Chapter 1

Holera

“What are you doing tonight?” Holera Glowbrook pulled her bowstring taut and took aim, hitting the bullseye on a target that was more than one thousand yards away as Exie waited for an answer. Even in the ranks of hundreds of Aegrician warriors, she was one of the best with a bow. 

Her best friend, Exie Cinderdraft, whistled as she eyed the target. “Heading to the Singing Lantern. You?” 

“No plans as of yet. Hot date?” Holera was not at all surprised that Exie planned to go to the tavern. Unlike her, Exie liked to go out and be sociable. 

Exie barked a laugh, her long, blond mane flailing forward as it always did when she was being overly dramatic. “No. I don’t have a date. Do you want to come with me? You rarely go out anymore.”

Of course her friend was correct. Their military training had been rigorous so, although Exie still had energy when they were done for the day, Holera didn’t. It may have been all in her head. She realized that. Ever since her father had died, she’d had less desire to socialize with anyone aside from Exie, and even her patience for that had been limited.

Both she and Exie were phoenix shifters. All the Aegrician female warriors were. But unlike the others, who were serious more often than not, Exie spent most of her time with a lighthearted exuberance about her that was infectious, or completely annoying. Still, staying home every night with her mother who spent her own time making clothing, had become more than lonely for Holera. She was still young, and genuinely wanted a true companion, a mate, a male to call her own and show her the affection she’d never been shown. She couldn’t find that sitting at home and handing fabric to her mother while she made tunics. 

She nodded, but with a sardonic smile. “I’ll go with you, but the minute you start building your harem, I’m out of there.” 

It only took Exie a second to laugh again, smacking Holera hard on the back, nearly knocking her bow out of her hand. “Deal, but my harem does need building.” Holera had no response to that but an eye roll. 

The friends left the training ring after their discussion, shifting into their phoenix forms with a burst of flame and heading in opposite directions. Although they both lived near the capital city of Flamecliff, Exie had a tiny apartment near the main square of the city, whereas Holera and her mother lived near the outskirts in an equally small cottage. The tavern was back near the palace along the coast, but after training all day, Holera couldn’t mingle with anyone without getting cleaned up first, not unless she wanted them to run in the opposite direction at the first whiff of her stench. 

The Kingdom of Aegricia, the place Holera called home, was the northernmost kingdom on the magical continent of Ekotoria. Aegricia was the only home of the phoenix shifters, although not all Aegricians were born with the ability. The ability to shift into phoenixes was given to only those females who were meant to be part of the warrior class. The rest of Aegricia’s citizens, including the males and the non-warrior females, kept their fae forms at all times. 

The warriors of Aegricia were given the vital role of protecting the Marella portal, which separated the magical world from the human world. Neither humans nor fae were permitted to cross through the portal, not since the leaders of both sides created a treaty after the last near war, but that didn’t mean it didn’t need protection. The portal still functioned, whether crossing it was allowed by the governments or not. Thankfully, the only way someone could physically cross the portal was if they either were a phoenix, or were riding on the back of one, which greatly reduced those the portal needed defending against. Even if there wasn’t much risk of the portal being breached, being a warrior phoenix, a gatekeeper, was still the greatest honor in their kingdom.

 The kingdom closest to them, just south of the southern peaks, was the Kingdom of Norithae. Unlike the Aegrician warriors, who could fully shift into the form of a phoenix, and whose remaining citizens had no shifting ability, all Norithae people had large, leathery wings and the ability to fly. Every male, female, and child was born with those wings, whether they were warriors or not.

The majority of the central part of Ekotoria was covered by Spectre Forest. The forest was so vast that there were still many creatures living in it that the fae inhabitants of the continent had not yet discovered, some of which they’d prefer to stay far away from.

The Kingdom of Diapolis took up the southeastern end of the landmass, stretching from the southernmost part of Spectre Forest all the way to the coast of the Elder Sea. Although Holera had never been to Diapolis, it was well known that the last of the continent's dragons called the tropical land their home. Also, Diapolisian people were mermaid shifters, having the ability to turn their legs into tails and live below the surface of the sea. Diapolis was a far flight from Aegirica, but Holera hoped to visit the tropical kingdom at some point in her life. Tales of its beauty were even shared in her own snowy kingdom.

The land on the southwestern corner of Ekotoria was dying, although there was still a kingdom established on the barren land. The Undying Valley separated Diapolis from the barbarian kingdom of Warbotach. The Undying Valley, a vast desert, had continued to spread over time, drying out everything it touched, and making the Kingdom of Warbotach smaller and smaller, driving their people into the far corner of the continent. The Warbotach people were said to be vicious warriors with a cruel king to match. Holera had never been there either, and hoped to never have a reason to go. 

The sky was a portrait of a pastel array of pinks, oranges, and purples as Holera’s phoenix form shifted back into her fae form only a few feet away from the cottage’s front door. The snow-capped peaks of the Aegrician mountains framing the back of the city always took her breath away. She watched them for a moment, noticing the younger phoenix warriors that were doing a formation flight over one of the lower peaks, and grinned. She was so glad to be done with that part of their training.

Chapter 2

Holera

Thanks to the fae magic within their city, most dwellings had heated water that came from the tap. Living on the outskirts of town, their cottage didn’t have that luxury. Kissing her mother on the forehead, Holera added water to the pot hanging from the mantle and heated it for her bath. Her fighting leathers smelled of sweat and dirt, as did her long, silver locks. Tossing her soiled clothing to the floor, she dunked below the surface of the water in the copper tub, soaping her hair. 

Luxuriating at how the hot water soothed her sore muscles, she debated staying home. Exie had plenty of friends, so it wasn’t as though the female needed her company. But Exie wanted her company, and that was reason enough for her to put her brooding aside for one night and spend time with her friend. So, pushing her hesitations aside, she climbed out the bath, dried her body with a cloth, and pulled on a tunic and a pair of trousers.

***

After flying into the city proper, Holera’s silver hair was still wet when she shifted back into her fae form, so she pulled it into a braid as she approached the log entrance of the Singing Lantern Tavern. Sounds of the tavern’s revelry assaulted her before she even had a chance to open the heavy wooden door. Her hand hesitated on the handle, but a familiar voice broke through the chaos, forcing her inside. Exie sounded like she was about to get into a fight.

Darting into the building, the door slamming behind her, Holera saw her best friend near the bar, hair disheveled and a scowl on her face, having a heated debate with a large male with an eye patch. Holera's long legs allowed her to cross the room in only a few steps, and she wedged herself between the two, facing Exie with an obviously exasperated look. 

