is not a failure on my part, if that is what you’re implying.”
“Have you checked the wards?” Celedon’s voice remained the same as always, cool and even.
“We both know I would feel a disturbance,” Kaelestis said.
“Have you been alerted to other survivors?”
“Of course I have. None but you has the gall to attempt to hide a human from me.”
Celedon was quiet a moment, before responding. “Where are they?”
“What’s with the interest in humans all the sudden?” Kaelestis asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve taken the woman as your mate.”
Mate?
“Where are the humans?” Celedon repeated.
I wanted to go out onto the ledge and be involved in the conversation, but I needed Kaelestis to answer. If I came out now, would they stop talking?
“Held by the Coyote Tribe,” Kaelestis said.
Coyotes. So Polly was right all along. After we found my dad, I’d have to find the right moment to tell Celedon about her, too. It was silly at this point not to trust him. And Polly might need my help.
There was silence, and I wondered if the dragon brothers were just standing there staring needles at each other. Seemed likely. What was their deal?
“Come, Astra,” Celedon said. “It is time for us to go.”
I jumped. They knew I was here, listening the whole time. Oops.
I came out, holding my clothes to my chest. Celedon stood on the ledge, looking particularly intimidating with his wings spread wide.
I spared a glance at Kaelestis as we crossed paths, him heading back into the cave, me heading for Celedon. Kaelestis gave me a look, a strange one that suggested I was a puzzle he just didn’t understand.
When I reached Celedon, he lifted me into his arms like I was weightless. I felt cared for as he took off slowly, cradling me to his chest.
This time instead of looking to the island below, I found myself looking up, enjoying the sight of him instead.
“Celedon?” I whispered against his chest. “Is my dad safe with the coyotes?”
He squeezed me softly. “He will be safe soon. We will find him.”
My worry doubled. He wasn’t safe. He didn’t have a dragon looking out for him like I did. Not yet, at least.
“Are things always tense between you and your brother? Or is it because of me?” I asked.
His jaw tightened. “Kaelestis doesn’t care for humans. He’d sooner see your kind drown in the ocean than survive here. He protects the secret of our existence. Sometimes that means killing.”
My stomach churned. He’d seemed kind enough. I laid my head against Celedon’s chest, grateful that he had found me first.
Chapter 12
Celedon
There was no greater joy than the feel of Astra in my arms. Her soft curves pressed against me, and the world melted away. I’d be content to fly for hours, just like this, so I’d never have to put her down.
Little time had passed since I’d found her tied to my father’s dais. Like an earthquake, she’d shattered me. She’d broken apart my mundane, unchanging life. In the uncertainty that was Astra, I found myself craving more. She’d seeped too deep in the cracks of my shell, and I couldn’t bear the thought of ever letting her go.
My brother’s prodding had forced me to reflect on the feelings I’d had all alo
ng. I hadn’t realized it was possible for a guardian, but I’d found my mate.
“Do you just have the one brother?” Astra asked.
“I have three.”
“Any sisters? A mom...other than the island?”
“Just a father,” I said.
“It’s just me and my dad, too. Is your dad on the island?”
I shook my head. “He died long ago. Illness plagued him in the end, but he made sure his sons were prepared to take his place as guardians.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” She spread her fingers over my heart.
“It was a long time ago,” I said. “Two hundred seventy-three years.”
“Two hundred—” Astra shook her head. “Wow.”
As we reached the edge of the forest, I searched for a place to land. The leaves brushed against my wings as we descended slowly between the trees. Before my feet met the ground, Astra jumped down.
Her blue eyes were set in determination. “Which way to the coyotes?”
I understood her eagerness—she wished to reach her father as soon as possible. While I could have delivered us directly into the village, there was no way to know what situation we would land in. If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have been concerned, but I had Astra to protect.
“This way,” I said, walking out toward the plains. “Remain close, no matter what happens.”
Astra walked up beside me. “You expect trouble?”
I kept my gaze forward. “I am not willing to risk your safety.”
“I get it,” she said. “I’m a liability.”
“No.”
I could feel her gaze studying my face, searching for an explanation. I considered my words, contemplating the appropriate response.
Astra spoke again before I decided what to say. “I can’t leave the island because your brother kills humans who come here. Or if not when we arrive, for sure if we try to leave.”
I nodded, concerned how this would make her feel. I didn’t want to hurt her. “The existence of the island is a closely held secret for the protection of all who live here.”
“After being in your home and flying with you, after everything I’ve seen here, I understand that. There’s no magic out there in the rest of the world. This place is special. It’s worth protecting.”
Astra’s understanding took me by surprise. I looked to her and found her beaming up at me.
“Are you...is that a smile?” She touched my arm and wrinkled her nose.
She was absolutely adorable. I touched my face and raised a brow. “I guess so.”
“You’ve never smiled before?”
“I’ve never had cause,” I said, offering her a hand to help step over a large fallen tree. “Until I met you.”
A rosy blush crossed over her face, then she looked away. “I need to tell you something.”
“Anything.”
“Records in the world exist, with rumors of magical relics.”
I looked over her suddenly solemn expression, and I listened.
“It’s why my ship was in the ocean,” she said. “I hunt for artifacts in wreckage. I wasn’t alone, or even alone with my dad. There was a whole crew on the Keepin’ it Reel. We were attacked by pirates before the ocean decimated all of us, but there are others out there. More people could come.”
“No need to concern yourself,” I touched her shoulder. “Kaelestis will maintain the island’s secrecy.”