“What’s going on, Ex? I can hear you screaming like a hellhound from outside!” The man grumbled behind her before walking away. She barely passed him a glance before turning back to her friend. Exie was taller than she was, and more muscular, but Holera had never found her intimidating, not until she got angry. 

“That Warbotach scum was insulting our queen!” Leaning around Holera’s form, Exie spoke to the room at large. “He needs to grab the rest of his bandit crew, get back on his ship, and go back to his own damn kingdom.” As if her words mattered, or maybe it was the harsh stares from the bar full of Aegrician locals, but the entire group of stout, scarred-face Warbotach men left. Exie smirked.

Tipping her chin to the barmaid, Holera silently ordered herself a whiskey as she forced her friend into a chair. Thankfully, the busy female dropped two mugs of the liquid fire on the bar in front of them. Exie may have needed one to cool her own nerves, unless her attempted brawl meant she’d already consumed too much. Holera decided to take that chance and slid the mug of Aegrician whiskey to her friend.

“Were you just going to take on them all, Exie? You may be tough, but every one of those men were beasts.”

Exie grinned, taking a deep draw of her whiskey, leaving little doubt she’d already had a few glasses too many. “The rest of the bar would’ve joined in the fight. I wasn’t scared of them.” 

Grabbing Exie’s hand as her friend lifted it for another drink, Holera clenched out a breath. “I would’ve stayed home if I’d known you were going to be in here starting fights.”

Exie’s eyes widened at Holera’s words. She lowered her hand, her features softening. “You’re right, you’re right. I’ll calm down. I promise.”

***

After an hour of watching her best friend sing along with the band, it was clear Exie hadn’t calmed down, but at least she was happy. Holera leaned against the bar, watching as the intoxicated warrior sang song after song, adding lyrics wherever she saw necessary, but the band didn’t seem to mind.

“Your friend is...um...lively.”

Unbeknownst to Holera, a male had taken the stool next to her, ordering a whiskey from the barmaid. His long, black hair was pulled back with a leather cord at his nape. Rolled up to the elbows, his heavy, white tunic strained against his muscled arms and chest, dark tattoos peeking through where the tunic failed to cover. The mischievous sparkle in his green eyes was a stark contrast to his fierce appearance. 

Holera smirked. “That is certainly an understatement.” Although she hadn’t necessarily gone to the tavern to find a male, she couldn’t deny how sexy this one was, so she didn’t move away. If anything, she could soak in the view of him and think about him when she slipped her hand between her thighs that night. It had been such a long time since she’d found pleasure. 

“Warrior?” His question caught her by surprise, her head tilted.

“Hrmm?”

Taking a sip of his drink, he set it back down on the bar. “I asked if you and your friend were warriors. Sorry to pry. If you were, I just wanted to thank you for your bravery.”

“Oh." She grinned, a flush coloring her cheeks. "We are, but you don’t have to thank us.” She pointed behind herself where the shadow of a silver wing flared out of her back. “I was born this way, after all.”

Grunting his acknowledgement, he took another sip of his whiskey and smiled. “Well, I still admire the warriors of this land. I’ve been all over the continent, but none are as fierce as Aegricia’s.” 

She couldn’t help but to smile at his compliment, before dropping her face into something more neutral when she realized she was starting to behave like a flirty young maiden, which she certainly was not. 

Just as she was about to thank him again, Exie grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward the exit. All she could do was glance back at him as the door closed behind her, blocking him from view. She hadn't even gotten his name. 

“What’s going on, Ex?” Before her friend could respond, Exie pulled Holera around the side of the building where the blond warrior retched, the whiskey finally taking its revenge on her stomach. Holera held back Exie’s wild mane, careful to keep it out of her friend’s face. If she hadn’t regretted going to the tavern before, she was beginning to as Exie stood, only to wobble on shaky legs. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

Thanks to Exie’s inebriated state, Holera didn’t dare leave her to fly back to her cottage. She hoped her mother wouldn’t worry, but her mother was probably already asleep. Holera was more concerned her friend would get herself into trouble if she left her alone. In the morning, she would need to have a conversation with Exie about her behavior. Her best friend, already unconscious on her bed, was not in the right frame of mind for a lecture. So, only slightly grumbling under her breath, Holera grabbed an extra blanket from a wooden chest and settled down on the sofa, still thinking about the sexy male from the bar. She wondered if she'd ever see him again and hoped she would.

Chapter 3

Holera

“Get up, Ex. We’re going to be late.” Holera shook her friend’s shoulders, but all she got was a whine and a groan. Exie’s hangovers were infamous. 

“Go without me.” Exie’s voice was muffled by the pillow, but her tone was beyond dramatic. Holera pulled the pillow out of her friend’s grasp, swatting her on the back with it.

“Blaedia would kill you if you didn’t show up to training. Going without you isn’t an option, and you know it.”

Tossing off her blankets, Exie climbed out of bed, but not without a string of swear words as she did. “Just for the record, I’m only getting up so Blaedia doesn’t kill me.”

“Noted. Oh, I’m going to need some fighting leathers, since I was forced to stay at your place last night.”

Exie shot Holera a sideways glance. “First of all, you didn’t have to stay. I would’ve been just fine. Second of all, my clothes would swallow you whole. But, if you still want to wear them, they’re in the first drawer on the right.” 

Holera didn’t even bother reminding her friend that she had no choice but to stay because someone had to watch over her in her drunken stupor. Instead of responding, she let it go and grabbed a set of leathers from Exie’s dresser, pulling them on although they were absolutely too large. 

***

The two phoenix warriors arrived at the training camp fifteen minutes later than they were expected, earning an icy blue glare from their general, Blaedia. With her chin length, razor-straight black hair that was shaved on one side, she looked just as badass as she was. She was Queen Otera’s lover, but that wasn’t how she’d gotten such a high-ranking position. Having traveled throughout their continent, learning military strategy and techniques from the best in their world, Blaedia earned the position to lead the Aegrician military. Her warriors knew tardiness was not something she tolerated, so Holera clenched her teeth as they shifted, hoping they wouldn’t get into trouble. 

To Holera’s relief, their general was fully involved in a training exercise with some of the rookie warriors, and didn’t approach them to give them a piece of her mind. The look on her face said enough. Hoping to lessen the blow, Holera drew her sword, challenging the hungover Exie to a sparring match. Blaedia hadn’t lectured them yet, but she would. Holera had little doubt. Wasting no time in getting straight to training could only help them.

At the first slash of Holera’s sword, Exie jumped back with a screech. “You could at least warn me first!” She drew her own weapon, her movements slow and awkward from the late night of drinking as she held it out in front of her. “Some friend you are.”

Huffing a breath, Holera circled her, Exie following her movements and waiting for the next strike. “I was a good enough friend to stay with you last night.” She lunged, her weapon swinging toward Exie's vulnerable left side only to be met midair by her friend’s blade.

Chuckling, the hungover warrior feigned to the right but slashed to the left. Holera didn’t fall for her bluff. Unlike Exie, her senses weren’t dulled by the overabundance of whiskey the night before. “I don’t think this is about you having to deal with me last night at all.” Exie swung again, Holera’s blade meeting hers with a clang. “This is because I pulled you out of the tavern before you could take that sexy male you were talking to back to your bed.”

Holera tried to deny it with her face, rolling her eyes as she dodged another blow, but there was no way to hide anything from her best friend. Exie knew her too well. She hadn’t planned to bring him back to her bed, at least not last night, but she hadn’t gotten his face out of her mind since she’d left the tavern. There was something about him she couldn’t forget, even if she knew little about him.

“I wasn’t going to take him to my bed.” Her words less than convincing, Holera still decided to go all in anyway as she pivoted out of the way of Exie’s sword. “Plus, I doubt my mom would appreciate it if I brought some strange male home when she was sleeping. The cabin is way too small.”

Throwing her head back in her usual dramatic fashion, Exie laughed, her sword limp in her hand. Holera took the opening and swung, knocking her friend’s weapon to the ground. Too wrapped up in her laughter, Exie didn’t seem to notice. “So you did want to take him to your bed, but you didn’t want your mother to hear?” 

Unable to deny it, Holera shrugged and plopped down on the ground, lack of sleep catching up with her in the heat of the midday sun. Aegricia was colder than most of the continent, but the valley in which they trained lacked the tree cover of the southern side of the mountain range. When her friend sat down beside her, their weapons on the ground instead of in their hands, she knew they were going to be in trouble with their general, but didn’t care enough to stand and keep sparring. 

Loosening a breath, Holera wrapped her arms tightly around her bent knees and watched a group of young phoenixes fly into the mountain pass. “It doesn't matter. I’ll probably never see him again.” The words hurt, her subconscious need for a companion clearly deeper than she wanted to admit. It was surprising. 

Exie leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her playful laughter halting. “Did you at least find out where he was from? Maybe you could track him down.”

“I didn’t even get his name. I was a little too preoccupied with you.” She arched an eyebrow in Exie’s direction, but her friend had turned away, watching as Blaedia approached them from the direction of the training rings. 

“Oh,” she groaned just under her breath as she stood, dusting off her leathers before reaching out a hand to Holera. 

Blaedia may have been their general, but she was also their friend, so Holera was hoping she wouldn’t be too harsh. It was Exie’s fault, after all, and she fully intended to throw her friend onto the coals if she needed to. 

Chapter 4

Holera cringed inwardly but tried to keep a neutral face as her general stepped in front of her, knowing she and Exie’s tardiness hadn’t gone unnoticed. Two young warriors trailing behind her, the females no older than their teens, Blaedia’s glare could have ended wars. 

“Glad you found time to come to training today, although-” She paused for impact, pulling a small dagger out of its sheath and using it to clean her nails. “You haven’t done much training since you got here.”

Tilting her head toward Exie, Holera cleared her throat, shoving her friend over the coals indeed. Blaedia didn’t miss the gesture and arched an eyebrow at her as well. 

“Do I need to ask why one of my best warriors tried to start a fight in the tavern last night?” 

The two young warriors flanking Blaedia failed to hide their snickers but the general didn’t turn her attention away from Exie. “They insulted Otera.” 

Blaedia lifted an eyebrow, incredulity clear on her face. “What did they say to insult Otera?”

Kicking at the pebbles at her feet, Exie looked like a child who was being scolded by its mother. “They praised Joneira, called her the rightful queen.”  

Blaedia stiffened. Joneira, the usurper queen, was a sensitive topic for all Aegricians. She’d killed the previous queen, Otera’s grandmother, and had stolen the throne for a short period of time before she was forced out of the kingdom. 

“Did they?” Although her face showed no emotion, Holera could tell Blaedia was still frazzled. “Well let’s hope they don’t return to this kingdom then.” When Blaedia tipped her head toward the young phoenixes, giving them a nonverbal direction, Holera knew their punishment was coming. She swallowed, waiting for it. “These young warriors need some practice with the bow. The two of you,” she said, leveling her eyes at Holera and Exie, “will collect their arrows.” 

Holera let out a breath, relief washing over her. Collecting stray arrows wasn’t as bad of a punishment as they could’ve been given. Tedious, but not difficult. Exie nodded, no argument on her tongue. As Blaedia began walking away, she turned to look over her shoulder. “Otera’s having a party tonight. There are some emissaries here for a meeting. The two of you are coming.”

There it was. The punishment. None of them liked going to court, hated it actually. Blaedia didn’t want to go, but she had no choice. She and Otera were lovers, mates even. Since she had to suffer through it, she wanted them to as well. Exie may have been quiet about chasing arrows, but she groaned at this. Not that it would make any difference. They weren’t going to get out of it. As Blaedia walked away, with a noticeable strut in her step, Holera could have sworn she heard the general chuckle.

***

The archery practice for the two young warriors lasted for two hours, and they hadn’t taken it easy on Holera and Exie. Instead of aiming at set targets, where the arrows would all land on relatively flat soil nearby, they darted around, shooting at everything under the sun. Trees, boulders, a scurrying critter—the young warriors found joy in making them scramble. By the time they’d tired out and most of their arrows had been broken, Holera was drenched in sweat and covered in filth. Shooting her friend a few thoughtful glares, she shifted into her phoenix form and left the training field for her mother’s cottage. If she was going to attend court, she needed a bath and a clean set of clothes.

Having not returned home the night before, she’d expected her mother to be a little more worried than she was, but she found her mother where she’d always been. Sitting in her chair by the fire, contentment on her face. 

“Glad you found your way home, wildfire. Late night?” The wooden chair creaked as her mother rocked, the threaded needle moving swiftly in her hand as she sewed a piece of fabric. 

Walking past her mother, Holera hung the pot of water on the fire. “Where Exie is concerned, it’s always a late night, momma.”