She looked at me with uncertainty, the same uncertainty I felt. The barrier had not been breached once in nearly three hundred years, just as the blight had not spread. The island was changing—everything was changing—and for the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to expect.
Trees grew more sparse and mossy earth gave way to the thick grass of the plains. Astra kept pace as I stepped out of the forest, across the boundary to the next region.
“Are we almost there?” she asked.
“Yes.” Camouflaged in the tall grass, I caught a glimpse of the first of the scouts. The brown-furred canine darted through the field toward his village. As intended, the coyote tribe would know of our approach.
Astra cupped an orange bloom in her palm. “I’ve never seen a field like this before. The grass is so blue and so soft. These flowers...they’re gorgeous.”
“Pratum lumios,” I said. “The waxy coating on the petals is bioluminescent, attracting the insects that pollinate the flowers and creating a bitter taste for fauna.”
“Did you say bioluminescent? Like the moss? As in glows in the dark?” Astra lit up as she looked over the field.
“Yes,” I said. “We can return after nightfall if you wish.”
“I would like that very much.”
Movement in the grass pulled my attention. By the direction of the sound, I counted three—the scouts sent to retrieve us. I gestured for Astra to stop walking, and stepped in front of her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
She would see in a moment. “I am Celedon, Guardian of Land. Reveal yourselves.”
In flashes of soft white light, three men appeared in the field ahead, spread far enough apart to give them an advantage in a fight, had I been any shifter but a dragon.
The one in the center, I recognized. He was sickly thin, with wild hair and wilder eyes. He was the alpha if I wasn’t mistaken, the one who had asked me to open the cube. I believed his name was Herrik.
“What do you want, dragon?” The coyote alpha tilted his chin up at me.
“You harbor humans,” I said.
“So what if we do?” he asked. “Isn’t that the Sky Guardian’s problem?”
“How many?”
Herrik’s companions looked to him. He took a moment, as if considering his answer.
“Two,” one of the others said, bowing his head. “My lord.”
He spoke the truth.
“Bring them to me,” I commanded, and the two coyote shifters turned to go.
Herrik raised a hand, and they stopped. “You said we were supposed to be friends. Good faith and all. Open the box, and we’ll gladly give you what you seek, my lord.” The last of his words dripped with disdain.
I could feel Astra watching me. Had one of the captives been not of significance to her, I would have made an example of Herrik’s defiance. As it was, something would still need to be done—after Astra’s father had been safely delivered.
“I will not ask again,” I said, my voice booming over the field.
The two coyote shifters I did not know shifted and ran over the ridge toward their village.
Herrik’s eye twitched as he watched me, his attention flicking to Astra. I didn’t care for him looking at her, more so with the wild stink of madness clinging to him. She wrapped her hand around the back of my arm, her soft touch a gentle comfort.
The two coyotes returned, pulling two humans with them. One was a young woman, similar in age to Astra, the other an older male.
“Dad!” Astra took a step forward. “Polly!”
“Don’t,” I said. “They will walk to us.”
She looked up to me, questioning, but she remained where she was. I couldn’t risk the coyotes getting ahold of my mate.
The humans were prodded forward. The coyotes stopped beside their alpha and watched as their captives finished the distance alone.
Herrik scratched at his neck as he watched them walk. He was unstable, but to this point honorable. As the captives embraced Astra, all safely behind me, I pulled the cube from my pocket, honoring our agreement. I could open the object without giving the coyote anything.
It was a solid piece of gold, engraved with vine-like patterns. Just as before, there was no visible sign of how the cube was meant to open. I flipped it over, and noticed the surface warmed in my hand.
I tested the surface with a touch, feeling for energy of the earth. There was a glint. Nurturing the shard of life within, I could feel the seed blossom. In turn, lines of glowing green light threaded across the surface of the box.
The metal turned from warm to burning hot in my palm. My fingers melded to the surface, gripping tight to the cube, even as I willed my hand to let go. A strange sensation filled me. Fear, for my mate. I turned to warn Astra. She needed to run.
Her kin pulled her arms, dragging her back. She dug her feet into the dirt as they pulled her away from me. A column of light burst forth from the cube, straight to the sky, and vines snaked around me, erupting across the ground.
My mate screamed for me, and in return I smiled. I smiled for her, because she needed it, because I wanted her to believe that everything was going to be okay.
Even as the light consumed me.
Chapter 13
Astra
Blinding light reached from ground to sky, engulfing half the field. Digging my feet into the dirt, I struggled to reach Celedon. There was no plan. I had no idea what I could do to help, but I had to try.
Dad and Polly pulled on my arms, forcing me back.
I stared into the light, searching for a sign that he was okay. I refused to blink, and my eyes burned. All I could see was white, white and the image of Celedon’s sad smile burned into my retinas.
I squinted as the light grew more intense, fighting the reflex to shut my eyes. Then the brightness was gone. My ears were ringing. I shook my head and tried to blink away the purple blob clouding my vision.
And then I saw him. Celedon was on the ground, and he wasn’t moving. There were vines all over him, like a thick cage of briars holding him down.
I broke free of Dad and Polly’s grip and ran towards Celedon’s collapsed form. I fell to my knees and shook his shoulder. “Celedon!”
“Astra, we need to go.” My father tried to coax me away.
“I’m not leaving him.” I couldn’t control the panicked shake of my voice, and I didn’t care. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I realized I could never leave him. I cared too much, and the thought of losing him tore me up inside.
“Coyotes!” Polly yelled. “You won’t take me twice, fuckers!”
I looked up and saw them—coyotes weaving quickly through the tall grass. Some as animals, some as naked men with spears. At least a dozen of them were closing in on us.
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