Her mother chuckled, the sound warming her heart. With her father being gone, her mother was all she had left. “You never know what to expect with that one. How is she? I know she’s had a hard time in the past years…” 

Holera lowered herself onto the arm of the settee, the topic of Exie’s fallen lover an unexpected one. Her mother hadn’t said it explicitly, but it was implied. Exie’s former lover, Theoni, the female she thought would be hers forever, had been killed in an explosion at the docks five years earlier. It had nearly broken Exie, leaving her a shell of who she once was. Holera loosened a breath. “She’s Exie. She’s strong.”

Her mother nodded, the movement seeming to flow with the rocking of her chair. “Stones are strong, wildfire, but they still erode away in the storm. If she doesn’t take time to properly grieve, it’ll just eat away at her.” 

If anyone knew about grief, it was her mother. Holera touched her mother’s hand as she stood, taking the pot from the hearth. “I know that, momma. I’m looking out for her.”

Chapter 5

Holera

All Holera could do when she shifted back into her fae form in the palace courtyard and smoothed out her crisp white tunic was exhale. She refused to wear a gown, no matter the occasion, but she knew she’d earn at least one raised eyebrow from Otera. It may have been court, a party in the palace, but she was who she was. 

Staring at the enormous wooden doors for a moment, and at the two uniformed males standing on either side, she counted to ten to build her patience. If Exie acted up tonight…Well, she didn’t want to think about that. She needed to stay out of trouble, at least for a little while. Tightening the buckle of her sword belt because she was a warrior first, Holera took a step forward, opening the door and entering the foyer.

With the arrival of emissaries, the palace was in full swing, servants bustling around, holding trays and shuffling people to where they needed to go. Holera ignored all of them, walking briskly toward the eastern wing, the location of the ballroom. She knew the drill. It hadn’t been her first time at such an event, although she’d always hoped one would be her last. 

Unlike queens in the past, Queen Otera didn’t usually bother with such finery, with constant balls and royal events. Otera was a queen who focused on the kingdom’s people and running its military and economy. She didn’t have time for such distractions, but when visitors from other kingdoms came by—that was when the silver had to be shined and appearances had to be kept up. There were expectations of royalty in Ekotoria, and Otera wasn’t one to break that mold, at least not in the face of allies. 

Music met Holera’s ears before she could even see the golden embossed ballroom doors and she gritted her teeth. It was not the style of music she preferred, the unrefined quartets of the taverns her preferred style. Instead, stringed instruments seemed to flutter in the air, much too constrained for her liking. The double doors of the ballroom opened, and she had no choice but to enter. It was her punishment, after all. 

Although there were dozens of people already in the ballroom when Holera entered, Exie stood out among the crowd. With as tall as she was, as wild as her blond mane was, it would have been nearly impossible for her not to. She turned toward the entrance as soon as Holera walked in, a mischievous smirk on her face, and Holera realized they were already in trouble again. They hadn’t done anything yet, but she could feel it. When her friend shot back a glass of whiskey and turned on her heel, making a beeline for her, there was no doubt in her mind. Exie was up to something.

Holera groaned, snatching a glass of the liquid fire from a passing servant’s tray and drinking it quickly as Exie swaggered toward her, full of more bravado than one person should ever have. When she finally stopped walking, flicking a nonexistent piece of lint from the collar of her solid black tunic, Holera rolled her eyes. “What? What are you so uppity about, Ex? I’m not in the mood for any of your shenanigans tonight. I—” 

One very long finger pressed against Holera’s lips mid sentence, stopping her monologue. “Can you just hush for a second, Holera? I promise to show you what I’m smiling about.”

When Exie’s finger moved, Holera sighed loudly. “Well? Then spill.” 

Exie’s honey-tinted eyes nearly glowed in the candlelight of the space as she looked over her shoulder, still not sharing the secret she seemed to be keeping. “Have you seen Otera yet?”

Holera followed her line of sight, but didn’t see the crimson hair of the queen anywhere. People dressed in finery moved about the room, some Aegrician, others with the leathery wings of Norithae, even a few from kingdoms Holera did not recognize, but she didn’t see the queen. “No. Exie, I just got here. Obviously I didn’t see Otera.” Stomping her boot on the ground, the patience she’d been counting on already running out, Holera loosened another breath. “Stop playing games, Ex. Why are you asking if I've seen Otera?”

One of their friends sauntered up, interrupting the conversation. Calista, one of the healers from the Aegrician capital’s main infirmary, looked stunning in an emerald ball gown. Roughly the same age as the two warriors, they’d learned how to read from the same tutors when they’d been merely children. “I didn’t expect to see the two of you here.” She smirked, taking a deep sip of her wine. “Let me guess…punishment?” 

Impatience building inside her, Holera reached for another glass of whiskey just as a servant passed them by. There wouldn’t be enough alcohol in all of Flamecliff if Calista didn’t scurry on and let Exie get on with her story. She wandered away for a moment, allowing the two females to talk amongst themselves.

By the time the burning had settled in Holera’s throat from her second glass, and she’d thoroughly scanned the ballroom a second time over, Exie had finished telling of her harrowing ordeal in the tavern the night before, and Calista had walked off. “Well?” 

She knew there had been a clip in her voice, but Exie didn’t seem to notice. The whiskey seemed to be dulling her senses already, which was always the way her shenanigans started. It seemed to be a common theme in any event in which she got into trouble, and she always seemed to pull Holera down with her. 

Exie leaned forward, speaking just into Holera’s ear. “The sexy male you met last night…he’s meeting with the queen.”

Chapter 6

Kason

Kason’s meeting with Queen Otera had been planned for weeks; it was why he’d traveled by ship from the southern part of the continent to be in the city of Flamecliff in time. What he hadn’t intended when he’d gone to the Singing Lantern Tavern the night before, a place he’d frequented before becoming a diplomat for the crown, was that he’d have to capture two Warbotach mercenaries who’d followed his mate and her friend out of the tavern. He’d only just met the silver-haired warrior, but it only took one glance into her beautiful violet eyes to know that he was looking into the eyes of his bonded, the female he would make his in all ways… if she didn’t kick his ass first. It had certainly happened a time or two before. He just had that effect on females. Chuckling to himself, he took another deep draw of the golden whiskey in his glass and returned to where the queen was standing, her own warrior-female mate guarding her at every step. Kason wasn't sure what the two Warbotach barbarians had in store for his female and her friend, but he had enjoyed beating them to a bloody pulp before they'd been thrown into the dungeon below the palace. It was the queen's decision to determine what to do with them next, although Kason had some ideas.

Queen Otera was the perfect ruler for Aegricia, strong but fair, fierce, and with a mind for governing and commerce. Although the succession as queen has always been chosen by the Aegrician crown as opposed to a royal bloodline, Otera had been fortunate to have lived under her grandmother as queen.

Faenia Lumino, Otera’s grandmother, had been queen for nearly one hundred years, but was murdered just before she stepped down to allow the crown to choose someone to take over the throne. It had been a dark time in Aegrician history, when a maliciously ambitious young noblewoman named Joneira Eternus had tried to take the throne by force, calculating the murders of not only Otera’s grandmother and mother, but also her sister, Messalina, who was expected to be chosen as the next queen. After losing her entire family in quick succession, no one would have blamed Otera if she’d simply crumbled, walked away from royal life altogether. But she didn’t. Instead, the crown chose Otera, and she stood tall, wearing the most powerful crown in their world with unrelenting pride. It was inspiring to her people.

The queen’s eyes lit up as Kason approached and set a fresh glass of whiskey in her hand, raising his own for a toast. “To prosperous trade,” he said, drinking the rest of the liquid fire in his glass and slamming it down on the table.

“With you handling our trade agreements, Kason, I think we will have nothing but prosperous trade.” Not one to fluff up her words, he knew the queen meant exactly what she’d said. He was damn good at his job so it was nice to hear his ruler acknowledge that.

Blaedia caught his eye and he smiled at her, although the general rarely smiled back, at least not when she was in uniform. Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen the silver-eyed warrior without her uniform on.

When Otera turned to her lover, however, and held out a hand for Blaedia to take it, the general’s lips did tip up in the corners, at least for a moment. “Shall we return to the party?” Otera asked, turning her attention back to Kason who nodded as he reached for another glass of whiskey from a server’s tray.

Holding his glass in one hand and smoothing his long dark hair that was tied back in a leather strap with the other, Kason followed the queen and her mate out of the private offices and into the ballroom.

The whiskey was strong, which was something Kason was glad for. It would take several glasses of the liquid fire for him to handle the frilly music being played in the ballroom. If it had been up to him, he would’ve left the party and returned to the tavern, maybe even run into the gorgeous warrior again. He needed to see her again if he was going to make her his mate. Maybe he would be able to sneak away eventually, once Otera was fully engaged with her other guests and no longer paying attention to him.

The entire thought about leaving the party to find his mate flew out of his mind as quickly as a phoenix on the wind when he saw her across the room, the violet eyes of his silver-haired phoenix warrior staring back at him. Her eyes grew wide when she caught sight of him and she took a step forward before stopping herself and grabbing a glass of whiskey from a nearby table.

When she shot the liquid fire back into her mouth in one swig, Kason couldn’t help but to chuckle. He’d never wanted a female who wore dresses and acted dainty, who spent their time doing needlework and anything else females typically did in their free time. He still didn’t know her name, the female he would one day call his mate, but by the cut of muscles on her arms and shoulders, he could tell she was a fierce warrior, probably an expert with the sword and with a bow. Just thinking about her strong body pulling a bow string taut and shooting an arrow into her enemy made his cock grow hard in his trousers. She was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, even in her tunic and trousers, but he couldn’t wait to see her in fighting leathers. Maybe he could even get her to wear them to his bed. Tired of waiting for her to come to him, Kason swallowed back the last of the contents in his glass and sauntered toward her with a mischievous smirk on his face, her own face mirroring the sentiment.

“If I had to guess, beautiful warrior, I would say you’re following me.”

Chapter 7

Holera

It was unlike Holera to find herself without words, but when the sexy male from the tavern stepped in front of her, all swagger and confidence, asking if she’d been following him, she couldn’t find her tongue.

Unfortunately, the borderline inebriated Exie had no such reservations, slamming her whiskey glass into his in an overly dramatic cheers. “And I would guess you may be following Holera.”

The male’s face turned to the blond warrior, one eyebrow arched to a point, and grinned. The pure cockiness in his expression only made him sexier. Dipping his chin in Exie’s direction, he turned his sights back on Holera, who’d yet to utter a word. “Holera, is it? I’m Kason. Nice to officially meet you.”

“I...um...nice to meet you too.” Exie hummed playfully as she sauntered away, parting the crowd as she passed. When Holera turned back to Kason, he was watching her. “Sorry about Exie. She’s not exactly shy.”

Chuckling, he handed her another glass of whiskey. With her nerves where they were, she needed it. “We all have a friend like her. They keep things interesting.”

She may have known little about Kason, but he certainly spoke the truth. Taking a deep drink of her whiskey, she willed the liquid fire to calm her nerves. Something about this male made her forget how to use her voice.

He seemed to understand this and lifted his arm for her to take. “Shall we find a place to sit and talk, preferably far away from the band?” When he turned to glance over his shoulder, she stifled a giggle and then silently berated herself for acting like a lovesick fledgling. “The music at this party is awful.”

Sliding her arm into his, Holera took another sip of her whiskey, the liquid warming her from the inside out. “We can sit in the gardens. The fountains may adequately drown out the music.”

The suggestion only broadened the smile on Kason’s handsome face, and he dipped his chin, holding out his hand before him, signaling for her to show him the way.

They walked arm-in-arm at a leisurely pace, Holera paying little mind to everyone else at the party. She saw Otera in her peripheral vision, the queen in deep conversation with her mate, but she didn’t see Exie again before they’d crossed through the open doorway and out into the back gardens. All she could hope was that her friend stayed out of trouble so she could actually learn a little bit more about the powerful male on her arm, a privilege she had not been afforded the night before.

The night air was brisk, the breeze from the sea leaving the scent of brine on the air. Holera breathed in deeply, the masculine aroma of the male on her arm filling her senses as he led her to one of the several benches facing the sea. With the moon full, its light reflected off the surface of the water, along with the sparkles of a thousand stars. The large fountain at their backs drowned out the sound of the band, as well as the voices of the other partygoers, leaving them in an intimate silence. Kason’s arm remained hooked in hers as they sat on the bench, his long legs stretched out before him. They remained quiet for a long moment, the tranquility of the garden too perfect to interrupt.

“I have a confession to make,” he said as he turned to face her, his green eyes brilliant in the moonlight.

“You do?” She’d been almost afraid to ask, but she knew he would say whatever he had on his mind anyway. “What is it that you have to confess, Kason?”

Grinning, he drained the rest of his drink and set the empty glass on the ground at his feet. “After last night, I’d hoped to see you again.”

It wasn’t what Holera had expected him to say, but she wasn’t disappointed. After so long without a lover, her heart had chilled with the temperature of her bed, and she yearned to warm it once again. “Is that so?”

Sliding his arm out of hers, Kason took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. Her breath caught in her throat as she held his eyes in hers. “It is.”

Interlacing his fingers with hers, Kason laid their joined hands on his lap as he gazed out over the water. She couldn’t help but to smile to herself as she watched him. It was such a simple gesture but it meant more to her than he realized. She wasn’t naive, however. There was no guarantee she’d ever see him again after this night, but just to be touched for that moment was enough. It would have to be.

“I hoped to see you again too.”

Chapter 8

Kason

Holera. Her name sounded powerful, yet alluring, which was exactly what the female sitting next to Kason was. When he’d told her he had a confession, he’d fully intended to tell her about the Warbotach males that had been following her and her friend the night before, but he decided against it. Of all the things he wanted to give her, the feeling of safety was on the top of the list. And she was safe. He’d gotten those two barbarians off the streets and into the palace dungeon without her ever knowing she’d been in danger or ever losing a moment of sleep over what could have been.

Holera stretched her long legs out in front of her and Kason found it impossible to avoid admiring her figure, her long limbs, muscles finely cut from her life as an Aegrician warrior. She was incredible, but he had a feeling she didn’t realize how incredible she truly was. It was something he hoped to change. “You are stunning, Holera.” Even among the fae, silver hair and violet eyes were rare. Sitting below the night sky, her hair had the appearance of liquid moonlight as she turned to look at him, her hair sliding over her shoulder effortlessly.

He expected her to speak, to say something, but she only gazed at him, her free hand twisting into the hem of her cloak. She was nervous, he realized, and he wanted to ease that in her too. Even though he knew little about her, something in her nearness, in her scent, made him want to give her the world, to lay it out at her feet if it would make her his. The porcelain skin of her cheek begged for him to touch it and he didn’t want to fight it. Instead, Kason lifted a hesitant hand to her face, searching her eyes for resistance as he cupped her cheek.

The breath caught in her throat at his touch. He saw the moment his touch had taken her breath away. She didn’t pull away from him as he held her face in his hand, and she didn’t move away as he closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers, the touch of her skin against his lighting a fire inside him. Holera would be his mate, even if she didn’t know it yet.

Although her conversations had been reserved, shy even, ever since they’d met, her kisses were not. When Kason wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her in close, she climbed onto his lap, straddling him as they sat on the bench by the sea. The wind whipped at her hair, sliding under her cloak and making her shiver, giving Kason permission to hold her tighter, to wrap her up in his cloak and against his body while their mouths explored one another, while their tongues tasted. Caressed.

With as hard as she’d made it, he knew Holera could feel this cock pressing against the fabric of his trousers. It didn’t give her pause. If anything, it fueled her as she wrapped her legs around the sides of him and ground against his hardness, the friction pulling a breathy moan from her mouth. The sound threatened to make him come undone, but he didn’t want to rush things with her. She wasn’t just some female at a brothel, or a night of release with a stranger at a tavern. Holera would be his forever, so he wanted to take his time with her. He wanted to do things right.

When she pulled her lips away from Kason’s, he was left panting but wanting more, and she knew it. With a seductive smile, she leaned forward and ran her tongue up the curve of his neck, licking and sucking her way up to his ear. He groaned, his hips bucking up against her in spite of himself. “Are you trying to make me lose control, Holera?”

Huffing a laugh, she returned to his mouth, kissing him hungrily as his arms slid around her waist and gripped her backside.

“Maybe you need to lose control.” After being as shy as she’d been the entire night, those were the last words he’d expected to hear from her, and he felt the sultry tone in which she said them all the way in his balls. If she wanted him to lose control, she wouldn’t have to try very hard.

Holera’s fingers slid into his hair, removing the leather strap, allowing his long locks to fall free against his back, before returning her attention to his neck. A growl rose from deep in his belly, and resisting taking her right there on that bench was taking more willpower than he’d even thought he had. She ground against him again, the warm friction from between her thighs nearly making him release in his trousers.

“Is there somewhere we can go?” she asked, her voice no more than breath against his ear. A surge of excitement filled him, even if he didn’t intend to claim her that night. He still wanted to wait, but he wasn’t opposed to finding somewhere they could be alone together.

Nodding, he stood, lifting her with him before gently setting her back onto her own feet. If they were going to walk around where there were others, he didn’t think it would’ve been appropriate for her to still be straddling his waist. Placing his hand on the small of her back, Kason led Holera through the gardens and toward the gate. “I have a room nearby.” 

Chapter 9

Holera

Holera had never considered herself to be one to succumb to passions over having good sense, but there was something about Kason that made all her methodical planning flee from her mind like it was running from an enemy. Just the scent of him, and the feeling of his fingers interlaced with hers, had her straddling his lap and sucking on his neck. She didn’t know what had come over her, but she wasn’t strong enough to fight it. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to. If only for a moment, she wanted to let her heart lead her and not her head. Fate, it seemed, had other plans. Just as they were making their way toward the back gates of the palace, intent on finding somewhere more private to spend time together, a clean cut Aegrician male with golden hair and deep umber eyes stepped out into their path.

“Kason. Sorry to interrupt your evening, but there’s a situation the queen needs you to attend to.”

The male on Holera’s arm stiffened and she fought back a disappointed groan. She didn’t even know what he did for the kingdom, or what kind of situation the male was talking about, but she knew her fling, at least for the night, was over. When he turned to face her, the fire in his eyes dimming with an exhale, she knew it was over.

“Wait for me,” he said, the words crushing her somewhere deep inside her chest. 

All she could do was nod as he gave her one more kiss and his hand slipped out of hers before he disappeared through the open doorway and into the crowd. She stood there for a moment, watching the space where he’d passed refill with revelers, before taking a step inside. Something was going on, and she knew he’d told her to wait for him, but she wasn’t the sit-and-wait type. If she was going to get herself in trouble, however, she would need a partner in crime, so instead of going after him, she headed for the bar. First, she needed to find Exie. Thankfully, her friend was right where she’d expected her to be.

Seeming to have sensed Holera approaching, Exie spun around to face her. “There you are! I thought you’d gone home.” 

The queen catching Holera’s eye, she watched as Otera spoke discreetly to one of her guards before leaving the room, Blaedia at her heel. “There’s no time to talk about where I’ve been, Ex. Something’s going on and I need to figure out what.”

The mischievous sparkle in Exie’s eyes nearly made Holera regret going for her friend instead of following Kason. After only a moment, it passed. “Something with Kason?” Draining a glass of water, Exie turned toward the direction in which Otera had gone. “I saw him go that way just before Otera left with Blaedia.” 

It wasn’t their place to get involved in emissary business. Holera knew that, but it didn’t sway her. Blowing out a breath, she headed toward the door that would lead them back into the palace corridor, Exie following her lead. If her queen was involved, then she would make it her business. 

Walking past the guards posted at the doors, Holera merely nodded once in their direction, hoping her brisk pace would convince them she had urgent business that was not to be interrupted. She hadn’t expected them to let her pass, but they did. With no indication of what direction Kason and the queen had gone, aside from the faintest imprint of his scent, she turned left toward the lower levels of the palace. There wasn’t much down there aside from the dungeons, but she hadn’t mistaken Kason’s scent, or Otera’s, so she knew that was the way they’d gone. 

“What happened between the two of you?” Exie asked as they walked briskly down the corridor leading to the back stairwell. Aside from the guards at the doors, they hadn’t passed anyone else. 

“We can talk about that later.” Stopping at the end of the hall, Holera peered around the corner and down the darkened stairway. With only a few sconces on the wall, most of the space was in shadow. “Someone came to get him from the courtyard. Said there was a situation he needed to take care of.” Taking one more look over her shoulder, she stepped into the stairwell. “They came this way, Kason and Otera, with a few others.” 

Lifting her finger to her mouth, Exie silenced any further questions as they began to move down the stone stairs into the subterranean level of the palace. When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, where a heavy wooden door separated them from the dungeon, the sound of a scream nearly brought Holera to her knees.

Chapter 10

Kason

Kason knew why he’d been summoned before he even walked into the ballroom. There had been trouble with the Warbotach prisoners, and since he’d brought them in, he knew they were his problem. Although there had been about a dozen Warbotach traders at the tavern the night before, only two of them had been stupid enough to follow Holera and Exie when they’d left the bar, therefore there were only two of them in the dungeon below the palace. At least, that’s how many there had been when he’d last seen them. The problem was, once he arrived back in the dungeon after the queen summoned him, there had been only one prisoner remaining. Somehow, one of the bastards had escaped. 

Kason growled under his breath. He’d found the female he’d been dreaming about, one he’d surely settle down for, but he had been forced to leave her standing in the courtyard with no explanation. Once he finished interrogating the remaining prisoner, he would have to find Holera and beg for her forgiveness. If he could even find her. Panos’ interruption as they were making their way off the palace grounds had drowned their fire like a bucket of cold water. Otera, Blaedia, and two guards entered the dungeon behind Kason, the prisoner already tied to a chair. 

“How’d this happen?” he asked no one in particular. The prisoner struggled against his bindings, screaming something in his own language, a language Kason understood. With as vile as what the barbarian was spewing was, he didn’t bother translating. 

“Seems the other prisoner overpowered our guard, left through the servant’s entrance.” Taking a cursory glance at the unconscious guard leaning against the stone wall, Kason cracked his knuckles. It appeared as though he wouldn’t be returning to his female anytime soon. 

Otera moved further into the room, Blaedia at her side. “Has anyone gone after the prisoner? We need him captured before he gets on a ship. Needless to say, Warbotach would see his imprisonment as an act of war.”

The male guard nodded, his body language showing signs of his frayed nerves. “I sent out six guards, Your Majesty. Four on foot and two in the sky.” 

“How long ago?” Kason demanded, still not understanding why there had only been one guard watching the prisoners to begin with. It was an oversight that wouldn’t happen again. 

“An hour, maybe less.” 

With the unsure tone of the guard’s voice, Kason was betting it was less. He gritted his teeth. “Send out more.” With a swift nod, the guard left the room and headed back into the palace proper. 

Otera turned to her lover, squeezing Blaedia’s hand. “Go. Send your own trusted warriors after him. We have to get that prisoner back.” 

Blaedia nodded, but just as she turned toward the heavy wooden door leading out of the dungeon, there were two figures standing in the doorway. “Holera. Exie. What are you two doing here?” The general sounded less than pleased, but both females had the appearance of someone caught in a trap. They knew they had been found somewhere they shouldn’t have been. 

Holera’s mouth opened and shut a few times like a fish out of water before she finally spoke. “I—I heard a scream. I thought someone was hurt.”

Mouth twisting in a smirk, Kason knew Holera was lying. She’d heard a scream, but not until she was already in the dungeon, exactly where she shouldn't have been. Eyes like slits, Blaedia glared at her two warriors for a few awkward moments before seeming to realize they were not in the right frame of mind to go after a barbarian, Exie being slightly intoxicated and Holera too distracted by the male across the room to be given orders. With one more glance over her shoulder, Blaedia left the dungeon. 

Once her general was out of the way, Holera stepped further into the room, confusion clear on her face as she took in the space. “What is this, Kason? What’s going on?”

Kason hadn’t intended to disclose the truth about how he’d followed them home the night before because they were being trailed by warriors who’d intended on doing them harm. He’d hoped to leave that storyline out of their night together, but it was no longer an option as the beautiful warrior glanced from the Warbotach prisoner tied to the chair, and back to the male she’d just been kissing in the gardens. 

With nothing else for her to do, the queen left the room, leaving two guards behind to watch over the remaining prisoner. Still, Kason didn’t feel comfortable walking away just yet. Instead, he drug the bound male back into his cell, double checking the lock once he closed the door. Taking Holera by the hand, he pulled her to him and kissed her deeply, relieved when she fell into him instead of pulling away. 

“Come, let’s take a seat just outside and I’ll explain everything.”

Chapter 11

Holera

Holera’s mind whirled as she’d glanced from Kason, to the queen, to the prisoner tied to a metal chair in the dungeon. She was relieved the scream hadn’t come from her newly found lover, but she recognized the Warbotach brute in the chair. He’d been the same male Exie had had an altercation with the night before, and she didn’t know why he’d been captured. As she walked hand in hand with Kason through the servant’s exit and out into the crisp night air, Exie remained behind to give them privacy. Kason walked her to one of the stone benches, dropping to sit beside her. 

“I haven’t been completely forthcoming with you tonight,” he said, the words sending Holera’s heart into her gut. “After you left the tavern with Exie last night, two of the Warbotach merchants followed you.”

Knowing she’d been followed by two males didn’t ease the sinking in her stomach. Holera shook her head, disappointed in herself for having been so distracted by Exie that she hadn’t even realized they’d been in danger. “I can’t believe I didn’t know. I was so caught up with—” 

“Don’t.” Kason cut her off, sliding his hand to the nape of her neck and rubbing the flesh between her shoulders. “Don’t blame yourself for what they did, or what they tried to do. I have no doubt that, if they had attacked, you would have been able to defend yourself. What matters is that you didn’t have to. I saw them through the windows of the tavern, and I cut them off before they could do whatever it was they intended to do.”

Just thinking about what those merchants had planned for her and her friend made bile rise in Holera’s throat. “Thank you for protecting us.” In all her life, she had never seen herself as needing anyone’s protection, but in that moment, she felt helpless, and she hated it. 

Kason pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist. “But one of those bastards got away—about an hour ago. They’ve sent out more guards to look for him, but I need to look for him as well. We can’t let him get on a ship. I just didn’t want to leave without seeing you. I didn’t want you to think I’d run away from you.” 

“I want to go with you.” 

Although she expected Kason to deny her request, he didn’t. Instead, he rose from the bench, reaching a hand down to help her up before pulling her into a kiss. For just a moment, the world around them disappeared as Kason’s scent filled her senses, and his tongue caressed her own. 

When they pulled apart, it took every bit of her restraint not to pull him to her lips again, but they had to find the missing prisoner. She didn’t need Kason to explain what would be the fallout if the Warbotach merchant got on a ship and returned to his own kingdom with claims of being imprisoned by the Aegrician monarch. Lesser grievances had started wars in their world. 

Returning to the dungeon, Holera filled Exie in on what had happened the night before, how her near bar brawl had gotten them followed, had nearly gotten them into more trouble than they could have even imagined. Kason saw to the remaining prisoner while Exie and Holera talked, ensuring he was not only secure in his cell, but that there were enough guards watching him to prevent him from escaping. If Exie’s argument in the tavern had started a war… That was something Holera couldn’t even think about at the moment, but she could tell by the look on her friend’s face that Exie felt some moniker of regret for her temper, even if she’d been defending their queen. 

They left the dungeon a moment later. Kason held onto Holera, with Exie on their heels, as they climbed the stairs out of the lower levels and back into the palace proper. There were many warriors now guarding the lower levels of the palace, including the doors into the ballroom. Bypassing the party area altogether, the trio left through the front doors and stepped out into the cool night air. 

“We should fly,” Exie said, coming to a stop in front of them. “With Kason on your back, we’ll have more eyes in the sky. We’ll find him.” 

Kason nodded, securing his weapons on his back. Holera hadn’t had many people on her back, but she knew it could give them a better chance. In a flash of fire, she shifted, a brilliant silver phoenix standing where she had been. Wasting no time, Kason climbed onto her back and shifted his weight until he was nestled and out of the way of her wings. 

Pulling reins out of her satchel, Exie secured them onto her friend, passing the handholds to Kason before shifting into her own phoenix form. Where Holera’s phoenix form was silver with a flare of crimson feathers on her tail and wings, Exie was a brilliant fire red, with tail feathers of every color of the rainbow, and a tuft of blond feathers on her head. The two phoenixes nodded to each other and then spread their wings, their tails fluttering in the wind as they lifted into the sky, eyes searching for their prey. 

Chapter 12

Kason

In all his decades of life, Kason had never ridden on the back of a phoenix warrior, so he was hesitant to climb onto Holera. The birds were massive, but so was he, and he didn’t want to hurt her. Ultimately, however, Exie’s words made sense, and he knew Holera was more than capable of carrying his weight, even if he always saw himself as carrying his female, and not the other way around. Thinking of her as his brought warmth to his chest, even in the cold night. A mate was something he’d never imagined for himself. Truly bonding to a mate, having fate know exactly who was meant for a person, was rare.

Soaring through the air, firmly positioned behind the phoenix’s neck, Kason pulled his bow from over his shoulder, notching an arrow and peering into the darkness. With Exie in the lead, they flew low over the city streets and toward the harbor. 

In the darkness, even with his advanced fae eyesight and the even more impressive eyesight of the phoenixes, it would still be difficult to find the escaped prisoner. The number of merchants and ships in the harbor would only make the search that much harder. He could have hidden in plain sight from them among the crowds and gotten on a ship before he’d ever been found. 

Blowing out a breath, Kason leaned forward, stroking Holera’s silky feathers as he leaned into the wind. Her large avian face was severe, yet still beautiful. Dangerous. Extraordinary. He knew what she could do, what all the phoenix warriors could do. Her talons were the size of his fingers, and her razor-sharp beak was a weapon. She could rip a man apart in her phoenix form, but she was no less fierce in her fae form. When they were back on the ground and had time to spend together, he wanted to spar with her, wanted to see her slick with sweat and wielding a sword. He couldn’t imagine anything sexier than Holera in fighting leathers, swinging a weapon, and kicking his ass. Grinning at the thought of it, a surge of excitement jolted through his body. 

The way she’d ridden his lap, grinded against his hardened length as it pulsed against the fabric of his trousers was seared into his mind. Her scent in his nose and the taste of her skin against his lips had nearly driven him over the edge, and his body yearned to have her on top of him again. If they found the missing prisoner, Kason hoped he and Holera could return to the night they were heading toward. A night of passion and getting to know each other better so he could convince her that he was meant to be her mate. The more time he spent with her, the more he needed her. 

His cock already firming in his trousers, Kason shook the thoughts from his mind and returned his eyes to scan the harbor below. The Warbotach ship still bobbed against the docks, merchants loading cargo on and off the craft while others completed the last of their tasks in the city. Just as he scanned the barbarians who were loading crates across the ramp, he laid eyes on the male who’d gotten away. 

“There!”

Both birds’ eyes darted in the direction of Kason’s outstretched hand, their eyes locking on their target. Exie dove first, her vibrant wings whipping out at her sides to aim her decline as her brilliant tail ribbons fluttered behind her, coloring the sky like a rainbow in the darkness. Following her friend, Holera’s strong body shot like an arrow at the Warbotach vessel, her massive silver wings tilting to control their descent. Kason held onto her back with his thighs, his bow held high with the arrow pulled taut as he pinned his eyes on the escaped prisoner. If the male got away, war would return to Aegricia’s shores, and that was something they needed to prevent. 

The other guards and warriors approached from multiple directions, some flying in over the sea, and others through the forest, or from the road. They were all closing in on the Warbotach ship. The entire situation was precarious. If Aegricia forced their way onto a Warbotach vessel and took one of their people, even that could be seen as an act of war, so there were no perfect options on how to deal with the situation. 

Exie swooped past them, a keening call erupting from her beak as she signaled the other winged warriors to follow her into the forest and out of sight of the Warbotach ship. Holera followed as Kason gestured to the soldiers on the ground to watch but wait. They knew where the prisoner was. Now they needed to figure out the best way to apprehend him without drawing too much attention.